How long did you take to finish the a+ and Network+

[Friendly]

A+ took me three and a half months. School told me it would take 6 weeks.
Looking at network+ I reckon it will take me about 2 and a half months. School reckons three weeks.
I rang lots of schools and the difference in time varied from 5 days to 6 months for A+ and 4 days to 6 months for new work+
I belive to be even slightly competent from knowing nothing to passing the exams you would need at least 3 months for the A+ and nearly the same for around 2 to 3 months for the network+
What does every body else think?
How long did it take you to sit your exams and to feel realisticly competent that you could use what you learnt with out to much supervision?

 

[Adul]

mmm i read the book for a day and took a the test and past it quickly

 

[Adul]

this poll i rigged

 

[OverVolt]

Yep i'm gunna read the book, and then take the test. Haven't got the book yet but i'll let u know

 

[Looney]

Took me a weekend to do the A+... Network+? Not even going to bother. These easy certs are useless, nobody takes them seriously.

 

[Utterman]

To take the actual test took me about 15 minutes each part (I'm a slow test taker). To study, I took a course sponsored by Cisco which was a semester. What I read before the test to prepare was the Cramsession study guide.

 

[Friendly]

Semester sounds about right. Thanks for the reply. I here so many people saying that it took them a week or a fortnight. Some of the schools here teach it as a 5 day course. I was starting to wonder if I was dumb or something.
I dont belive it can be done in under a couple of months unless you are a rocket scientist.

 

[ethebubbeth]

took a class at local community college for A+.... complete waste i would have passed by a wide margin without it

 

[xSauronx]

ive been going through a largeish (100pgs) A+ book over the last few weeks, off and on between kids, work, painting the house and what not. all very easy stuff for someone who has been into computers for a couple of years. ill be setting up an exam soon, seems like itll be a breeze

 

[Ghost]

When you're ready to take the exams you'll know. If you go through the sample exams and do well, you should be ready.

Try not to compare yourself against other people. Others may learn faster, or may have extensive experience in the field that allows them to pass the A+ or Network+ exams easily.

Contrary to what Moralpanic says...

... These easy certs are useless, nobody takes them seriously.

People do place value on the certs. If you browse the help wanted section, you'll frequently see the A+ cert listed as a minimum requirement to get hired.

And the 2002 Salary Survey listed at Slashdot a few weeks ago, (Salary Survey)has a listing of certifications that people find valuable. A+ was listed 6th out of 16, while the Network+ was listed 11th.

 

[Looney]

I browse through the help wanted section almost everyday, and i rarely see A+ as a requirement. Except maybe for tech support for large places like Best Buy and such. And i didn't see the listing of A+ on the slashdot link you provided. I find it hard to believe that A+ will you get anything more than low level tech support that barely pays above minimum wage.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: Friendly
A+ took me three and a half months. School told me it would take 6 weeks.

I hope you got 100% if you put all that time and energy in to it. I did mine ages ago but it took like a day or two worth of reading (like 4 to 6hrs total) and then whatever it took to do the test (30 mins er whatever).

Looking at network+ I reckon it will take me about 2 and a half months. School reckons three weeks.
I rang lots of schools and the difference in time varied from 5 days to 6 months for A+ and 4 days to 6 months for new work+
I belive to be even slightly competent from knowing nothing to passing the exams you would need at least 3 months for the A+ and nearly the same for around 2 to 3 months for the network+
What does every body else think?
How long did it take you to sit your exams and to feel realisticly competent that you could use what you learnt with out to much supervision?

Are you sure this is really the field you wanna be in? You seem to be putting way way way too much effort in to really really basic things. (But that's just my opinion).

Thorin

 

[Jesta]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
I browse through the help wanted section almost everyday, and i rarely see A+ as a requirement. Except maybe for tech support for large places like Best Buy and such. And i didn't see the listing of A+ on the slashdot link you provided. I find it hard to believe that A+ will you get anything more than low level tech support that barely pays above minimum wage.

Which is exactly what it is supposed to do. Get your foot in the door as an entry level tech with the equivalent of 6 months work experience.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: Jesta

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
I browse through the help wanted section almost everyday, and i rarely see A+ as a requirement. Except maybe for tech support for large places like Best Buy and such. And i didn't see the listing of A+ on the slashdot link you provided. I find it hard to believe that A+ will you get anything more than low level tech support that barely pays above minimum wage.

Which is exactly what it is supposed to do. Get your foot in the door as an entry level tech with the equivalent of 6 months work experience.

Heh that's funny, A+ and/or Net+ != 6mo work experience

Thorin

 

[mflacy]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
I browse through the help wanted section almost everyday, and i rarely see A+ as a requirement. Except maybe for tech support for large places like Best Buy and such. And i didn't see the listing of A+ on the slashdot link you provided. I find it hard to believe that A+ will you get anything more than low level tech support that barely pays above minimum wage.

There is a link to a pdf file on that Slashdot page. It has the list of certifications along with gobs of other useful info.

I agree that A+ isn't advertised in job listings. But it's not because a lack of requirement. In my experience, it's assumed that you have an A+ if you are applying for a Tech position since it's the most basic certfication out there.

Furthermore, I've seen tons of applicants get weeded out during the resume process due to a lack of A+ certification. You would be suprised how highly an A+ cert is regarded by Techno-deficient HR reps.

In short, having an A+ certfication can only help you, even if it's just getting to the interview.

 

[Ghost]

Are you sure this is really the field you wanna be in? You seem to be putting way way way too much effort in to really really basic things.

It's all relative, Thorin.

If he's new to the field, then it may take him some time to study for the stuff. The Network+ Exam tests you on a variety of new and old technology. For example, they have questions on Token Ring, FIDDI, SONET, ATM, Ethernet etc. How many of those is he likely to have encountered if he's new?

A+/Network+ discuss subjects that are covered in more "advanced" areas of study anyway. Not much harm, IMO, of learning the 7 layers of the OSI model, the basics of routing, the basics of Ethernet, etc, if it will help prepare him for other certifications later on.

And finally, IMO, any certification is only worthwhile if you actually spent the time to learn some of the information you read. I work with guys who are MCSE's and or MCP's etc.... and you'd be surprised how many MCSE's can't tie their shoes, so to speak, technically. They just crammed the info.....and it didn't stick.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: Ghost

Are you sure this is really the field you wanna be in? You seem to be putting way way way too much effort in to really really basic things.

It's all relative, Thorin.

True .... too true sometimes

If he's new to the field, then it may take him some time to study for the stuff. The Network+ Exam tests you on a variety of new and old technology. For example, they have questions on Token Ring, FIDDI, SONET, ATM, Ethernet etc. How many of those is he likely to have encountered if he's new?

Agreed, some of us are spoilt by our timing entering the market I guess.

A+/Network+ discuss subjects that are covered in more "advanced" areas of study anyway. Not much harm, IMO, of learning the 7 layers of the OSI model, the basics of routing, the basics of Ethernet, etc, if it will help prepare him for other certifications later on.

Yes I completely agree, if what's ne studying/learning leads to further indepth study to be put to use later then the time is well invested ..... but if it's struggling with basics then that's completely different.

And finally, IMO, any certification is only worthwhile if you actually spent the time to learn some of the information you read. I work with guys who are MCSE's and or MCP's etc.... and you'd be surprised how many MCSE's can't tie their shoes, so to speak, technically. They just crammed the info.....and it didn't stick.

Again I agree anything worth doing is worth doing well. Having read and memorized something != understanding.

Thorin

 

[Looney]

For the price/time spent and the reward out of it, i think it could be better well spent elsewhere. Even though i only paid about $300 for my cert and a weekend of studying, if i had to do it all over again, i wouldn't have even bothered. My first very tech job i didn't have A+.

Like i said, all it's going to get you is an entry level position... and most of them don't even require A+ for that... you're considered a newb anyways.

 

[Macro2]

FIDDI? or FDDI?

 

[Looney]

And at my current position, i see almost every resume that gets put into the company. I'm not the one deciding on who gets in or not, but i can tell you nobody here takes A+ seriously. Like i said, it only took me a weekend to do it... and every other tech person knows it doesn't take much to pass it. And with the prevalence of braindumps and cheats out there, even certs that were once worth something (like the MCSE) aren't taken as seriously anymore.

 

[Ghost]

Ooops. Should be FDDI.