Hello everyone!!

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Hi guys.
First post on here and im quite excited to be a part of such a great forum.
I have been reading certforums for a few weeks now and it has made me more determined than ever to do my exams!!
I build and work on computers when ever i get the chance but i really want a career in computers.
I'm 27 and from Newcastle in England, i have been working as a Civil Servant (Office Admin Job) for about 10 years and im totoally fed up. I'm hoping that all is not lost and im not too old for this!
I plan to start my exams in about a year as im on a very tight budget for this.
I really want to do it but i have just got married and just found out my wife is pregnant so i dont have much money to spend at the minute.
Over the next year i want to get myself clued up on what i need to know etc and im basically on the look out for cheap books that will help me along the way.
I would be very interested if anyone has any books for sale that will help me with MSDST and MCSE exams.
Also, i feel that i need to learn server 2003 before i start so if anyone has a copy of Server 2003 for dummies, let me know please!! I know its for "Dummies" but i may as well start at the bottom and try to learn the lot!!.
I have a spare pc setup at home with Server 2003 on it so im practicing most nights, mainly setting it up as a file server, FTP server and doing some home web hosting etc.

Anyway, hello everyone and any adivce and tips are much appreciated!! Thanks!!

 

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Welcome!

If you're just now getting into IT, you don't need to be stressing out about studying Server 2003. Companies aren't going to hire someone without any IT experience to administer their servers regardless of the number of classes or exams they take.

And, in any case, the Dummies books are the last thing you need to be studying.

So what SHOULD you study for? Well, starting out, you should focus on the A+ certification, which is relevant to what an entry-level tech ought to know. Afterwards, you can pursue other entry-level certifications, such as the Network+ and MCDST certifications. However, you shouldn't progress beyond those certifications until you get some real-world IT experience under your belt, because if you do, you'll be way overcertified for your experience level... which is NOT a good thing.

Don't wait until you're all certified to start looking for an entry-level IT job - start looking NOW. As you get certified, add the certification to your CV and keep looking. Entry-level IT jobs don't usually require any certifications; however, certifications CAN make you look more attractive to employers.

Again, welcome to the forums!

 

Welcome to the forums!