hello i need some help

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Hi everyone,

I have a HND in Business Computing but have never found a job in IT I want to working in either a support roll or DBA role

I have been told that a comptia a+ certification is the way to go but after speaking to an IT manager I know he says I should go for a MSCA or MSCE.

I have looked at some of the modules on the comptia a+ and and things like creating DOS batch files and installing RAM etc sound a bit too simple especially for the money I have to fork out, but if it is worth it I will do it.

I am confused please help:

 

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Silly manager! Those certs, on their own, without experience, won't get you a job!

What experience *do* you have?

For support then it will depend what you are supporting. A+ would be good if it is a general kind of support.

DBA is a completely different thing. For you to be accepted in that role you would need certs in the DB in question, or equivalent experience.

As for money - A+ won't set you back *that* much if you elect to buy a book or two and self-study.

Harry.

 

Basically I have no comercial experience, in my current job (which i am doing right at this moment) i am expected to be able to fix any problems with the computers I am using myself but only to the point of re-mapping drives or starting network services and gui(s) up if they go down other than that i am expected to phone IT people.

 

Without experience it is *very* hard to get a job. Just read the postings in this forum. And certs with no experience won't improve it much.

Basicaly you will have to start at the bottom and accumulate experience - there are many postings here of people who are doing just this.

This will help you to decide between support or DBA or some other role.

When you know where your career is going then it will be time to suplement your experience with appropriate certs.

However - it would be good to get the A+ almost at once, as it is a good general cert covering a multitude of sections of the industry.

Harry.

 

Thanks for the info but i must be going as i am at work getting annoyed by the managment who are a bunch of re-***s

I think I will do the a+

Steve

 

Hi there and welcome

 

I wish someone could tell me if doing the a+ is the right thing to do or not

Most of the topics that I have seen is covered in the a+ I can already do will this certification improve my chances of a job

Hope myou can help

Steve

 

Having the cert can be the difference between you and the next person, but no cert should be thought of as a guarantee of a job. You will also be surprised at just how much you will learn by doing what you think you already know.

HTH.

 

I think you have put my mind at ease I will do the a+

Am I right in thinking that the microsoft exams have to be taken every 3 years to keep your qualifications and that a+ is forever

Steve

 

Hi Steve and welcome to the forum.

No Microsoft exams don't actually expire as such, they just become so old that they are not meaningful any more for example, if you have a Microsoft MCP in Windows 3.11 it would be worthless, not that that cert ever existed - they did try to retire the NT MCSE but it caused such a backlash that they changed their minds and decided to qualify every cert with the OS that it pertains too for example i am an MCSE on Windows 2000 server products.

CompTIA's A+ does not expire and it is globally recognised.

Pete

 

Welcome to CF, Steve.

As was previously mentioned in this thread, tier one tech support and the role of a DBA are pretty far apart. Do you have some sort of career plan in mind? It might make planning your education easier if you knew what you're aiming for in a year, two years, five years and so on.

For example, the A+ cert is a great place to start if you are more or less at entry-level. If you feel you have most of the skill sets to pass this exam, Get a good A+ book such as Mike Meyer's A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide. If after reviewing it, you feel like it's all "old news" to you, just schedule and sit the exam. If you feel there are areas you could use more help with, use the book to study up on them.

As far as being a DBA, there are two major series of database certifications:

The Oracle Database certification series

Microsoft's MCDBA program

Both are married to specific vendor products but both of those products are used a great deal around the world. Of course, make sure being a DBA is really what you want. It would be a shame for you to do all the work to get certified only to find out you hate administering databases.

-Trip

 

Thanks for the info its much appreciated.

I am more interested in a tech support roll but did enjoy sql when I was at university actually apart from HTML it was the only script I could do I was usless at C++

So I think I will do the A+ then possibly MCDST or MCA as tech support is my favoured subject.

Networks were the subject I scored highest in at University what is involved in N+ studies and exam

Once again thanks

Steve

 

Check out the inimitable Malnomates *My very own N+ blog!!* it will enlighten you

Here...

http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=14500

And also check out the other 'pinned' threads in the N+ forum