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Is having an A+ and Network+ cert worth anything anymore?

blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
I was thinking of putting some of my computer knowledge to work, and attempting to get A+ and Network+ certified. However, I'm not sure if they hold any weight like they did a few years ago.

Now I know some of you will inevitably say that these are worthless, but they have to be good for something, right? My fiance was just denied enough student loans to go to a small school here locally, and she is single, 24, and only makes 19k a year before taxes. Being 24 myself, I was kinda of waiting to see how she faired in getting student loans, but the government didn't even want to give her enough to cover less than $8,000 in tuiton and books fees for an 18-month program. She is feeling pretty down on herself, and now I'm starting to think school is out of the question for me as well.

So I'd like to jump on some certs, get them, and hopefully be able to start out at a job somewhere that would pay for the rest of my school after a year or two. I feel I could pass the tests easily, but I don't want to plop down $250 for tests that won't mean anything.

Thanks guys, any info would be great.
 
it stands out on a resume if you have no formal (university) education and are going for a job in a tech field
 
I've got my A+....but it doesn't do too much good unless you're a simple computer tech. That's all it was ever really good for anyhow. The truth is that a monkey could build a computer. It's just nice to have the cert to wow management and help get your foot in the door of a business if the other guy applying doesn't have anything.
 
Originally posted by: Drakkon
it stands out on a resume if you have no formal (university) education and are going for a job in a tech field
Click to expand...


this kind of OT but how about taking Associate at Community College?
 
Originally posted by: khurios2000
Originally posted by: Drakkon
it stands out on a resume if you have no formal (university) education and are going for a job in a tech field
Click to expand...


this kind of OT but how about taking Associate at Community College?
Click to expand...
I can't speak for all hiring managers, but i know any College/University Associate/Bachlors to me that stands out way more than any of the network/a+ certifications. to me it means you have more of a real education and have cirtical thinking ability and don't just remeber a buncha stuff for a test.

 
Certs can carry some weight depending on the company / organization you work for.

But on a separate note, have you ever considered joining the military (like AF or Navy)?
Even if you don't become a lifer, they will teach you stuff and give you working experience. They can even pay for your college too. If all else fails and you need a job that will give you experience, try the military.

chipy
 
Originally posted by: chipy
Certs can carry some weight depending on the company / organization you work for.

But on a separate note, have you ever considered joining the military (like AF or Navy)?
Even if you don't become a lifer, they will teach you stuff and give you working experience. They can even pay for your college too. If all else fails and you need a job that will give you experience, try the military.

chipy
Click to expand...
Not really the military type myself. At 24, I'm already set on my path in life, and anything related to military would completely screw that up. I don't like change 🙁. However, it's not that I really need a job in the IT field, it's just that computers is what I know, and although I don't much that's related to the big positions, I could easily learn it quickly with the right instruction.

After my fiance got denied enough student loans for $8k worth of tuition, my semi-plans of going to school aren't looking too good. So I have to find another way in. I don't mind to start at the bottom, as I have plenty of time ahead of me. But this has just kind of partially opened my eyes to my future. I make around $22k a year at my current job (plus commission that will hopefully soon be rolling in), but it's not something I picture myself at for the rest of my life. There's not really much of a retirement plan, plus the shop is owned by husband/wife, and you never know when they'll sell the place.

Oh well, just thinking about the future, it's got me down a bit. Luckily, I feel like I don't really live in a highly competitive market for IT related jobs, so I think I could get my foot in the door somewhere. The only problem is finding it.
 
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Oh well, just thinking about the future, it's got me down a bit. Luckily, I feel like I don't really live in a highly competitive market for IT related jobs, so I think I could get my foot in the door somewhere. The only problem is finding it.
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I thought the same thing, and I've been looking for a job since nearly the beginning of the year. The thing you have to keep in mind is that for a lot of companies, the HR department does most of the legwork for hiring, regardless of what department you're going to end up in. More often than not, they don't know squat about computers, so if two people come in - one with certs, one without - the guy with the certs is going to get the job, whether he actually knows his stuff or not. He may not be there very long, but he will get the job 😛

That said, I actually have managed to find a company that needs someone for their helpdesk (a way to get a foot in the door, and some experience, as you said. I don't want to stay there for ever 🙂 ) which does not require certification. I'm going up to take a little competency test tommorow morning, and I'll go from there. If it's anything like the questions they asked me over the phone, the test should be a breeze.

Nate
 
What kind of stuff is relevant to A+ certs anyway?
If the tech at my high school is any indication, you don't need to know a whole lot for A+ and Network+ certs...the idiot asked me how to join an XP machine to a bloody novell network. He is the dumbest man alive, and yet he has these. How can they be worth anything?!?!?!!!!
 
Originally posted by: hippotautamus
What kind of stuff is relevant to A+ certs anyway?
If the tech at my high school is any indication, you don't need to know a whole lot for A+ and Network+ certs...the idiot asked me how to join an XP machine to a bloody novell network. He is the dumbest man alive, and yet he has these. How can they be worth anything?!?!?!!!!
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And so I rest my case 😛

Nate
 
Depends on what you do. I have both (and uh.. a few others), and it does me no good as a project manager cuz it's irrelevant to what I do.

Although everybody still comes to me for computer problems 😕
 
Originally posted by: Otaking
Although everybody still comes to me for computer problems 😕
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I have neither, and I get the same thing 🙂 Have for a long time. Once I start working though, I probably will work on getting a few certs. Might not help, but it couldn't hurt anything, either.

Nate
 
Originally posted by: NTB
Originally posted by: hippotautamus
What kind of stuff is relevant to A+ certs anyway?
If the tech at my high school is any indication, you don't need to know a whole lot for A+ and Network+ certs...the idiot asked me how to join an XP machine to a bloody novell network. He is the dumbest man alive, and yet he has these. How can they be worth anything?!?!?!!!!
Click to expand...

And so I rest my case 😛

Nate
Click to expand...
Ya, I'm not ignorant to the world of low-level certs. I'm sure I would also be one of these guys. But like you explained earlier Nate, just the look of the certs on a resume looks good to the untrained. It's just that I didn't know if they still looked good nowadays, as it's been 4 years since I looked into it.
 
I have found many employers that appreciate the fact that you served in the military however they still don't think you are competant without the A+. It's rather frustrating to be an engineer by work experience and qualification, but then rejected for a job because I'm not A+ certified. One of the reasons I'm swaying away from the IT industry. There are too many employers which value certifications over performance and experience. It makes a person wonder if they'd be happy at that job anyway... I certainly wouldn't like working for someone who thinks an A+ cert defines my competance.

My dad has an A+. He can barely type, and has problems setting up anything more than AOL. Ask him to identify parts inside a computer, or how to set up a network card... not gonna happen.

A+ is really nothing more than propaganda sold to incompetant employers who are clueless about the field they are hiring for... or they are following company policy written by someone with the same lack of knowledge.
 
to my current boss, A+ is worth one dollar per hour. And he won't pay my full wage until i get certified..


so i fixed the issue by finding another job not tech related that offers a MUCH better compensation/benefit/perks package.... mind you in my case, i am merely talking of part-time jobs to get me through university
 
Is there any good way to study for these exams, short of taking a full-blown class? For the Net+ and Security+ I could probably use the class, but from what everybody here says, I think I could do reasonably well on the A+ after a little reading...

Nate
 
for A+, i'd just read a book just to make sure i don't fail the test. it would suck to have to redo it just for the fact that it's so expensive....
but a class is probably going to be real boring anyway, and with the book, you can skip over some sections....
 
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