No matter what job you have in the world of IT, there’s always more than one cert that fits the job. Let’s look at my job, working on office equipment. There are 3 certs that can be used on this job alone.

There’s the new PDI+ for the machines (like copies, faxes & printers)
There’s A+ for the computers at sends your work to the copiers, etc
And there’s Network+ to keep them connected together.
(This is just a start, there are so many others.)

Too often members think all that’s needed is that “almighty A+”. Well, maybe if you never do anything but repair PC’s and work as a bench tech your whole career. There was a post today from a member who had a B.S. degree in computers but the employer still required A+. I don’t get it, is CompTIA becoming the new benchmark for the IT world? Don’t think so, but at times it looks that way.

What I am trying to say is, why stop at one. If A+ can get your foot in the door, what would happen if you added Network+ or CCNA. All this and I have not touched on the Microsoft certifications. Knowledge is power and a higher paycheck. If you stop, there will always be someone waiting in the wings to run you over for that next step up.

In short, the learning never stops. Websites like Proprofs is here to help. There’s always a member or moderator to help answer that question that can put you over the top to your next certification.

Don’t be a one cert wonder. Study on!!!
spy

hi rred4m - welcome aboard!

My general notes / study guide / preparation strategy goes something like this:
- read through your book slowly, and underline & make margin notes as you go. If possible, work through any practices in the book, or play around with a real-life computer/parts/whatever topic you're studying to get some hands on time & experience. Reading about a topic and then applying it can help to make it "stick" better.
- go back through the book and write out or type up notes from your underlines.
- gather any other study materials you may have - study guides, notes from other users, etc. Read through them & underline & make margin notes.
- combine those notes with your book notes.
- make flashcards for any charts/lists/requirements/paths that you need extra help memorizing
- get your hands on some practice tests (you can find free exams and links to free exams in the forums, webschool, quizschool...) & find out where your weak spots are
- go back & review, emphasizing any topics/areas that you tested weak on

If you have extra tools like cbt training/videos, those can be really helpful too - I used CBT Nuggets for my A+ and am using them again for my Network+ studying.

And of course, there's the forums & other resources available here at ProProfs!! You can find lots of guides, notes, exams, quizzes, helpful advice, etc. here. And if you have any questions about topics that are giving you trouble, just start a new thread.

Good luck with your studies!

Tomorrow I meet with the HR person for a company I just interviewed yesterday. I have already been told that this is a formality and that as long as she puts her stamp of approval on me, there will be an offer tomorrow. Woo-hoo!

A little background here, so you'll understand why I put the subtitle on this "The Power of Certifications" on this post. I am 30-years-old and have been in IT off and on for almost 10 years. I started my career first as a student desktop support person at a university and then graduated and took a job as a LAN Administrator. That was during the dot com boom, so tech jobs were plentiful and well-paid. When the boom busted, I took time off to get married and have kids, just doing a little consulting work here and there. When I wanted to come back full-time, boy was I in for a rude awakening!!!

I had never pursued certifications. I had been one of the people who even scoffed at them, making derisive comments about "paper MCSE's" and touting the old mantra of "experience is far more important than a piece of paper." Now, though, I found myself not even being considered for jobs at the level I had worked at because my skills looked outdated and I had no certifications. My resume hardly ever got past HR to even be looked at by a technical person because I was missing those important letters. It was like a bucket full of cold water.

So, I enrolled in a training program at a training center and took an entry-level helpdesk job while I studied and studied hard. That opportunity led to a better desktop support job with a bit of a wider scope and more time to study, which I did. Everything I was working on in my classes and exam study, I tried to find some way to apply at work. After I took my CCNA and passed, finally I had people calling me for a change and it felt great. This led me to reconsider staying in desktop support and try for a Jr. System/Network Administrator position. I believe that I never would have even been considered without my certs. Although I still have a lot to learn, the team interviewing me did allude to the fact that the certs I have earned showed a willingness to learn and a drive and, luckily, they were looking for just that for this position.

2 certifications did so much more for me than just my nearly 10 years of experience. I think the combination of the two is what just got me a big break. To all of you considering putting off working on your certs, just think of that. Right now you might not need them, but what about if something happens and you have to hit the job market again? Wouldn't it be nice to have that kind of insurance? Wouldn't it be nice to know you have the security of being able to present employers the "full package" of certifications along with experience? Good luck to everyone studying and thanks to all those who have helped me so much here. I plan on remaining active and continuing to go after my MCSE and who knows what after that...this site rocks!

....
For non-IT people, like me, here is how it should be done to pass both exams. Grab a book, like the Mike Meyers book, and read throughly, make sure you understand everything, drop down your own notes for easier review. You will probably not pass the exams by only reading and memorizing everything on the book. You need to study further, e.g., when studying chapters on Windows, you need to practice on your computer and learn more in depth. For example, opening registry window, try to look around and get familiar with the options in the Registry. I got caught on one question how to save a copy of the registry file (File/export), things didn't mention in the book. Try to look around in Windows and look at every items, their properties and settings, that will especially help you on 'OS path' types of question. Same when working on command line, practice on the command and explore further more on the syntax (***/?). If you are not familiar with PCs, take your time to learn and digest. You really have to understand the materials to pass the exams because many questions are on the application of the materials. During the real exam, you will certainly find some questions on new stuff that you don't know, but most of the time with educational guess, you can narrow down to the right answer by the process of elimination. I found the practice exams in Mike Meyers book very useful as they are similar to the real exams. I also did the most recently posted exams found in Quiz school of this site. Older exams tend to cover more questions on Win9x. I first took the Essentials exam, then I review troubleshooting session of each chapter (Mike Meyer's book), and review chapters on Windows, and on Networking and did the practice exams from the book. I took the 602 five days later. Do not wait more than 1 week to take the 602, because there are still a few theoretical questions. I don't recommend taking both exams the same day for non-IT people. The moment after I passed the Essentials, my head almost exploded. I've found that I will not be able to concentrate fully for another 90mins on the same day. Hey, it was the first real exam for me for more than 6 years, with the pressure of losing $163 if fail, you know what I mean.

Overall, I found the exams are not very hard. Most of the questions are very straight forward. Good luck to all who are doing the exams soon.

Pow

One of the most common questions we get at ProProfs is for advice on picking & buying books to use in studying for certifications. There is a veritable goldmine of information/feedback on different books on the ProProfs forums for the individual certifications (for example, ProProfsForums > IT Certification > CompTIA > A+ Certification > Discuss A+ Books, Websites, CDs & More).

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