A+ Jobs

anon_1245

Just wondering what kind of jobs can you get in Ireland with an A+ cert?

stagolee

phone monkey for an isp or freelance computer repairs
those are the two most likley anyway

anon_1245

I would be interested in becoming a systems admin in the future. What would be the best way of getting qualified or getting into this field?

College is not an option, im 20 and would need to wait 2 years before i could enter as a mature student

CyberGhost

do fas courses in

A+
Networks+
Security Pro
Server Administrator
Win 2000 Admin

stagolee

what he said /\
also tech support and computer repair arent bad places to pick up experience if you need to pay the bills while your studying

Kali

anon_1245 wrote:

I would be interested in becoming a systems admin in the future. What would be the best way of getting qualified or getting into this field?

College is not an option, im 20 and would need to wait 2 years before i could enter as a mature student

You probably won't get a sys admin position with just an A+ .. at the minimum I'd expect 7/8 of the following skills for a junior sys/network admin position to comfortably have:

NT4 Server
2000/2003 Server & Active Directory
Basic Linux knowledge
Workgroup printers
Implementing backups & best practices
Working/practical knowledge of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP.
Excellent troubleshooting skills.
Willingness to learn.
Mail protocols/concepts.
Basic IIS/Apache webserver knowledge/understanding.

If you have a CV with all of those skills or put them across as strong points in an interview then you should be sorted.

anon_1245

brilliant, thanks a million. Ill have to get studying

anon_1245

actually, is there exams available for all those skills you have mentioned?

CyberGhost

all that stuff that Kali wrote is inlcluded in the fas courses I wrote(except willingness to learn, you can't have a course in that ), and if you take those courses, there will be exams(you have to pay for them separately), after which you will get a certificate.

there are 2 ways of going though those course

1. buyings books and studying from books
2. buying the course, from fas online

---

once you are done and think you are ready, call fas sign up for an exam, go, pass, celebrate......start another course

anon_1245

ok and do you think it would be better to do it with fas college or to buy the books and take your test then in a certified centre?

CyberGhost

erm...I studied over fas online, it's in java, and you can't save the text or copy it
I was trying to write it all down, but it's a lot of work, so....books would be a better idea, but I don't know for sure that the material that is in the books will be in the test? when I took A+ test, the questions were very similar to the ones in fas's online course, of course there were 2 or 3 odds ones too, that I haven't met in a course.

anon_1245

yeah, I think i would much prefer to have the book. I think ill get the book aswell as the do the fas thing. Where do you do your exam then? Is it online or do you have to go to a test centre?

Any recommendations for A+ study books?

IamMetaldave

You could probably get a job in Dell doing phone support. Get your hands on a Network+ book (The sybex one is good) and take that exam, if you use the notes and practice exams at techexams.net you'll pass it no worries and it will give you a good basic understanding of networks which will obviously increase your potential for getting a job.

CyberGhost

ah sorry, don't remember where I took it, it was long time ago, sorry, they should tell you at fas though

and like Dave suggested, Dell phone support would be easy to start with, you shouldn't start straight away with such a responsibility, you have to remember that being a system/net admin, doesn't mean you only have to communicate with a computer, you have to learn how to communicate with people too, how to organize

anon_1245

ok thanks a mill for the help

CyberGhost

you are welcome, that's why we are here

garred

Would recommend the FAS course. Not only do you work with the systems you are studying (rather than just reading about them) but when I did it there were jobs coming through all the time. A few of the class got system admin jobs.

roamer

Is the A+ with fas only through ecollege i wonder

DonkeyStyle \o/

A+ is a start, but I wouldn't expect much work out of it... to be taken seriously at all you'll be wanting a few MCP's under your belt... then do your MCSE.

CyberGhost

roamer wrote:

Is the A+ with fas only through ecollege i wonder

read above you

IamMetaldave

roamer wrote:

Is the A+ with fas only through ecollege i wonder

Nope, I did A+ and Network+ in the same course over 9 months. I also got a job doing Network admin at the end of it through the course. But you soon find out that the 2 exams aren't enough and you have to build on your skills instantly. Its good though.

minotour

Dont commit to an MCP until the new WIndows Vista is launched. If you start a win2k or 2k3 course now they will be invalid by the time you're done.

A handy cheat is to get one of the easy ones under your belt and tell potential employers you are still studying for the rest............MCP's are fairly worthless against experience anyway but if you have neither then its a start.