I’m considering dropping the cash to take several certification tests (I’ve never needed them before but I think it will help to have these on my resume)
Are these tests given on paper or computer?
Are they all multi-choice?
How long are you given for each test? (I’ll leave this question open depending on which test YOU took)
Sample tests I’ve seen have all been pretty easy (like this site). Are the real tests harder or are they about the same questions?
Also, should I bother with Comptia Certification? I’ve seen some companies interested in this but it seems most companies want MSCx’s. I’m taking A+ because I’ve been offered a free test (I’m not going to pass up a free cert), but should I bother with NET+?
The MCSE tests are computerized and adaptive [1].
This makes them much harder to “fake out”, shorter in length than conventional tests, and allows a larger question bank.
“Brain Dumps” are harder to use with adaptive tests.
On length: If you are brilliant, you may get 7 questions and then told to go home. If you are really, really bad, you may also get 7 questions and then told to go home. If you are VERY borderline, you may get a very large number of questions.
About Comptia’s tests, I’m unsure. I THINK they’re adaptive as well.
I took my A+ about 4 years ago so I’m not sure if any of this still applies. The test was given on a computer that had multiple choice. I believe there was a time limit (2 hours?) but I can’t remember. I seem to remember them giving me a blank piece of paper as well.
Do you remember about how many questions you answered? I don’t personally know anyone who has taken this (well, I do know some people but I’m not in contact with them at the moment)
How long did the test take you?
Was it easy?
Have you noticed employers placing a value on your A+ cert?
That’s where I’ve been for some time. I’m doing the A+ only because it isn’t going to cost me anything. I know a couple guys who have their MSCx’s and oddly they’d have a hard time replacing a video card. One guy was the head sysadmin at a community college and he couldn’t figure out why a workstation was crashing all the time (the fan in the power supply died and it was overheating). Almost everyone I know that blew me away with their “mad skills” were self taught.
I’ve never put much value on computer certs but it seems many companies do these days.
I’ll be looking for new work in about 7-8 months and thought this would be a good time to look into this. If I can up my wage by $20k a year after a couple certs then it’s worth it I guess.
It all depends on where you are in your career. The A+ cert will only help you in competing for fairly low-end PC repair and maintenance jobs. The MCSE will help you for fairly low-end help-desk jobs. But, these jobs are stepping-stones to larger things. Nowadays these kinds of certifications tend to be more important for people who are already doing the jobs, but their company wants some sort of piece of paper to prove you’re “professional”.
It was different a few years back… all you had to say was you were “studying for” the MCSE and you’d get a pretty good job, and as long as you were “paying the fee out of your own pocket”, generally they’d never follow up to see if you passed any tests. I know a few people calling themselves MCSE’s and working as MCSE’s even though they only passed half the tests.
As for adaptive tests, they’re not as hairy as everybody says. All adaptive tests do is make it impossible to skimp on a topic that you don’t like. If you miss, say, a question on disk striping, you’re going to keep getting more questions on disk striping. If you know disk striping and just muffed a couple of questions, the adaptation benefits you by giving you another chance. If you don’t know jack about disk striping, you’re sunk.
Now, if you want to step up to some money, try a Linux certification. Still not a magic bullet, but it suggests you are very interested about technology in addition to getting paid.
I guess I should add that I myself have done all the tests I mentioned. Since this was in 1998, I got good jobs before I even finished them and my experience quickly outgrew the credentials. But at least nobody’s ever demanded that I go back and take a test to prove that I know my job, because I’ve already taken them.
I took the 1st half of A+ (Hardware), it was adaptive, you had 2 hours to finish it, an dthey gave you scrap paper to make notes on during the test. They sat you in front of a computer and asked you a bunch of multiple choice questions. You get your results write away. It was pretty damn easy.
How long did the test take you?
About 30 mins. Like it’s stated above, it can take a long time or it can be fairly quick.
Was it easy?
Not really. I kept second guessing myself though. Be very careful in how you read the question is all I have to say.
Have you noticed employers placing a value on your A+ cert?
Yes and no. It’s not my field so I always get asked what it is. When I tell them they seem impressd at least. I make sure to tell them that I taught myself. I worked at a small graphic shop and my boss loved it. We would constantly fiddle with the company computers.
"I’m doing the A+ only because it isn’t going to cost me anything"
I sprung 30ish bucks for the book and I believe the test was either $90 or $130 bucks. But you get a cool mug and card!
A+ was SUPER EASY. Each of the tests ended up being roughly 30 questions and I smoked them all. It took about 30minutes or so on each section. Yes it was adaptive. I took it about 4 years ago. Network+ was way easy too.
That cert is worth almost nothing to most employers. In the 90s some certs may have “upped your wage $20K/yr” but not now. The market is FLOODED with TONS of paper champions or people with large amounts of certs who can’t find work.
MCSE is worth a little nowadays but not as much as in the 90s. Employers would rather see that you buckled down and got a BSCS than chumped thru a bunch of MSCE certs.
