Seeking CompTIA A+ Advice (Not "How to Pass")

SteinerWoW · February 16, 2017

I'll cut to the chase. I am 35 and looking to change careers. I have worked most of my life in retail, mostly management. Given the current economic landscape I am concerned that the long term outlook of retail is bleak. I have long considered attempting a career in IT, but never fully pursued the change.

I have always had an interest in technology and computers, but only started to explore the nuts and bolts of things within the last couple of years. I have been studying to take the CompTIA A+ certification in the spring, but I see so much negativity towards it from much of the IT community. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

MR.awesome1 · February 16, 2017

It really depends on the field of IT you would like to get into, if you are solely looking at hardware and just that that sounds great! The reason they are probably saying this is because most of the stuff you learn in A+ can be learned by yourself and through experience. However it's never bad to have more tools in your tool box. Just taking A+ will not get you into IT however you need a broader knowledge of different OS's, networking and etc. I would suggest taking the test as you never know what an employer is looking for.