Your thoughts on A+ certification?

[ixl]

Hi everyone,

Lots of people come to this site looking for information related to A+ certification. Since A+ is so hardware-oriented, there's lots on The PC Guide that fits the bill. I know the basics of what this test is about. However, I have to admit that I have never taken the exam myself, so I don't know in intimate detail what it is about.

For those of you who have taken it, or are studying for it now, how do you find it? Is it something that helps a great deal from a career perspective? Is it difficult to study for?

Also, is there any way that The PC Guide could make it easier for you?

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Charles M. Kozierok ( ixlubb@PCGuide.com )
Webslave, The PC Guide (http://www.PCGuide.com)
Comprehensive PC Reference, Troubleshooting, Optimization and Buyer's Guides...

[der King Mongo]

Tough call...the A+ does a really good job of fulfilling its stated purpose: passing demonstrates about 6 months of on-the-job experience as a Level One Computer Technician.

Is it necessary or helpful in obtaining employment? Well, not so far. Work experience still counts for a lot more than anything else, even in today's job market. The INFORMATION and the LEARNING EXPERIENCE, however, was well worth the effort.

It IS difficult to study for, particularly for younger people who may not know what DOS or Windows for Workgroups IS. The test only goes as high as 95 and doesn't really address NT at all, as I recall, although it recently became an adaptive exam. It is difficult because there is a lot of memorization, and I know that anyone hasn't used DOS or Windows 3.x will have a LOT of trouble, because the DOS/Windows portion of the exam (required) goes in-depth on those OSs (i.e., how do you check system resources in Windows? what does win.ini do?).

Of course, it's all multiple-choice, so you can flub your way through (I did, and still got 91%), but I'm guessing that the less comptuer experience you have, the more difficult it is to study for.

[DANQU]

http://www.comptia.org/certification/aplus/index.htm

This is the web-site that will give you information on A+.
I passed the tests in August of last year and
will start a computer repair business after looking into and becoming Apple Certified.

best wishes
and thanks for a great web-site
Dan

[leemaan]

I just passed both parts of the A+. But you
put a couple messed up computers in front of me and I wouldn't be much good. The only thing the A+ will do for me right now is get
me some interviews for entry level positions. It's pretty tough to study for if
you don't get some hands on practice. But, "The PC Guide" is an excellent sight for the stuff thats on the tests. Now I need to find a comperable sight for the CNA.

[ixl]

Thanks for your thoughts, folks. It seems to me that the A+ has definite value to get one's "foot in the door". I sort of learned the hard way and never got the A+. I think it's a good thing for someone new to hardware to consider getting.
I hope this forum will eventually be useful for people who want to talk about certification issues.

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Charles M. Kozierok ( ixlubb@PCGuide.com )
Webslave, The PC Guide (http://www.PCGuide.com)
Comprehensive PC Reference, Troubleshooting, Optimization and Buyer's Guides...

[purefreshair]

I passed my A+ Core exam about 1 month ago and passed the Dos/Windows exam yesterday. I had worked with a Dos based application at a job several years ago so DOS wasn't new to me.

I took the Core exam under the old testing method, and took the Dos/Windows exam under the new Adaptive method. The adaptive only had 20 questions. I walked away from the exam thinking there should have been more.

I found A+ to be very helpful for me, especially on the core/hardware part. I think A+ provides a good foundation for whatever area of specialty a person decides to go into, i.e. Networking, Technician, etc.

There are so many A+ practice sites out there! The best one I found however was a freeware program called "Choices" by Martin Holmes. Much to my surprise, his questions were almost exactly what I had on the Dos/Windows exam. I found a zipped copy of this practice test at: http://members.aol.com/jihadestrada/aplus.zip

Thanks for reading.



[This message has been edited by purefreshair (edited 09-02-2000).]

[MOB]

I would like some input as to what anyone thinks of the A+ certification
in respect to being of any real significance to an individual with a self-owned, self-operated computer sales/service business? The reason I ask is that my education and training was originally in computer technology
some 22 years ago with job experience ever since, with first, mainframes and minicomputers, then starting with PC's around 1986. I've kept up with
the latest trends and technologies as well and already have a fledgling
base of customers (all residential at the moment) for only being active seriously in this self-owned business for a couple of months. I've helped
people as a consultant in choosing to upgrade a current system or purchase new - I even custom build PC's for those you want to go that route (I was doing this even before deciding to try my hand at a my own business). I consider myself a fairly competent and knowledgable technician, but always with the need to self-improve, as well as trying to always remain current, as possible, with the latest hardware, software and technical issues (which this web site is a tremedous resource for)! Although I tend to forget things that I haven't encountered over a period of years, at least I have
the resources to refresh my memory (i.e., this site, the web, books, magazines, etc.) - I see a lot of computers that are 4 and 5 years old or even more (sometimes it's hard to believe how much technology has changed in 4 or 5 years, forget about some 20 years ago :-) )!

The reason I ask this question is that recently I went for a job interview
and was asked if I had the A+ certification. Of course I said, "No", and
shortly realized that just about everyone there had the A+ cert. Even after discussing my education and background experiences, as well as my present endeavors and accomplihments, I felt as if it fell on deaf ears. They felt that the certification was the end all, even over college and/or
tech school education or experience! Of course I realize, people love to see credentials including certifications hanging on walls whether that credential means you know a lot or not - most people (lay people that is) assume it means you know everything! I guess I answered my own question in a way, but again, although I have some networking experience, some old and some cuurent, I feel it would better suite me to go back to school for networking certification, especially Novell certification! This path would be best if I want to persue a new job in the industry I feel, but if I stay with my desire to run a personal business on the side as well, I guess the A+ might almost be a necessity to attract more customers quickly. I guess I should just bite the bullet and do both!

I would like to hear the opinions and experiences of fellow techs on this
question - thanks!

[Samantha]

MOB,

If I were starting my own business, I'd get all the relevant certifications I could. They may not mean a whole lot in terms of ability, but they re-assure people. As for your job interview, I don't know the specifics, but sometimes the people doing the interviews are personnel types who actually know little about the job requirements. Someone tells them to look for xyz, like A+ certification, and that's what they do.

Good luck with your business!

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S~~

[Son of Zeus]

MOB,

would like to add my encouragement to u to get as many "pieces of paper" to hang on the wall as possible. I'm afraid the days of being able to build a career/business based solely on practical experience are going (if not already gone).

Even Australia, which traditionally has always emphasised hands on experience rather than academics, has changed tremendously in my 20 years in the workforce. But it is not necessarily all bad...consider this.

First, if u have all the experience that u mention in your posting the classes/exams should be a piece of cake for u. At the end u will have the bits of paper to PROVE your experience is as good as u (but not your customers) KNOW IT IS.

Second, u may be surprised to find that some courses give u an overview of PCs, computers in general & the industry as a whole that practical experience can unfortunately NEVER give u. The reason I say this is that a course is designed as just that. A self-contained unit that takes u from a beginning point to an end point whilst hopefully covering most things in between.

When u only have practical experience to go by, u may well be very good, even the world's best in some areas that u have worked in. But it is most unlikely that u will excel in areas that u have not been exposed to. This is where a properly designed, appropriately accredited, industry approved course(s) can help. It will fill in the gaps that experience may not give u.

Personally, although relatively new to PCs, I am often surprised to hear technician etc wax lyrical about some area that they obviously know better than even the manufacturers of the product themselves only to find that I know more on an area that I have personally experienced but they haven't.

Ultimately though the new millennium is largely about specialisation. No one individual can know every aspect of his/her area any more. Even neurosurgeons often now specialise in only one area of the brain. Amazing when you consider the IQs of such individuals & the amount of study & experience they have in getting to the point in time where they can elect to specialise or not. Gone are the days of the "Jack of all trades".

Cheers.......Son of Zeus.

[Lotek]

MOB,

Certification is a good thing to have as it provides some level of proof to employers and customers about having all the basics masters. But what certification does not test is how much more a person might know than is tested for. Nor does certification test how well a person may adapt to changing technologies.

Foolish is the employer who repies on certification alone as a measure of their employee's worth. Experience and other types of training provide perspective and insight that certification could never hope to allow for.

[This message has been edited by Lotek (edited 09-03-2000).]

[MOB]

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you that responded
to my post! I read many words of wisdom and will take it all to heart!
I will go for both the A+ and Novell+/networking certs.

Thanks again for your encouragement and thoughts on this matter!

Hope to chat again down the road!

Best to all - Mal

[oldude]

From the ".02 Dept."

At 50, I took the A+ course. I tried different self-study guides, actually there are some pretty good ones I still use as references, but was able to get an "oldguys" scholarship for the course, so I took it.

I found the DOS part interesting. "DOS is not dead." I find it a very useful tool.

I have quite a few sites that I found very useful for info. I anyone would like them, E me at coastalcomputersbk@yahoo.com "Brain drops" are very good ways to learn what type of things will be asked on the actual test.

That piece of paper WILL be valuable no matter which way you plan on going. In the "real" world, though, I have mixed ideas on it's worth.

Yes. If,as mentioned in here, some person who knows little bout puters asks for A+ Certification, it's a good thing to have. But I'm finding that people that really do know bout puters depend on practical experience, creativity, keeping up with the latest.....and so on. A person that is good a studying can get the certification w/o knowing diddly about how a computer or OS works.

Practice, practice, practice. Find/take old computers apart. I mean REALLY apart. Then put them back together. IF.... the repair end is what you want to do.

Networking, in my area, (New England) is a good field to get into. And A+ gets you that "foot in the door" for some of that knowledge. And as long as Microsoft keeps making "operating environments" MSCE, MCP, and the rest are good Certs to get now, too. And get familiar with LINUX.

Good Luck. I've rattled on enough.

Nice place y'all have here :-)

[Mohlman]

Hey...
I am getting ready to schedule for next week. I am using, for now, the Self Test software. Most expensive floppy I ever bought! I failed the the first time out, having studied books, and knowing stuff pretty well. But without 'the questions', you'll probably be sunk. I mean, alot of this stuff is on 386s and such. If you do need that stuff for a company, would you want to work for them? They would still have rotary phones, probably.
Anyway, I walked out $128 poorer, and vowed to 'cheat' like everyone else.
Thanks for the tip on that new website for questions. Like they said in "Tombstone":
"Jesus, Clyde, you got three pistols, an' only one arm, for Chris-sakes!"
"I don't wanna get killed for lack of shootin' back..."
Very sound advice.

[Mohlman]

OH! Sorry... That wasn't "Tombstone", that was "The Unforgiven". I must be tired if I make mistakes like that. I wish I could remember IRQs like I remember dialogue.....
Mohlman

[zogg]

Im a+ certified as well as having most of the Mcp's for my MCSE

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http://iamradical.homestead.com/files/lost_moola.htm

[zogg]

Im a+ certified as well as having most of the Mcp's for my MCSE http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I went to a school that really took there time in teaching all of the subjects to get my A+, MCSE and CNA....... I have friends however, that went to the 3 week cram schools that teach "students" how to pass the exam.....not how to fix or troubleshoot a problem. One of my buddys has his A+ and never even been into a BIOS or CMOS Setup screen! He cant troubleshoot anything...as a matter of fact he cant even install a driver without calling me three or four times until he gets it right. Last week he bought a new hard drive IBM 75gxp 30 gig udma 66 7200 rpm and within an hour he totally destoyed the drive! He tried to slave it off of his original drive but didnt realize that his other drive had ait's jumper set to "master single drive only" so after about a couple of hours of not being able to see the drive he got tired of turning it off and trying different Jumper settings so he removed the jumper when the machine was on and ZAP! he killed the new IBM! This is exactly what the employers want to prevent so they dont like to hire people fresh out of school because they think we dont know our asses from our elbows!
I think that it's pitiful that people can get the A+ or mcse and be nothing more then a "PAPER Certified Tech" . This makes it harder for the legitimately trianed techs looking for work! I have been looking for work since April 2000 and still no one will give me a break...I suspect it is because the employers are used to getting these paper certs in the interview office.


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http://iamradical.homestead.com/files/lost_moola.htm

[Son of Zeus]

zogg,

about this buddy of yours. The one who gained his A+ after attending a 3 week cram school but has no hands on experience with a BIOS, or a CMOS. His name wouldn't be Marty would it? Marty Myers out of Tugga, east of Girragulla? Works as a techie at Sam's Electronics there.

Sounds like him. I’ll bet it’s him. Wait a minute, could also be Wally. Wally Paterson out of Gidgialpa, south west of Girragulla?

Sadly Zogg, I think that we all have friends like that. It’s a part of the techno scene. But persevere & look on the bright side: if he keeps ZAPPING those IBM HDs like that there may well be a position vacant very soon as he may well ZAP more than the just the drive. :-)

I well remember my departed father, God rest his soul, one Saturday morning when the family were all sitting at the table having breakfast picking up the paper, looking up the Death Notices, & hunting rather frantically through them. Realising that we knew no one who had recently passed away, my rather perturbed younger brother asked him if everything was ok.

Dad's response? He was checking if anybody his age had died recently, just in case they had a position he could now fill. He said that was the only way he would get a bloody job now days. He eventually got a job without anyone having to carc it.

Cheers…….Son of Zeus.

P.S.
Glad u sorted out your “sig”.

[Son of Zeus]

zogg,

just wanted to let u know that I have posted under "Help me spend $$$ on new PC!!!" the specs for my planned system which includes an AMD Duron 700MHz processor. I am looking for some feedback. U sound as if u have had PCs a lot longer than me. I have had my one & only machine since January 4th 2000 ie. nearly 9 months. Eek that long ah. So as I am probably still classified as a newbie I could use some advice.

So why not get your over educated technical butt over there!?! Kidding :-)

Hope to hear from u soon.

Cheers.......Son of Zeus.