a+ essentials?i breezed though the a+ tech.i've been struggling for over a month.i've spent extra for study guides ace the pratice tests take the real thing and choke!!sorry...had to vent.

Do you get much practical experience?

no,and i think that is main problem.i lost my job 8 months ago and i am trying to prepare for a new career path. :-(

Yeah, it's one thing to read about it, you really need to get out and get your hands dirty.

Yeah, start trying to find someone that is willing to help train you or do what my friend did.  Got a job at Comp USA while he was learning and then moved into their repair center.  After that tech support and now manages an organization.

paper certs don't mean much, need to the practical too.

If it's any consolation...Spent weeks studying for CCNA, and only scored 648.  I got owned. :cry:

Quote from: adavem on October 13, 2007, 08:05:04 AM
a+ essentials?i breezed though the a+ tech.i've been struggling for over a month.i've spent extra for study guides ace the pratice tests take the real thing and choke!!sorry...had to vent.

I have no idea what your talking about, but I wish the best of luck in passing it. 

Quote from: phan003 on October 14, 2007, 11:39:08 AM
I have no idea what your talking about, but I wish the best of luck in passing it. 

A+ is server/PC repair certification.
CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate  - router/switch management

Both of which are items that I do in my job without either of those certs.

thank you. 

I have interviewed/hired a lot of candidates over the years.  Not once have I hired someone with just the paper cert.  I have hired plenty of people with more experience over people with the cert though.  I thought about getting a couple at one point in time and held off.  I have 1, that is only because work paid for it and made it a requirement.  Also, it was during the work day at our office.