Is there a way to list that I am studying for a cert on my resume for applications?

hypertek

While I am studying for my A+, i see a few job listings for IT tech with A+ listed on them. Can I somehow list that on my resume while currently studying for it and apply?

Or is it best to just try to complete it first than apply for jobs? Hopefully that makes sense.

Thanks!

paul78

Good luck on your studies.

For listing on a resume - you could always state something like - A+ Candidate (expected December 2013)
As for the merits of listing anticipated certifications, there are probably some pros/cons. I suspect however that the pros outweigh the cons.

ajs1976

if you do it, limit it to just one even if you are working on multiple.

hypertek

Thanks for the replies, sounds pretty good. Currently just working on A+. I was planing to look into more certs after that.

GoodBishop

You might want to mention it in your cover letter as opposed to your resume.

phonic

I agree that the cover letter would be a more appropriate place for it than the resume. The latter should be a record of what you have done, not what you plan on doing. A cover letter on the other hand is less formal and is a good way to introduce yourself and your goals - including upcoming certifications.

As someone who used to be responsible for hiring numerous people in a handful of departments, I've seen many resumes that had future plans on them. To be honest, it wasn't that big of a deal for me - in general. However, my biggest pet peeve was when people just threw crap in there that they hadn't even spent any time actually trying to accomplish. For example, the CCNA was often listed as a work in progress. So, if we brought them in for an interview, I would often ask some basic questions to see where they were. Without exaggeration, 90% of the time the candidate didn't even know the most fundimental concepts of networking, let alone some of the more advanced (relatively) material that the CCNA covers. Quite often they would give some comment like "well, I bought the book". That is a sure fired way to find yourself disqualified for a job solely because of a perceived attempt at deception.

Point being, be honest with what your short-term goals are, but be prepared to back it up. And don't be overzealous - someone who doesn't even have an associates degree shouldn't put a PhD in the 'work in progress' section.

Zartanasaurus

There's a lot of people on the forums, myself included, who think it's tacky. It's not like a college degree when you can pretty reasonably say when your graduation date is and you can point to 3 years of completed studies of a 4-year degree plan. As a potential interviewer, it doesn't tell me anything about you. I know some people who have been "working towards" their A+ or Network+ or CCNA for years now. So I might lump you in with those guys who like to talk the talk because the names get some attention, but aren't willing to walk the walk.

Ideally, you want to complete it first then apply for jobs, but no one here knows your circumstances. IMO A+ is nearly worthless anyway unless you're working for the govt. I've worked with lots of helpdesk/field techs in my time and 99% of the time, I was the only one who actually had an A+ at the time of hire. So for an "A+ level" job, applying now is fine. A lot of times they don't even care about experience, they want a reliable person with a good attitude. Go into the interview with some basic troubleshooting knowledge and demonstrate you're a nice guy who can take dealing with a frustrated customer and you have a huge advantage over most of the candidates.

chrisfu

You could also try going the blog route. Blog about your studies and what you're doing. Talk about things you learned and all that stuff.

Then find a way to put that blog on your resume or include it in your cover letter. My email address is for a domain that I have a site hosted at, and I always see hits from employers when I'm interviewing. At first I was annoyed that I had to scrub my sites of things that might reflect poorly upon me, but then I figured I could probably use that to my advantage... Which reminds me, I need to set up a site again and put something on it...