Just started studying again

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I started studying back in Feb for the A+ cert, but kinda stopped a few months ago to try and pursue a different career (if you interested, I got accepted onto the CTC training program for pilots with a gauranteed (sp?) job placement, but turned it down). I've decided to stay with my instincts and carry on studying.

Just out of curiosity, what starting wage should I be looking st for the A+, MCDST and maybe N+ with S+? Also bear in mind that I have been building, repairing and fixing PC's for nearly 12 years now for family and friends.

 

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If you've been building, repairing, and fixing PC's for nearly 12 years now for family and friends, you've got about... let's see... add 7, carry the 1, add 6... aha! exactly zero experience in a business IT environment. Meaning, you'll start entry-level, just like everyone else.

Don't feel bad... I had 18 years of friends-and-family computer "experience", a college degree, and was the go-to computer guy at work for 6 years before I got my first entry-level IT job. ;)

All that said... I have no idea what a starting salary would be across the pond. I started out at $11/hr, but that was 10 years back.

 

I'd put a price of about £7-9 per hour - so £14-18k on a 1st-line job. Maybe slightly (not much I doubt) higher if inside London.

 

I didn't mean it as experience in a business environment, but as limited experience with the A+ cert over someone how has the cert but no 'hands-on' experience. Surely every little helps

mmm, not as much as I was hoping for. Still, always gotta start somewhere I suppose!

 

Unfortunatly, these days unless you are doing a high end job like scurity, developpement, network administration, you wont be getting paid a lot. There so many IT professional and so much competition that it is usualy the top guys that make good money.

 

Sure, it can help you to get your foot in the door. Just keep in mind that when a company advertises for positions that require x years of experience, that doesn't count anything outside of a real-world business IT environment. As far as they're concerned, you don't have any hands-on experience in a real-world IT environment. And, in truth, you don't... building your own box and fixing friends' PCs is great to build your troubleshooting skills, but you'll have to trust me when I say it's a bit different in the business world.

You'll do fine... get your foot in the door, and start working your way up. With as much "play experience" as you've had, you should be able to climb the IT ladder in short order.