what exactly is comptia+ ??

[enyce2k9]

so i heard of this place that offers a 15 week training for a comptia+ certification.

i have an orientation pending, but looking to hear opinions ahead...

i turned 20 recently, no job, enough $ to get by the 15 wks, confused to enter years in college.. or this comptia...

i grew up messing with pc's, i got a+ knowledge (software/hardware)

so what ya think? (thanks in advance!)

EDIT: HERES A LINK http://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/sad/224611900.html

 

[Feldenak]

Which CompTIA cert take 15 weeks training?!?

 

[pontifex]

isn't comptia the company or organization that does the cert tests for like A+ certification?

there's a few certs but i don't think they really do much for you anymore.

 

[enyce2k9]

posted source...

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: pontifex
isn't comptia the company or organization that does the cert tests for like A+ certification?

there's a few certs but i don't think they really do much for you anymore.

Yup... the stuff is easy.

You can get a computer tech job at best buy or circuit city or fry's for about $12/hr with Certifications. Otherwise, most companies prefer actual experience rather than Certs. Certs are really pointless, I had a coworker who transferred who had a whole bunch of Certifications, but he knew absolutely nothing. It turned out he had worked part time as a trainer as a Cert place and had to get certified to teach the classes, but otherwise he didn't understand the true concepts. I ended up having to do double the work because he couldn't do any of his. Very stressful time for me.

 

[enyce2k9]

whoa 12/h.... i can get 15/h now on a normal job.
thats a turn down.. lets keep those opinions coming.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
whoa 12/h.... i can get 15/h now on a normal job.
thats a turn down.. lets keep those opinions coming.

college will get you way more than some crappy cert.
about 10 years ago these certs might have been useful but now they're pretty much worthless.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
whoa 12/hr.... i can get 15/h now on a normal job.
thats a turn down.. lets keep those opinions coming.

Well that is around here in Texas... where do you live? That is an important factor. Also, I have heard it ranges, so $15 is very possible

But anyways, your best bet is to find out if your family or friends have any contacts that can get your foot in the door of a company that needs someone interested in hardware IT. Then you get experience from a company that seems respectable on a resume, and you can get certs at the same time (showing competance).

Connections are pretty key for common success. Sure you can get lucky or be talented enough that contacts don't matter, but networking and connections is pretty important for the average Joe. Hope that helps.

 

[enyce2k9]

thanks, btw i actually worked with a family member company, i did my job which was simple, upgrade pc's and establish a secure network.... so now im looking for something that can ease my future,
college sounds good but that will kill my young years

also btw, im in NYC.

 

[enyce2k9]

Bump

 

[SpunkyJones]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
thanks, btw i actually worked with a family member company, i did my job which was simple, upgrade pc's and establish a secure network.... so now im looking for something that can ease my future,
college sounds good but that will kill my young years

also btw, im in NYC.

Kill your young years??? College was some of the best fun I ever had. I even got educated in my spare time.

 

[wheresmybacon]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
thanks, btw i actually worked with a family member company, i did my job which was simple, upgrade pc's and establish a secure network.... so now im looking for something that can ease my future,
college sounds good but that will kill my young years

also btw, im in NYC.

"kill my young years"???



college is hard work but it was easily the best time in my life, no question. work hard, play hard, get your degree.

 

[wheresmybacon]

Oh, and almost forgot to say, the days of certs alone landing you a good job are over. Unless you have a solid amount of real world experience + certs, expect to be working at a retail shop or doing phones for not a lot of money. And while phones or working at CC or Worst Buy can lead to bigger things, that?s a very large exception?definitely not the norm.

 

[enyce2k9]

so its either college or nothing i guess?

 

[BrownTown]

if you can go to college then you would be a fool not to. Not only will the amount of money you spend be quickly recouped by increased salary, but it will also be the best time of your life. Honestly, I don't know why anyone who had a choice would not want to go to college.

 

[Cal166]

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
so its either college or nothing i guess?

If you have the skills or enough experience and a little luck you can land yourself a pretty decent job. I do consultant work for my previous company and a guy there who barely have his associates degree gets paid a decent salary.

 

[Cal166]

Originally posted by: DaShen

Originally posted by: enyce2k9
whoa 12/hr.... i can get 15/h now on a normal job.
thats a turn down.. lets keep those opinions coming.

Well that is around here in Texas... where do you live? That is an important factor. Also, I have heard it ranges, so $15 is very possible

But anyways, your best bet is to find out if your family or friends have any contacts that can get your foot in the door of a company that needs someone interested in hardware IT. Then you get experience from a company that seems respectable on a resume, and you can get certs at the same time (showing competance).

Connections are pretty key for common success. Sure you can get lucky or be talented enough that contacts don't matter, but networking and connections is pretty important for the average Joe. Hope that helps.

I am in New York City as well. We have an intern coming in three times a week who attends college and gets paid $15/hour.

 

[alkemyst]

my younger brother has just a few certs (CISSP/CCIE ) and no college.

makes 6 figures and edits technical journals.

CompTia+ is not really a cert in my book though, nor A+.

Even MCSE is pretty easy to get today if you have the desire to read or spend some cash.

In my company we look for experience and references first. We don't hire many entry level.

Making $15/hr though isn't my definition of a good wage living in any of the top 10 markets. My wife works retail non-management. She likes her job, chose it over programming J2EE/Java. She makes less than she did but still clears about $12/hr.
Her job is more hobby.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i say temp yourself out for cheap. if you are good at your job and are skilled, you will find opportunities to make yourself valuable. you could actually build a career out of this. if you suck, you wont go anywhere, but you wont either if you go work retail.

 

[fitzov]

I dont' think there is a single company that hires based only on comptia certification. I might be wrong, but you might want to check before getting certified.

 

[yowolabi]

With an a+ and no experience, you're going to be looking for a long time before you find a job, and it will likely be less than $15 an hour. Even if you find a job, you'll find your promotion possibilities are hurt by lack of a degree.

College is great, and it's much better to experience it when you're young and don't have many responsibilities as opposed to when you're older, have bills and a family, and are also working full time.

 

[enyce2k9]

well i shall proceed to college, i will check into my options.