Is CompTIA A+ worth it?

[Pouks]

I’m currently working in the IT industry but I’m in a sales role (yes I know, boo hiss) and I specifically work on the security side of things. Now, I’ve always had an interest in tech and IT but I made decisions in my life that meant it’s always just been a hobby. I’m hoping to be in a position in the next 6 months to a year to be able to finally move across to a technical role. My long term plan is to stay in cyber security, work in a SOC, maybe work towards CISSP too.

I like to think I have a basic understanding of IT but my thoughts are that by doing the CompTIA A+ certification before working towards Network+ and Security+, I can prove I have that basic level of knowledge, and potentially fill in any gaps that I don’t already know.

Issue is when I have discussed this with one of the guys in my tech team, he seems to think I’ll fly through it no problem. I guess what I’m asking is, is CompTIA A+ worth getting for someone moving in to a technical role from a sales role with a view to working in security, or is it just a waste of money?

[Sheets Tabuer]

Been in IT for bloody hell must be 30 years now, I don't think I've ever met anyone with that

It probably wouldn't register with me if it was on your CV unless you were 16 or so. AWS and Azure qualifications can be had quite quickly which I'd take much more interest in, not that I take a great deal of interest in qualifications anyway as I always favour experience.

Anything that can get your foot in the door though I suppose.

[Pouks]

That’s good to know! It was actually one of our tech guys who pointed me in that direction but good to know it’s not as widely recognised as I first thought. Azure/AWS training is definitely on the cards moving forward, was thinking Cisco might be worth looking into although ideally I want to have non-vendor training.

[Taita]

Absolute waste of time imo.

Hit me up via PM if want to talk career paths / routes / actually useful certs etc.

[mw88]

I did it 15 years ago, along with some Microsoft Certified Professional in something or other and then spent the next 15 years working with Unix systems

[Pouks]

Taita said:

Absolute waste of time imo.

Hit me up via PM if want to talk career paths / routes / actually useful certs etc.

Thanks! I’ll send one across in a bit.

[Pouks]

mw88 said:

I did it 15 years ago, along with some Microsoft Certified Professional in something or other and then spent the next 15 years working with Unix systems

Put the Microsoft certification to good use I see!

[acd80]

Pouks said:

I’m currently working in the IT industry but I’m in a sales role (yes I know, boo hiss) and I specifically work on the security side of things. Now, I’ve always had an interest in tech and IT but I made decisions in my life that meant it’s always just been a hobby. I’m hoping to be in a position in the next 6 months to a year to be able to finally move across to a technical role. My long term plan is to stay in cyber security, work in a SOC, maybe work towards CISSP too.

I like to think I have a basic understanding of IT but my thoughts are that by doing the CompTIA A+ certification before working towards Network+ and Security+, I can prove I have that basic level of knowledge, and potentially fill in any gaps that I don’t already know.

Issue is when I have discussed this with one of the guys in my tech team, he seems to think I’ll fly through it no problem. I guess what I’m asking is, is CompTIA A+ worth getting for someone moving in to a technical role from a sales role with a view to working in security, or is it just a waste of money?

I wouldn't bother with A+ unless you want to build a PC. Net+ would probably be more useful. Also, have a look at the likes of BCS CISMP - that would give you a good basic understanding of Infosec Management.

I work in the cyber security industry - I don't know anyone who has A+...

[Pouks]

Have built multiple PCs already so sounds like it wouldn’t be worth my while in that case. Net+ and CISMP sound like a good combo to get that foundation knowledge. Of course nothing beats experience!

[HiAsAKite]

I work in the cyber industry.
Things like CISMP are a starting point.

The likes of CISSP, CISM, are much better regarded (but a significant step up)

CREST certifications (if you are technically inclined) along with OSCP are respected. Some of the CREST certs are hard to get, a very highly respected. But you will be some way off those. Eg CCT, CCTIM, CCIM etc.

All these are just door openers to roles which get you experience. In most areas, experience still trumps certs.

If you are in IT sales, are you in IT products or Services? If IT services, try to get a cyber sales role maybe, as a stepping stone into more delivery focused cyber roles.

That said the cyber recruitment market is "waking up" after a slowdown last Yr with COVID.

[Pouks]

Appreciate your response! Would love to do some CREST accreditations at some point but far too technical for me right now, definitely something for down the line though.

Currently I’m in both product and services. The company I work for doesn’t have a dedicated technical pre-sales person so my plan is to try and gradually move towards that sort of role, with the intention of becoming technical only in the long term.

[HiAsAKite]

No problem- NB when you say work in a SOC, what do you have in mind?

i.e. are you thinking entry level analyst roles?- most of these are stepping stones to senior analyst, threat intel, or incident response specialist roles; up the security management towards Hd of InfoSec/CISO roles, or as a bridge into wider consulting roles or potentially sec architecture roles?


Where do you want to go to?
-If you are already in IT sales, if you can get into cyber sales (depending on the nature, whether product, solution or professional service), this may be a more direct stepping stone, via pre-sales to consulting or architecture roles..

[K50 DEL]

I did A+ back in 2007 as I needed a certificate for something IT related in order to get the visa for Angola.
I did the exams without any form of course or revision having already run a UK-wide IT department for 7 years at that point.

The pass certificate got me the Angolan visa but I'm not sure it's been of any value since!

It is however still the only formal IT cert that I have, subsequent employers have been much more concerned with ability to do the job than random bits of paper.

[theboss]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

A PHer asks about the worth of a junior level general IT cert and gets told to set his sights on nothing less than an Oxford postgraduate degree costing at least £36k in fees and years of study. How ridiculously pompous.

[CarCrazyDad]

I actually did the CompTIA about 20 years ago when i re-trained into IT.

While it is quite a low level it was a very good stepping stone for me, once you are above a junior level it doesn't really matter.

Of course today the relevance may be completely different, but back in the day it certainly was a good entry level qualification to have.

[CoupeKid]

The CompTIA courses are respected in the USA, not so much here. If you are starting out and teaching yourself they are a pretty good, relatively low cost way of doing it at your own pace.

As I understand it A+ is for being hands on with hardware. There isn’t a lot of practical application for that in this country as far as I can tell but it’s a foundation for everything else.

Network+ is no CCNA but it’ll teach you the basics of networking.

Security+ is no CISSP but it’ll give you an insight into cyber security.

I did Security+ a couple of years ago using a couple of books which claimed to give 100% coverage of the syllabus, and Professor Messer. They didn’t. My advice would be to use the CompTIA materials.

Good luck.

[Taita]

Still waiting for PM OP :P

[Pouks]

Taita said:

Still waiting for PM OP :P

So you are! Sending one across your way now.

CoupeKid said:

The CompTIA courses are respected in the USA, not so much here. If you are starting out and teaching yourself they are a pretty good, relatively low cost way of doing it at your own pace.

As I understand it A+ is for being hands on with hardware. There isn’t a lot of practical application for that in this country as far as I can tell but it’s a foundation for everything else.

Network+ is no CCNA but it’ll teach you the basics of networking.

Security+ is no CISSP but it’ll give you an insight into cyber security.

I did Security+ a couple of years ago using a couple of books which claimed to give 100% coverage of the syllabus, and Professor Messer. They didn’t. My advice would be to use the CompTIA materials.

Good luck.

Thanks for your input. Somebody mentioned to me that in order to get a proper grasp of Security, a good understanding of Networking is required. Would it be worth me doing both Network+ and Security+ in your mind? Or go straight in with Security+?

CarCrazyDad said:

I actually did the CompTIA about 20 years ago when i re-trained into IT.

While it is quite a low level it was a very good stepping stone for me, once you are above a junior level it doesn't really matter.

Of course today the relevance may be completely different, but back in the day it certainly was a good entry level qualification to have.

Thanks! Judging by the general consensus in here, it may be less relevent today than it might once have been.

theboss said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

A PHer asks about the worth of a junior level general IT cert and gets told to set his sights on nothing less than an Oxford postgraduate degree costing at least £36k in fees and years of study. How ridiculously pompous.

Appreciate that Run was trying to help, but one of the reasons I was looking at lower level side of things is I have a degree in Business Studies and currently studying for a masters in a related field (part of what made me realise that sales isn't for me long term). That said, it was an odd comment!

[hyphen]

As with any qualification, look at the syllabus. Is it things you don't know? And things you want to know? Is it reasonably priced.

Then do it. Otherwise don't.

[Pouks]

hyphen said:

As with any qualification, look at the syllabus. Is it things you don't know? And things you want to know? Is it reasonably priced.

Then do it. Otherwise don't.

Thanks hyphen. Sometimes a straightforward approach like this is needed, rather than overthinking things.