A+ exam....

[DoahMonty]

Well.. I'm scheduled for this Saturday morning to take my A+ hardware exam. I was just wondering if there is anyone who knows how many questions, things they saw that they didn't expect, and etc.. if anyone can give me any input on this it is greatly appreciated. If not, then wish me luck..

 

[franklin97355]

Good Luck! (no, really, I mean it. )

The answer is "42"

 

[DoahMonty]

Thanks.. I'm sure i'll need it.. Hey.. If all else fails choose C right? haha.

 

[DoahMonty]

I passed!!! Woohoo.. haha.. Tough test because they have questions about a lot of old outdated hardware. Things I don't really run into everyday. Next stop A+ Software. Then a good paying job. ;-)

 

[BadBigBen]

I had taken part of the A+ Exam, just to test my abilities, but can't afford the real test as it is way to expensive over here...

I wish it was that easy in Germany... LOL... I gotta take a two year stint in OJT and Trade School... after which I am equally skilled as an MCSE and an A+ Technician, but back in the US it would not get me much of a job (cuz I would be missing those certificates)...

Glad you passed....



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[kmcferrin]

Ben,

The certs don't necessarily mean that much here in the states. I'm a network engineer working primarily on servers and Cisco networking equipment, and I have no certifications. I also don't have a degree, I went to university for two years (studied English Literature and History, so it's not really relevant). In part it depends on what companies you are talking to, but in most cases the certification is just icing on the cake for most employers.

 

[LawnBoy]

The certs help when you're getting started, but once you've got a few years experience under your belt they don't mean so much. I also have no certs and no degree, but I've been in the computer/electronics field for 25 years.

When I got started, what they're now calling A+ was the whole enchilada.

 

[DoahMonty]

Well I just got my degree about 1 yr ago. Currently I'm a Field Tech for an IT company. My main reason for wanting A+ was for the possibility of a better paying job now. From what I've seen, as long as you're good in interviews, and have experience, the certs aren't that big of a deal. For someone like me ;however, I really have no selling point besides my 5-7 months of real world experience. I think the certs will help. At least I hope they will for what they cost.. haha. Lets face it, the certs don't prove you know any more or less, Some of the questions on there were more customer service related than IT related. Some questions were REALLY dumb..

 

[LawnBoy]

Good luck to you, hope the effort pays off.

 

[Auger282]

Keep in mind there is a certification forum on tek-tips for all your certification needs.

 

[kmcferrin]

Yeah, certs have gone a bit backwards since the days of the dot-com boom. It used to be that people were working in IT, gaining experience, and trying to get jobs. But the potential employers had no way of telling if your experience was legitimate or applicable to the position they were hiring for. So certifications came along so that people who had the experience could take a test to demonstrate their proficiency with whatever teh relevant technology was.

Not long after that there was a huge boom in hiring, and getting enough experienced candidates was difficult. So a lot of boot-camps and certification mill types of business popped up, where they ran people through a 2 or 3 week training course that was targetted at getting them to pass a certification test, without necessarily imparting the detailed level of technical knowledge necessary to do a job. After a while people became accustomed to working with people who had certs but little knowledge or experience, and terms like "paper MCSE" started being thrown around. After that the value of certifications started dropping, and now it seems that employers are looking at them as they originally did. Experience is good, experience and a certification is better, and a certification by itself is fairly useless.

As someone who does technical interviews for candidates, if someone comes to me with a cert but no experience I pass. If they had some experience, then got the cert, then I'm much more likely to give them a thumbs up.

 

[DoahMonty]

Hmm...I have never come across the certs forum. I'll have to check that out. Thanks. And kmcferrin.... I agree, but I figure that two candidates, one with certs and about 7 months experience, and one with just 7 months experience.... In that scenario would you go with the guy with the certs? Assuming they are both decent interviewers?

 

[BadBigBen]

I am like LawnBoy, ca. 23 yrs of exprerience what Computers go... but no on the job experience, since the most companies I had talked too, wanted Certs (or over here in Germany, a finished apprenticeship)...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[BadFrog]

Like others here I have around 12 years in the field and the only certs I have were from Canon on laser printers that I got when I first got into the IT world. I have hired and fired many techs and I will go with exp over certs everytime. Being ex-military enlisted I liken it to Officers that just got out of college, have some ROTC under their belt, and think they know how to effectivly lead troops in combat. Not!

To me a cert merely proves you are either a good test taker, have good memory skills or both. Neither of which are enough for me to hire you on. The proof is in the pudding as they say. I have seen, "cert-techs" that weren't sure which way to tighten a friggin screw! Seriously!

"Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy"
Albert Einstein

 

[kmcferrin]

DoahMonty,

In your example, all else being equal, I would probably lean towards the certified candidate. But all else is rarely ever all that equal.

Yes, certs can help you. But usually experience will count more (at least here in the states). There are some companies however that will not even consider a candidate who doesn't have a cert or a degree. Usually those are the requirements of the HR department though, and the hiring IT manager wouldn't care too much either way.

 

[BadBigBen]

@BadFrog - I'll keep that in mind, once I hit stateside once more... being an ex-military brat, and ROTC in HS, I know what you mean... LOL...

right now, I am lucky that I am getting a paid OJT course in the IT Field, and got a chance to take over a small but good company overhere, so I am getting the on field experience needed along side the missing links (schooling on subjects that autodidactic training misses)...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[BadFrog]

@BadBigBen - I'm glad you understand that, unfortunately not everyone does.

Yes definitely take advantage of your current position, it will serve you well. You have exceptional skills which you demonstrate often on these forums. Should you come back to the states I'm confident you would find a good job. Although I would strongly consider the opportunity you have currently first. Hell if you take over I might just head your way looking for a job!

"Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy"
Albert Einstein