A+ Exam

[Wanako]

So I'll be taking the first part of the CompTIA A+ Certification Exam tomorrow morning, so today will be all cram and study and making sure I am ALL-KNOWING!! I'm excited and a bit nervous as it'll be my first step into an actual career. I've had it with the retail environment bullshit and pay.

I'm so ready to take the next step. Maybe after I get a job, I'll finally be able to afford a car or have a family or something. I haven't had a car to call my own for well over a year now, ever since my old GT's passing. I've been on my wife's Toyota Vitz/Yaris, but it sucks not having one for yourself, I can't go anywhere for a nice drive, you know? I so wanna get a Mazda 3 Hatch.

I know we've got a few IT guys in here like Jon and Ace. Any advice, suggestions, smacks in the back of teh head?
Talk to me. GO!

[3X00-Modified]

I never took the exam since it was not necessary with where I am currently employed... All I can say from reading the A+ books that I bought a few years back though, is it seems pretty basic... If you test well then you should be fine. Thats my problem since I'm not a good sponge who can squeeze it all back out on paper, but stick me in a lab and I'll solve a networking problem. I was always first done in the lab environment and I had to help the kids who were getting A's on their tests... They could regurgitate it but couldn't apply what they were learning.

Thats kinda why I hate those certs anyways because it does not always mean the individual with the cert can do what they wrote down.

I don't have any certs, A+, Cisco, or Microsoft, but recently within an hour of unpacking it I had a network manageable electronic proximity door scanning system operating in my office to test it. I've now deployed it to one door in our facility and I'm getting ready to do two more if approved... I've done everything from mounting the hardware, pulling the cable, to installing everything used on the door itself. Not too many IT guys have the skills I have

Good luck though and let me know how stupid easy it is... I may just go take the exam to have the damn cert on my side.

[themixer]

I am also an IT guy, seems like a lot of people that work on cars are in IT. I would suggest getting brain dumps for exams like that. The IT business is a hard one to get started in. How long have you been working with networks?

[3X00-Modified]

I've been in networking since College, 01... Thats what I decided then and went down that path. I've been employed where I work now since 99. Started out as simple data entry and now I run the whole system here.

What you said seems true on the forum's but in real life when you go find/see some IT people or meet with them... Not many are like me, or at least I don't feel they are. Also with how technical most things are these days if you dont have a PC background then it is hard to work on some new cars.

[1988GTU]

The paper knowledge is only there to hold an individual responsible for their actions. Gotta point the finger at someone.

[diedemus]

90% of companies now don't really care about the certs, its all about practical application, Ive been involved with the IT field since before it was called IT lol


Certs will get you an interview, practical knowledge will get you the job.

[Wanako]

Exactly, that's what I need. The INTERVIEW. dun dun dun. After that I think I'm good. The unfortunate part is that I've never worked in an IT environment before so I wouldn't be able to even get any kind of interview without a certification.

[themixer]

it can surprise you if you start hanging out with the right people, its all in who you know.

[Rex 2.0]

I have my A+ as well. I got it because it was a requirement for a promotion. I went and took both tests 3 days later as it was the soonest I could scheduled and passed with fairly high scores. I got my CNA (Novell) and MCP back in high school but no one would even give me an interview with out experience. Now they are both useless.

If you have been troubleshooting or building computers on a regular basis for any amount of time it should be pretty easy. Read the question several times before you answer. On some of the questions it almost seems like they are trying to trick you on purpose. Also they gave you paper that you can write on when you get in your booth for the test. Write down anything you have had trouble remembering as soon as you get in such as IRQ #'s or how a laser printer works. I think I had almost 10 questions on laser printers alone.

[DTMAce]

Geez. I like 3400's response, its like mine.

I have been working on computers for over 20 years. I do not hold a single MS or the A+. I do have several HP Printer certs, but only because I had to, along with several Dell ones for a company I worked for.

In my experience, the Certs are mostly worthless, as its experience and practical application that matters. I installed a 50+ machine network for a small hospital in IL mostly by myself. My boss and I sold them the computers, the wiring, the jacks, the switches, you name it. Their repair/mechanic staff did most of the actual cable running, though I had to bitch them out a few times on HOW they were doing them. Back then, Windows 2000 was the way to go, XP was just about to hit the market. Built that network from the server out, everyone had a roaming profile which was nice cause they could log in at any workstation and have "their stuff".

That was probably one of my biggest jobs as a single install, I had to do all the crimping, wire installations, test the wiring, layout the network switches to optimize bandwidth, yadda yadda. Security, etc. I think it took us about a month or so to get it all done, there was a LOT of work involved. Hell it took me a week or so just to build the computers for it all.

Anyways, big job, lots of work. big deal.

These days I just take care of home and small business customers, do used, new, laptops, desktops, software, you name it. If it involves a computer I can get it, find it, fix it, whatever.

Done the call center thing for 2.5 years in the days of the 95-98 crossover and a little NT3.5-4.0 thrown in. Worked at P&G in Cinci OH at a 3000 employee building taking care of computers there. We ran over 100 call tickets a day, often more. I used to be able to tear a laptop clear apart and put it back together working in 20-30 minutes. And when I say clear apart, I mean motherboard and LCD removed and back in. lol

Printers too. Lots of printer repair, mostly HP Lasers... Anyways.

Sad part is too, I have even forgotten some crap that I used to know like the back of my hand, and I'm always encountering something new. Even had a new virus today. Comes up and says your hard drive is fucked, all this crap is wrong, your desktop and programs all disappear and the computer acts up. Turns out, not only was it some virus that is running, it also turns a lot of your folders into hidden/system protected files, which means you can't run your programs, and crap. It was messed up. I had to go through and try to remember what folders where had to be not hidden, etc. Pain in the ass.

That's my small IT contribution. LOL

[Wanako]

Thanks for the response guys. I'm not much relying on the Cert to get me through the job, just so my resume gets looked at due to my lack of actual job experience. I've been learning, and fixing computers since the MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 days. My old 386DX taught me so much after I fucked it up a countless times. I was only 6, what can I say?

[Cliff8928]

I think I had almost 10 questions on laser printers alone.

Laser printers are easy.... I run two for work.

Just like this but 3 units instead of 2.

[Wanako]

That kinda looks like a Xerox DocuColor 5000

[Wanako]

passed the first exam. Now I'll be taking the second one next week.

[Cliff8928]

That kinda looks like a Xerox DocuColor 5000

Actually a DocuPrint 180MX (I run one 180MX and one 100MX)

A DocuColor 5000 has the input trays to the left of the processor and isn't nearly as tall.