Should I get A+ certified?

[NotAnOtter]

Hi. I have a job with the official title "Tech Support". Most of what I do is password resets and other non-related tasks they give me. I want a career in IT. Do I need A+ certification or is my work experience comparable on my resume? I've considered skipping A+ and going for other certs instead.

 

[0ldsch00l]

My A+ is expired and dont really care about it, you could start with it and move up to network+ all the way to security and forensics, thats good work. All the other certs non TIA MS crap and Cisco are a dime a dozen, forensics will hire you and be a stable decent pay.

 

[calmstateofmind]

Hi. I have a job with the official title "Tech Support". Most of what I do is password resets and other non-related tasks they give me. I want a career in IT. Do I need A+ certification or is my work experience comparable on my resume? I've considered skipping A+ and going for other certs instead.

I can say that out of those 5-6 entry level certifications that CompTIA offers, the A+ is the most expensive because they break it up into two parts (hardware/software), and each part is the cost of an entire exam. So, to get your A+ you'll actually have to schedule two different test dates and pay double, so to speak.

If you want to skip the A+ and go to the Network+ (for example) though you totally can. There is a bit of overlapping content between the two exams, like common port numbers, cable types, etc, but you don't need to have taken the A+ in order to understand the material when studying for the Network+ (just a somewhat higher than average understanding of computers/networks). And if my memory serves me right, the same can be said about the Security+. In contrast, I would not recommend jumping straight to the CASP, and would suggest taking the Security+ beforehand.

So, I guess it somewhat depends on what aspect of IT you want to specialize in, because that should dictate which certifications you want to obtain. It might even be better for you to get some certifications in various programming languages/scripts, like PHP, JavaScript or PowerShell. Or, you could even seek out a CCNA or MCSE certification, which will help land you good $$$ in the IT industry.

Having a few IT certifications when first starting out in the industry is a good idea, imo. I got my A+, Network+ and Security+ all within the span of 6-7 months, and after that it was extremely easy for me to get a few contracting jobs to gain some initial experience. If you've been working in actual IT tech support for a while though, I'd say that having those entry level certifications are completely useless, other than to accent your resume.

All the best.