A+ and Network+ - Important to employers?

feylya

I'm looking to do the A+ and Network+ exams in the next few months. I did three years of college and have a cert in Software Development. I'm working on a service desk at the moment but I want to move into something more hands on, deskside support, network support, something like that. Are the CompTIA exams worth it?

WizZard

Yes and no. They're nice to have, and they show initiative to self-study, but nothing else really IMO.
Cisco or MS certification would be better to be honest.

feylya

Should I go straight for a couple of MCP before going for the CompTIA stuff though? I'm reasonably familiar with most of the A+ stuff but would it just be a waste of time brushing up on it for the exam, not to mention the cost of the exam?

WizZard

Personally I woul get an MCP before A+. it tends to impress HR people more, having MS on your CV. They are the first people who aregoing to see your CV after all.
An MCSE is a good recognition that you actually know some stuff (it is now anyway).

azezil

A+ and Network+ got me in desktop support! *grin*
And in the interview, the guy told me he'd take someone with an A+ over someone with an MCSE any day.

feylya

But you don't have the certs...

WizZard

A+ over MCSE? That's very strange. Although I think I can see the reasoning behind it.
If you're looking to progress to network support I would start the MCSE. Up until MSCE 2003 (the latest) an MCSE could be had by pretty much anyone, since if you studied brain dumps you could get top marks. This led to a bad name for the certification in the industry. However, that all changed with the MCSE 2003, which is much more hands on. You actually have to know stuff, as opposed to rote recall.
A+ is just basic hardware knowledge from what I remember. It's handy to know that stuff, and an exam/cert could prove that you know, but any decent tech interviewer will be able to decide if you really know that by talking to you, and any amount of certs will not convince them otherwise if they believe you don't really know your stuff.

azezil

feylya wrote:

But you don't have the certs...

But I said I do and thats why they hired me lol

And later admitted I don't but had proven myself enough to not get fired, not bad for 1 weeks work :P

ntlbell

I think for the most part they're pretty worthless

I have MCSE/CCNA/A+/N+/Server+

and for the most part I find them useless the one thing they do is get your cv put a little higher in a pile maybe.

if you can get an interview without them, and can talk the talk when you get into it, there's no real need.

I can't remember a single interview where my certs came into a conversation.

I also do the technical hiring for our company and I don't pay much attention to them eithier

wheres me jumpa

what is the cheapest route to getting the A + or Network +. Is it possible/feasible to just sit the exam rather than attend classes. Im going to be on work placement in february and I wouldnt mind adding some of these if theres a cheap option.

from what i can see FAS seems to be the cheapest option.

woolymammoth

http://voidin.blogspot.com/2006/01/it-certifications-people-still-believe.html

MrPudding

ntlbell wrote:

I think for the most part they're pretty worthless

I have MCSE/CCNA/A+/N+/Server+

and for the most part I find them useless the one thing they do is get your cv put a little higher in a pile maybe.

if you can get an interview without them, and can talk the talk when you get into it, there's no real need.

I can't remember a single interview where my certs came into a conversation.

I also do the technical hiring for our company and I don't pay much attention to them eithier

I have to agree. I don't have any IT qualifications but I am doing fairly well in the industry. I suppose there may be an argument for having them if you are short of experience, some employers may look on them an an indication of some kind of competence.

MrP

Saruman

I have never bothered with them myself... reason is i have trained people in computers for tech support roles who are MCSE certified and i swear they have NEVER turned on a pc.. they did not know anything and im not messing here... some could not find the start button, others were more advanced and found it but did not know where control panel is.. the most basic stuff...

I personally go on experience and hands on knowledge rather than a peice of paper saying you know something. Hell knowing something is not even the same as understanding!!

Im sure some day i will have to get some actual qualifications, right now i love my job and im happy to stay.. If i want more money though i might need to look into it. For now though im happy enough to drive around and install servers and set up VPN access etc.. even something mundane like installin ram and removing spyware/virus etc.

feylya

That's the thing Saruman, I'd love to do that sort of stuff but as it is, I'm stuck on a helpdesk and because I have no experience, employers don't want to know. I know I know my stuff but I can't prove that on my CV so I reckon these certs are the easiest way of doing it.

WizZard

feylya wrote:

...but I can't prove that on my CV so I reckon these certs are the easiest way of doing it.

To be honest I think that's all they're good for. Just to have someone/something that an employer believes/trusts say that you are good enough, and know your stuff.

wheres me jumpa

Saruman wrote:

I have never bothered with them myself... reason is i have trained people in computers for tech support roles who are MCSE certified and i swear they have NEVER turned on a pc.. they did not know anything and im not messing here... some could not find the start button, others were more advanced and found it but did not know where control panel is.. the most basic stuff...

well who are these certs aimed at. is it people who have not got a college education or experience and want to work in i.t.? is it a waste of time for college graduate to take them.

Saruman

I dont know.. its a good idea to get them sure... I mean some of the people i have trained have just done 3-4 years of computer science or some other IT type degree and only have a very basic working knowledge of computers... troubleshooting skills are completely different and you do not learn them in college. You will learn some doing a proper MCSE course or A+ etc but even still.. i think the ONLY way to learn is to do it yourself. I taught myself everything i know.. Im not saying i know everything...
however i know how to get the solution... So i almost never come across a problem i cant fix as long as its something i am in any way in control of.

I have a problem now with VPN over satelite but i have no control of latency or the ISP etc so i cant solve it, only come up with alternative solution.

You stick someone who only has it down on a piece of paper that they are IT qualified in a situation like any of us deal with every day and they will probably start crying.

Unfortunatly though it seems most employers are not intelligent enough to know that. To be honest, i think every interview for an IT role should involve a technical test of some sort. Even if its an informal discussion.

I have seen companies demanding 3rd level degrees for basic Tech support posts in a call centre... even for non technical positions like customer services they seem to want degree's..

Unfortunatly feylya it seems the only way to succeed in getting another job is to actually know someone offering one.. its not what you know its who you know.

Drexl Spivey

Certifications are useful for tech support jobs.


Because there are so many qualified people out there, recruiters don't value certifications as much as they should in my opinion.

I think it is difficult enough to get mcse. Some people here will disagree but, did they actually try to take a few mcps?
Well, mcse here would get you a REP job, avg salary 17-19

Recruiters want qualified people but they don't want them to be paid as such when hired.

tech support jobs should requier a MCDST http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcdst/default.asp

but why ask for a less recognised cert. when you can hire a MCSE for 17k?

Bottom line: you're better off with than without. but you need more: luck+connections.