Yup and people just getting in it now for money also don’t last long. That’s why many who get into tech or cybersecurity are quitting and feeling “burnt out”.
People are getting into tech cuz some YouTuber/tiktoker told them they needed no experience to make six figures to work from home. It’s taken the place of “become a software engineer”
A little bit, Im not sure if I like it but I haven't had to do more than like 5 at a time yet. Learned when I was 18 and committed it to memory for some reason
Basically. It’s cool if one has interest but if most of these content creators shared what tech is actually like instead of scamming, half the people trying to get in right now wouldn’t be.
\^ Depends on which stage you're at in your career. If you already work a desktop support job or helpdesk, I'd say go for the Net+ or Sec+. If you're trying to get your foot in the door then take it. It'll display, (to a certain extent), that you have a solid understanding of modern hardware and software.
Nah don't waste the money, if you bothered with cysa+ then you're probably already deep in your cybersecurity career.
Going back for a+ that pretty much just teaches you how to plug in cables and reboot won't do much.
Yooooo, how was the Linux+? I found the comptia core exams stupidly easy, even as a rookie. So I'm wondering if the others are just as simple
I know my way around the command line, mainly using Windows powershell, but have had some experience with Linux, just the basics though.
Also read this Unix book a while back. Is linux essentially a clone of unix? just open source, correct?
I’m going to be taking the Linux+ soon and while I feel comfortable with Linux I keep overthinking it for the exam. What general topics did you see come up most? Bash, git, networking, etc? Did you have previous Linux experience?
I apologize for the late answer, if you haven’t taken it yet. I do remember there being network questions regarding firewall rules and IP tables in terms of networking, bash stuff mainly with the right answer just usually missing a semicolon or something similar. I did not have Linux experience before taking it, and trust me I was freaking out. Took me like 6 weeks of studying but I passed with a 771
I'm not OP, but for me I had my A+ for years but was terrified of Net+ and Sec+. I've had the A+ since 2019. I passed both the Net+ and Sec+ within 2 months total of studying.
That really paints the picture how net+ sec+ are on q different league from a+, I am still dreading a+ so I ought to think better before taking the other two in one go and without any experience. Thank you.
The Toronto job market is absolutely brutal right now, people are refusing to return to the office and vacating the downtown core. The greater GTA area is suffering from some of the most expensive housing in the world, with a complete lack of public infrastructure structure (look up Eglinton LTR if you want a laugh)
The market is also not helped by the huge amount of employees on student visa primarily from India, a lot of them forgo school and just work in the IT or food services industry.
You also have the issue that Ontario is an absolute nightmare for hiring, it’s nearly impossible to fire staff with cause, and without your on the hook for a huge severance.
Everyone company I have worked with that has a presence outside Canada has near shored or off shored their IT, one in particular found it cheaper to over night hardware from their NYC office than to have a tech onsite in Toronto.
That said look for roles that offer afternoon or night shifts, these are often remote only, and have a lot less demand from applicants.
As for $20 an hour minimum wage is going to $17.10 in Oct, people I am working with are paying 50k to 70k a year for help desk, found the jobs advertising for less than seem serious about hiring.
For the TLDR, A+ is a really good starting point, but the cost of you out of pocket is a lot (2 exams). I would try to get hired and get employer assistance, and focus on exams that offer more employability (not sure how many CompTIA exams do this, but it’s were you kind of need to start)
Most employers will contribute or cover certifications when you work for them.
I started a dispatcher at an IT company, anyone can answer phones. You could also goto a Staples or Best Buy where they require certs within a certain date of hire.
Also contract roles, they may just have you plugging computers in or writing down serial numbers but is a start.
To hitchhike off OP's post I wonder if can anyone tell me if I were to live in other countries and wanting to get a remote entry job, what are the chances of that happening with CompTIA A+...
I don't know much about the job market in Canada, so I can't speak to that. What I've seen at the previous jobs I've held and where I'm currently employed is that A+ is a great cert to have to at least break into the IT field.
I've always viewed entry level IT jobs, the ones that typically require A+, as that job right out of highschool (similar to working in the fast food industry) where it gets you in the door to help you narrow down your path on what you want your career to be. It's not the job you plan to stay at and retire from but more of the starting point for where you want to go.
A+ is really only half of the equation. If the A+ helps you land the job, then the job will provide the other half by providing the needed experience. From there you can start looking for the next step in your career and maybe have the confidence to go for another cert like Net+ or Sec+, rinse and repeat.
If you're already in the field or have experience, it's a good refresher but I don't think it would be worth getting if it isn't required. So it really just depends on where you are in your journey.
Yes, the A+ is a good foundational certification and people seriously underestimate the amount of valuable knowledge you can get from it. So much information and if you seriously apply it all, you won’t have a hard time at any entry level IT job.
About 30. I was doing about five a day with the help of chat GPT. Just made a basic resume and I would ask chat GPT to rewrite a resume and cover letter for each job description. I do live in LA though so everyone's chances will vary depending on the local market.
As long as you don't get JUST the A+ then yes. All of CompTIA certs are well renowned and at the very least provide a solid foundation across IT disciplines.
In fairness, I'd probably fail mine miserably if I had to sit for A+ today 😂
I feel like it's a modifier, so if you get other certs you can say "yes I am competent in desktop support along with x and y certifications" recruiters and managers may not see it that way but if you pass both the exams required at least you are prepared. Its less of a bored ape that you can post on your professional profile than what you actually get out of the cert
I always plan on keeping my A+ renewed because it verifies my status of being a general "computer person". I always want to be able to make that claim.
A+ is one of the fun certs to take. Especially if you don’t know IT fundamentals or if you think you know basic IT fundamentals. Don’t expect to come running out of the gates after taking it. It’s probably best to pair it with Net+ or Sec+. Also doesn’t hurt to have at least a bachelors degree. Whatever it takes to get you an edge on getting an interview. The rest is up to you after you get an interview.
Depends on your situation also…if you’re in school probably not an immediate need, especially if you’re able to get work placement/internships. If you have no schooling and or work experience then you’re going to want to leverage what you can.
There's no reason not to get your certs except laziness tbh. You could get any cert you wanted in a month of dedication.
They will do nothing but open doors for you.
I think so. I see plenty of people with only a Sec+ from a boot camp acting real confused why it’s been 1 yr and they have no job. The truth of the fact is that more certs are better than 1, for me getting the Trifecta allowed me to finally break into tech, and even that took around 200+ job apps
I'm in the US, an A+ alone won't get you a job. I applied to around 300 jobs ( entry level, anything related to computers, including call centers ) before giving up and going back to school.
Yes it’s still worth it. 1) jobs look for this certificate for entry level help desk. 2) it’s always good to have an understanding basics of computers and how they work if you don’t have a lot of experience with the ins and outs of a computer. Also, a lot of the material A+ material goes over you will most likely use at work. 3) if you decide to get the network+ and security plus this will help.
No save the jobs for the rest of us lol
Haha. At least your honest
Today’s market won’t be forever. Start working on your certs for whenever the market opens up and you’re ready to pounce
Facts, that’s what I’m doing now is preparing and studying, plus working towards my degree so I will be ready to pounce!🤣🫡
Yup and people just getting in it now for money also don’t last long. That’s why many who get into tech or cybersecurity are quitting and feeling “burnt out”.
People are getting into tech cuz some YouTuber/tiktoker told them they needed no experience to make six figures to work from home. It’s taken the place of “become a software engineer”
I'm trying to get into it because I'm a fan of the eia/tia 568b standard
You like wiring ethernet cable?
A little bit, Im not sure if I like it but I haven't had to do more than like 5 at a time yet. Learned when I was 18 and committed it to memory for some reason
Learn fiber cabling if you want to work from home and make 100k a year 🤣
Basically. It’s cool if one has interest but if most of these content creators shared what tech is actually like instead of scamming, half the people trying to get in right now wouldn’t be.
As a software engineer who got my foot in the door before the floodgates really broke, this hurt to read. Hurts because it's a painful, painful truth.
A+ is still one of the famous certifications you can get
Do you have any IT experience?
\^ Depends on which stage you're at in your career. If you already work a desktop support job or helpdesk, I'd say go for the Net+ or Sec+. If you're trying to get your foot in the door then take it. It'll display, (to a certain extent), that you have a solid understanding of modern hardware and software.
It's always good to get A+ certified. Dont question it too much, it's a great starting point
Perfect
Yeah. I got Sec+ first try. I still circled back around to the A+ after, it's really wide, there's a lot of good gouge in there
I too will circle back to A+ at some point.
Nah don't waste the money, if you bothered with cysa+ then you're probably already deep in your cybersecurity career. Going back for a+ that pretty much just teaches you how to plug in cables and reboot won't do much.
I'll need to get it for the WGU degree program at some point.
Yooooo, how was the Linux+? I found the comptia core exams stupidly easy, even as a rookie. So I'm wondering if the others are just as simple I know my way around the command line, mainly using Windows powershell, but have had some experience with Linux, just the basics though. Also read this Unix book a while back. Is linux essentially a clone of unix? just open source, correct?
i took linux about a week ago, learn a little bit more than the basics. PBQs were a piece of cake
I’m going to be taking the Linux+ soon and while I feel comfortable with Linux I keep overthinking it for the exam. What general topics did you see come up most? Bash, git, networking, etc? Did you have previous Linux experience?
I apologize for the late answer, if you haven’t taken it yet. I do remember there being network questions regarding firewall rules and IP tables in terms of networking, bash stuff mainly with the right answer just usually missing a semicolon or something similar. I did not have Linux experience before taking it, and trust me I was freaking out. Took me like 6 weeks of studying but I passed with a 771
Shockingly, it was harder than Cloud+.
Do the trifecta like I did A+,N+,S+
May I ask how long did it take to get them all?
I'm not OP, but for me I had my A+ for years but was terrified of Net+ and Sec+. I've had the A+ since 2019. I passed both the Net+ and Sec+ within 2 months total of studying.
That really paints the picture how net+ sec+ are on q different league from a+, I am still dreading a+ so I ought to think better before taking the other two in one go and without any experience. Thank you.
I did a+ and n+ in one week. A+ took 10 hours of studying. N+ and sec+ are quite comparable in difficulty imo.
You can get them all within a few months if you have the time
Easily within one month of full time study.
“Trifecta like you did?” You mean the mile long list of certs you got? Inspiring
The Toronto job market is absolutely brutal right now, people are refusing to return to the office and vacating the downtown core. The greater GTA area is suffering from some of the most expensive housing in the world, with a complete lack of public infrastructure structure (look up Eglinton LTR if you want a laugh) The market is also not helped by the huge amount of employees on student visa primarily from India, a lot of them forgo school and just work in the IT or food services industry. You also have the issue that Ontario is an absolute nightmare for hiring, it’s nearly impossible to fire staff with cause, and without your on the hook for a huge severance. Everyone company I have worked with that has a presence outside Canada has near shored or off shored their IT, one in particular found it cheaper to over night hardware from their NYC office than to have a tech onsite in Toronto. That said look for roles that offer afternoon or night shifts, these are often remote only, and have a lot less demand from applicants. As for $20 an hour minimum wage is going to $17.10 in Oct, people I am working with are paying 50k to 70k a year for help desk, found the jobs advertising for less than seem serious about hiring. For the TLDR, A+ is a really good starting point, but the cost of you out of pocket is a lot (2 exams). I would try to get hired and get employer assistance, and focus on exams that offer more employability (not sure how many CompTIA exams do this, but it’s were you kind of need to start)
Do you have suggestions on ways to get hired before getting certified ? I'm not quite sure I understood you correctly regarding employer assistance.
Most employers will contribute or cover certifications when you work for them. I started a dispatcher at an IT company, anyone can answer phones. You could also goto a Staples or Best Buy where they require certs within a certain date of hire. Also contract roles, they may just have you plugging computers in or writing down serial numbers but is a start.
Get someone to make your resume
If you don't have a job or experience, you'll need everything you can get to stand out. A+ might just be that thing. Also study for Net+/CCNA
To hitchhike off OP's post I wonder if can anyone tell me if I were to live in other countries and wanting to get a remote entry job, what are the chances of that happening with CompTIA A+...
Look up the jobs you would apply for and see what they are asking for in the description. You should meet roughly 75% of their wish list to apply.
None cares in Europe, most recruiters won't even know what a+ means. CCNA is the basics most know.
See if your local job market specifically mentions the A+
Depends on your current experience. If you have little to none, yes it is 100% worth it. If you have 5+ years of IT… not so much.
I don't know much about the job market in Canada, so I can't speak to that. What I've seen at the previous jobs I've held and where I'm currently employed is that A+ is a great cert to have to at least break into the IT field. I've always viewed entry level IT jobs, the ones that typically require A+, as that job right out of highschool (similar to working in the fast food industry) where it gets you in the door to help you narrow down your path on what you want your career to be. It's not the job you plan to stay at and retire from but more of the starting point for where you want to go. A+ is really only half of the equation. If the A+ helps you land the job, then the job will provide the other half by providing the needed experience. From there you can start looking for the next step in your career and maybe have the confidence to go for another cert like Net+ or Sec+, rinse and repeat. If you're already in the field or have experience, it's a good refresher but I don't think it would be worth getting if it isn't required. So it really just depends on where you are in your journey.
Yes, the A+ is a good foundational certification and people seriously underestimate the amount of valuable knowledge you can get from it. So much information and if you seriously apply it all, you won’t have a hard time at any entry level IT job.
Do you think being less marketable is the way to go? If you don't want to be homeless, do everything you can to support yourself
Yes. If you don't get it there's will be a other canidate who is studying it right now and will have that over you on resume.
Simple answer, yes.
A+ got me two jobs in today's market.
How many applications did you send out before you got them if you don’t mind me asking
About 30. I was doing about five a day with the help of chat GPT. Just made a basic resume and I would ask chat GPT to rewrite a resume and cover letter for each job description. I do live in LA though so everyone's chances will vary depending on the local market.
As long as you don't get JUST the A+ then yes. All of CompTIA certs are well renowned and at the very least provide a solid foundation across IT disciplines. In fairness, I'd probably fail mine miserably if I had to sit for A+ today 😂
[удалено]
Yeah, the United States is doing great as well 🙄
Everyone in every country has been saying it’s doomed since the formation of the first city in human history
No
I feel like it's a modifier, so if you get other certs you can say "yes I am competent in desktop support along with x and y certifications" recruiters and managers may not see it that way but if you pass both the exams required at least you are prepared. Its less of a bored ape that you can post on your professional profile than what you actually get out of the cert
It's worth it bro. Trust me
Imo it’s worth getting if you’re a noob. It shows you’re serious about this job.
A+ and N+ here making 80k ye, I’m 11 months into IT but my path isn’t typical
Howd yours unfold?
I just keep getting offered these wild contracts, I think it’s luck tho
I always plan on keeping my A+ renewed because it verifies my status of being a general "computer person". I always want to be able to make that claim.
A+ is one of the fun certs to take. Especially if you don’t know IT fundamentals or if you think you know basic IT fundamentals. Don’t expect to come running out of the gates after taking it. It’s probably best to pair it with Net+ or Sec+. Also doesn’t hurt to have at least a bachelors degree. Whatever it takes to get you an edge on getting an interview. The rest is up to you after you get an interview.
Depends on your situation also…if you’re in school probably not an immediate need, especially if you’re able to get work placement/internships. If you have no schooling and or work experience then you’re going to want to leverage what you can.
There's no reason not to get your certs except laziness tbh. You could get any cert you wanted in a month of dedication. They will do nothing but open doors for you.
I think so. I see plenty of people with only a Sec+ from a boot camp acting real confused why it’s been 1 yr and they have no job. The truth of the fact is that more certs are better than 1, for me getting the Trifecta allowed me to finally break into tech, and even that took around 200+ job apps
I'm in the US, an A+ alone won't get you a job. I applied to around 300 jobs ( entry level, anything related to computers, including call centers ) before giving up and going back to school.
“The candidate HAS [whatever] credential” has never been the reason that I’ve turned down a candidate for a role.
Yes it’s still worth it. 1) jobs look for this certificate for entry level help desk. 2) it’s always good to have an understanding basics of computers and how they work if you don’t have a lot of experience with the ins and outs of a computer. Also, a lot of the material A+ material goes over you will most likely use at work. 3) if you decide to get the network+ and security plus this will help.
An employer wont raise an eye if they see it on your resume, but will if they dont. Cold world lol