IT certifications

[Masamune]

I want to get a head start on entering the job market and snag an easy job working with computers. I was browsing monster.com, and every computer job wants some type of certifacation to apply. What types of certifications would be a good idea to get under my belt now to obtain such jobs? Sorry that this is such a vague and open ended question, but I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing.

[Flash Man]

That really depends. You say "IT" and "computers." That can be misinterpreted. I would perceive that position as someone who deals with configuring, maintenance and setup of computers ( desktops, laptops or servers ). CompTIA (http://certification.comptia.org/) has many certifications that you could benefit from. Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/default.mspx) has plenty as well.

Now both in mine and many hiring managers' opinions certifications are not substitutes for degrees. Many community colleges offer two year degrees in computer sciences. Here is a link (http://education-portal.com/article_directory/q_p/page/Computer%20Sciences/q_p/Glossary_of_Associate%27s_Degree_Programs.html) to a glossary of degrees offered in the field of computer science. There are also many degrees beyond the simple two year associates degree as well.

If you were not implying that kind of position that I described above then you most likely will be looking to get a four year bachelors of science degree. Most businesses look for a four year degree or a minimum of five to eight years of experience. What most people do not consider is that this experience does not necessarily have to be professional. I will not have my bachelor's of science in software engineering for another two years, however I presented several pieces of software that I developed to my interviewers. The majority of it was projects that I created for school. Now these projects were no simple cout << "Hello World." << endl; nor were they class SodaMachine. They were mostly projects that I had completed in junior and senior level courses.

I highly recommend pursuing higher education even if you were doing it to learn and not attain a career in the field. Once you get passed all of the remedial and entry level courses it can be incredibly fun.

[AlphaDawg]

Getting your A+ certification would be a good place to start. I plan on getting mine shortly. I wish I would have gotten it much sooner.

[Beldaran]

snag an easy job working with computers.
You'll also be snagging a low salary and zero benefits.

Get a degree in something useful. If you like computers, get a computer science degree. Then you can get a nice programming job for 50k starting.

[Icey]

Yeah, go to DeVry, so you can be like the guy in their ad and sit on the beach hitting a tin can with a stick. I guess he couldn't afford anything better.

Seriously, though, FlashMan's post was right on the mark and I can't really add anything to it. AlphaDawg's right about the A+ certification, too, that can at least get you some kind of starting position.

[AlphaDawg]

I just purchased the two A+ exam voucher package from this site (http://www.supervoucher.com/CompTIA/comptia_two_a+_exam_vouchers.asp). It's cheaper than buying them directly from CompTIA. My brother got his vouchers from this site a couple months ago so I know the site is legit. Basically you choose the A+ essentials test plus one other test. You need to pass two tests to officially be A+ certified.

As Beldaran said, no certifications equals a shit job with low salary and zero benefits... exactly like my last job. My managers were dimwits who treated my coworkers and I like shit. I was thrilled when I was laid off last October. Unfortunately my job search has kind of sputtered. Though I'm awesome at what I do and would love an opportunity to prove it to anybody, without a certification saying so it's really tough to get that opportunity.

[MrCow]

A+ Network+ Server+ MSCE
A+ is all most places really look for. Its a bs certification as at least half the knowledge needed is completely outdated... at least thats my opinion

[AlphaDawg]

A+ is all most places really look for. Its a bs certification as at least half the knowledge needed is completely outdated... at least thats my opinionI thought that too... but the A+ test has actually been updated as recently as 2006. No more IRQ questions as far as I know.

[Starkist]

I have my A+ and my MCP in Windows 2000. It was enough to get me my current job at the school district, which pays fairly well. I had to deal with IRQ stuff though... I have forgotten most of it.