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Tips on getting into the IT field

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  • Education
  • Business Computing
Last response: in Business Computing
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August 15, 2014 7:13:30 AM

Hi all,

I need some tips on furthering my education and bettering my employ-ability.

Just a little background about myself. I went to a state college and got my Bachelors in something not related to IT. Recently I landed an entry position in a small IT company and I love it. I want to supplement my resume so I am now looking at certifications or more schooling.

I was wondering if I should waste my time getting an A+ cert? Then move onto higher certifications or should I go another route? I want to be efficient with my money.

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August 15, 2014 7:29:25 AM

I hold the following Certifications: CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+, Microsoft 70-680, 70-685 (both Windows 7) and 70-410 (Server 2012). I hope to have 70-411 by the end of the year.

Of the CompTIA certifications, I found Network+ to be well worth the time and effort. A+ was lacking and having to pass two tests seemed like quite a bit of work for a worthless certification. Server+ needed to be updated. Security+ was good, but not focused.

Figure out what you want to focus on and then pick a certification. A+ and Network+ are building block certifications.

Workstation: focus on Windows 7/8. Then SCCM.

Network: Network +, then a basic Cisco/Juniper or other network vendor and move on from there.

Server: Start with a Windows 7 or Network+ because you need more experience. Then focus on Microsoft Server (70-410/70-411/70-412).

You can self-teach with certifications for almost nothing. I usually buy a book, read it, take extensive notes and then as many practice questions as I can. I also have two inexpensive workstations for my lab. They both run Hyper-V but you could run VMWare instead.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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August 18, 2014 9:05:56 AM

A+ is geat to start with, what you learn to pass it is very helpfull, even if only for a genral rounded knowledge.

For general helpdesk and even 2 and 3rd level desktop support, A+ is often what you see. I have been told by several people I interviewed with that even an out-dated A+ cert is OK, they are mainly looking for someone that has accumulated the basic knowledge that shows.

If you are looking for more of an administrator side, Network +, MSCE, Sisco certs are all good, some take quite a bit of work and hands-on work to get. You'd want to learn at least a bit about many things, it will help you with trouble-shooting. Many 1st and even 2nd and 3rd level support people get stuck due to narrow knowledge. I see people just blindly reset password to try to fix a logon issue where the error messages and asking the right questions would show very easily that the issue is not with the wrong password but an unplugged cable or something else. If you don't know how to check if the network connection is good, you will never diagnose this properly.
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