Frayed nerves. A+ 801-802

Weevils

Hi guys, just posting here to sort of vent and hopefully get some feedback. I am losing sleep over these courses. I'm using the Skillsoft E-learning package to prep for 801-802 and while it's going fine I'm stressed to the limit about these exams, the questions on them, detail oriented or otherwise. To the point of losing sleep now. I know that A+ isn't exactly the bees knees in terms of certifications, but being my first cert, and more importantly the first cert in which I've been self driven to achieve it's got me really shaky.

I've still got about a month before the test and I've covered all the material. I guess I'm just worried about my lack of in the field experience biting me in the ass. It's mentioned that these courses were written for someone who has 500 hours applicable experience and a solid grasp, and I really feel that I do. I've been a PC gamer for most of my life and I'd like to think that digging around in the guts of a machine for 11 years counts for something (Throwing in a couple pc repair/troubleshooting courses from highschool).

I'd like to know from you kind folks what your advice is, from all walks of life and backgrounds in the industry. My other worry is that having the A+ bundle and the IT technician cert is simply not going to be enough in this age to land an entry level spot behind a tech bench. So for anyone who does hiring in the industry, what are you looking for in entry level folks?

adam220891

It's not hard. I studied forever for the 801 and did the practice tests and flashcards that came with my book over and over. I think I bought an app on my phone that had practice questions too. I had never really built a computer outside of class and had never even seen a lot of the legacy hardware in person, and still passed easily. I took less time for the 802 after I kinda knew what to expect and did even better.

Lots of folks say at the entry level help desk positions, they are looking for attitude, personality, and creativity. If you show you are a good fit and have the ability to think critically to solve problems, you can get a position. I hope it's true, since I have limited experience myself. Don't stop at the A+ though, at least get the Network+ after or a Microsoft Technology Associate for Desktop. At an entry level position, you can expect to do light networking and deal mostly with MS Windows, so getting one or both of those certs will help you be more confident and also enhance your resume.

xenodamus

If you've put forth an honest effort to study for those exams, I'm sure you'll do fine. Working through some practice exams will help to settle some of your exam jitters. If nothing else, they help you to know what kind of questions to expect.

I spent a couple of years supervising helpdesk and desktop support teams. Personally, I liked to see candidates who had ambition. I didn't mind hiring someone with little experience if they're eager to learn and progress. The most frustrating employees I had were the lifetime helpdesk employees - folks who got an entry level job and had no desire to learn and improve their skillset. To them IT isn't a career path, it's a paycheck. In an interview, I want to know more than just what knowledge you have. I want to see that you understand the areas you'll need to get up to speed, the topics you'll need to learn more about, and hear you talk about your current study endeavors and future goals. That shows promise to me.

--chris--

You are overthinking it. I was in a similar position before I took the A+. I had almost no experience beyond what I had from assembling my own gaming PCs over the years. I read the exam cram book, watched (and took notes) all the proffessor messer videos. I felt overprepared for the exam, i scored 748 and 788. I feel 2-3 months of prep would have been plenty instead of the 6 months I put into it.