Certifications for the field

[B4TT3RY4C1D]

Backstory: I'm an 18 year old fresh out of High School. I have a fair amount of knowledge about computers. I know about as much as any experienced PC builder would know.

 

My Problem: I want a job in the tech industry, I'd prefer to work at a store like the Microsoft store or a store like Micro-Center. Or, if possible maybe being a contractor hired to go out to various business for tech support. Would you recommend a certification like the CompTIA A+ or is there a better option that covers a wide range of jobs? If you have a job in this industry, please  let me know which certification you think would be best for me.

 

I was thinking about taking this course here for $2,900 USD: https://www.netcomlearning.com/courses/1009/CompTIA-A-Certification-training.html

[Oshino Shinobu]

CompTIA A+ is an excellent one to go for, it covers quite a lot. If you want to get into some networking stuff as well, there's the CompTIA N+ as well. 

 

You may also want to look at Microsoft's certifications, such as MCSE

[B4TT3RY4C1D]

7 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

CompTIA A+ is an excellent one to go for, it covers quite a lot. If you want to get into some networking stuff as well, there's the CompTIA N+ as well. 

 

You may also want to look at Microsoft's certifications, such as MCSE

Thanks for the info. Do you recommend spending the money for a class like the one I linked on the original post? or do you think there's enough free information out there to get the cert without a class?

[Oshino Shinobu]

8 minutes ago, B4TT3RY4C1D said:

Thanks for the info. Do you recommend spending the money for a class like the one I linked on the original post? or do you think there's enough free information out there to get the cert without a class?

There's plenty of resources out there, either free or paid for. I would start by looking on Youtube for some introduction videos and any free courses you can find. Watch through those, then start looking at the paid options. I'd personally recommend visiting Lynda.com and starting a free trial. Mike Meyers has a whole video series for the 220-901 and 220-902 A+ exams, as well as for the N+ exam. 

 

If you find the videos helpful, you can continue with a subscription to Lynda.com, where there's bound to be stuff for MCSE and other certifications, as well as a load of other stuff. I plan on using it for Mike Meyer's CompTIA A+ and N+ courses and Todd Lammle's CCNA course. 

 

Honestly, I wouldn't pay $3000 for a course to do this when you can do it much cheaper and in your own time. You could do it without paying for anything but the exam, though typically the paid content is better quality. 

 

There's also a load of mock tests available so you can test your knowledge before you actually pay to take the exam.