What is A+ Certification?

CompTIA A+ is an entry-level, vendor-neutral IT certification that validates your skills in a diverse range of technological areas, including operating systems, network security, IT infrastructure, configuration and troubleshooting of computers, mobile devices, and broader IT systems.

The A+ certification is offered by CompTIA, a nonprofit trade association with over 2,000 member organizations and 3,000 business partners.

CompTIA offers one of the most popular IT certifications in the world, with over 2.5 million certified individuals across the globe.

A+ teaches IT concepts that are needed for jobs like service desk, help desk, system administrator, IT engineer, desktop support, and network engineering.  Several of these roles are among the most in-demand tech jobs of 2020 and beyond, according to Robert Half’s 2020 IT salary report.

The certification validates skills related to the configuring of operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS.  It also enhances your  troubleshooting skills and shows you how to provide support for common IT challenges in the workplace.

It also teaches you how to support and manage, IT infrastructure and networking, the configuration of IT devices, mobile devices, Internet of Things devices, the implementation of basic data backup and recovery methods, and applying data storage and management best practices.

CompTIA A+ certification is also one of the top five IT certifications in North America, according to the Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary report. However, because A+ is an entry-level certification, over 78% of respondents in Global Knowledge’s survey said that they are already planning to get an advanced certification offered by CompTIA to make progress in their career.

To pass the CompTIA A+ certification, you must pass two exams: CompTIA A+ Essentials Exam 220-1001 (Core 1) and the Practical Application Exam 220-1002 (Core 2).

Each exam costs $226 US dollars, so the total cost of this certification is $452.

The 220-1001 exam covers concepts related to mobile devices, networking technology, hardware, virtualization and cloud computing, and network troubleshooting.

The 220-1002 exam covers the installation and configuration of operating systems, expanded security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures.

The exams contains multiple choice questions, drag and drop questions, and performance-based questions.

Performance-based questions are designed to test your conceptual understanding. For example, a question of this kind may include an architecture diagram showing a few routers and could ask you to design the network for a small office.

Each exam contains a maximum of 90 questions.

The passing score for the CompTIA A+ 220-1001 exam is 675, while you must score 700 to pass the 220-1002 exam.

Each exam is 90 Minutes long.

Ok, let’s look at the…

Skills Measured by the CompTIA A+ Certification

The goal of the CompTIA A+ certification is to provide you with a solid foundation to launch your career in IT.

The certification covers almost all the basic concepts of IT.

Specifically, you will learn the following skills.

Mobile Devices (Weightage: 14%)

• Hardware replacement
• Memory devices
• Configuration of Wireless and Bluetooth
• Setup of Screen, Battery, and Touchpad
• Wearable technology devices
• Email configuration, including POP3, IMAP, MIME, Yahoo, Exchange, Gmail, Outlook
• Configuration of SSL, and
• Mobile Synchronization

Networking (Weightage: 20%)

• Ports and protocols, including Telnet, SMTP, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, and TCP/UDP
• Configuration of network devices like Routers, Switches, Access Points, and Repeaters
• Installation and configuration of basic networks
• NIC configuration
• End-user device configuration
• Cable and DSL modem configuration
• Firewall configuration
• Web servers and DNS servers

Hardware (Weightage: 27%)

• Network cables
• Ethernet (Cat 5, Cat 5e, and Cat 6)
• VGA and HDMI
• Lightening
• Identifying connector types
• Identifying RAM types
• Configuration of Motherboards
• Identifying Motherboard chipset technologies sockets, and
• Configuration of printers

Virtualization and Cloud Computing (Weightage: 12%)

• IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS
• Public, private, and hybrid Cloud
• Resource pooling
• Cloud file storage services, and
• Client-side virtualization

Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (Weightage: 27%)

• Identifying common symptoms
• Problem identification and troubleshooting
• RAID arrays
• Hard drives
• Troubleshooting printers, and
• Troubleshooting wired and wireless networks

Operating Systems (Weightage: 27%)

• Difference between 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems
• Mobile Operating Systems
• Compatibility
• Installation methods
• Command line tools
• MSConfig
• Task Manager
• Microsoft Windows networking, and
• Linux OS

Security (Weightage: 24%)

• Physical security
• Active Directory
• Software tokens
• MDM policies
• MAC address filtering
• Malware
• DDoS
• Man-in-the-middle, and
• Brute force

Software Troubleshooting (Weightage: 26%)

• Fixing common problems like slow performance, crashes, printing issues and slow bootup
• Browser redirection
• Internet connectivity issues
• OS update failures
• Disappearing files
• Access denied, and
• Malware removal

Operational Procedures (Weightage: 23%)

• Network topology diagrams
• Knowledge base and articles
• Incident documentation
• Acceptable use policy
• Equipment grounding
• Incident management, and
• Basic scripting

For a more complete curriculum, download the latest CompTIA A+ 220-1001 and 220-1002 exam objectives.

Now, let’s look at the…

Pre-requisites for the A+ Certification

There are no pre-requisites for the CompTIA A+ certification. However, it is recommended that you have a basic understanding of technology concepts, and about 12 months of experience as an IT support specialist.

In reality, this certification is an entry level certification, so even if you don’t have the recommended requirements you will be able to understand the syllabus topics and pass the exam.

How to Prepare for the CompTIA A+ Certification Exam

To prepare for this certification, there are several options available, such as:

Self-Study Resources

If you are self-driven, you can use self-study resources to prepare for the A+ exams. These resources include books, videos, study guides, and practice questions.

Books

CompTIA A+ certification books will help you understand all the relevant concepts in detail. If you like understanding the nitty gritty then books are for you.

One of the best books to prepare for the A+ exams is the CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Tenth Edition by Mike Meyers.

If you are short on time, books might not be the best resource to use to prepare for CompTIA A+ certification. In this case you may want to consider…

Video Training

Video is an excellent option to use when trying to understand technical concepts. Videos not only help you retain and memorize information, they also help you focus on complex concepts for longer periods because motion based delivery of information is more engaging .

There are several tutorials available on YouTube and other free platforms that you can use to prepare for the A+ certification.

Most of the topics covered in this certification can be found on YouTube.  A free training method would be to print out the A+ exam objectives and start searching for videos that cover those topics.

Instructor-Led Training

If you want individual training by an instructor, CompTIA offers instructor-led training.

Instructor-led training allows you to understand important concepts by having the ability to ask questions directly to expert instructors.

However, instructor-led training is expensive. For example, CompTIA’s instructor-led training for the Core 1 and Core 2 exams will cost you a whopping $3999.

Because A+ is an entry-level certification, you can avoid spending that much money by using more economical training like books and videos.

Practice Tests

There are many different types of questions in the CompTIA A+ certification exams. You have to solve problems, think creatively, and recall concepts you learned during preparation. Solving 90 questions in a very limited time is not easy, unless you practice.

You should not sit the A+ exams without practicing beforehand. Doing practice tests will allow you to spot your weaknesses, think quickly, understand complex scenarios easily, and recall key concepts.

220-1001 Practice Test

220-1002 Practice Test

Practice Labs

The CompTIA A+ exams have a labs section where you are tested on practical concepts like network design, troubleshooting problems, storage issues, operation system fixes and information architecture. The labs section is designed to ensure that you can actually apply the concepts covered in the curriculum.

You should do practice labs before you attempt the actual exam.

Now, let’s look at…

What Jobs can you get with CompTIA A+ certification

A+ is an entry level certification, therefore the jobs that you can get will generally be entry level IT jobs.

Keep in mind that just having the A+ certification won’t guarantee you a job. It is recommended to have at least 6 months of experience along with strong problem-solving skills and technical knowledge to find a good job.

With hard work and persistence you can land an entry-level job and expand your IT career from there.

Here are a few jobs you can get with the CompTIA A+ certification:

• Service Desk Analyst
• Data Support Technician
• Help Desk Technician
• Desktop Support Administrator
• Technical Support Specialist
• End User Computing Technician
• Field Service Technician
• Help Desk Technician
• Associate Network Engineer
• System Support Specialist

It is also recommended that you complement your A+ certification with more advanced certifications, like Network+ and Security+.

So, let’s talk about how much money you can make with the…

CompTIA A+ Certification

CompTIA A+ certification can set you up for a lucrative career in the IT sector. However, because CompTIA A+ validates entry-level IT skills, you should try getting more experience and advanced certifications to get higher salaries.

According to ZipRecruiter, the median salary for CompTIA A+-related jobs is around $53,100 US dollars.

According to PayScale, on average, a system administrator with a CompTIA certification makes around $61,000 per year.

However, salaries vary a lot based on experience, skillset and job title.

Let’s see what other people think about this certification.  Here are a few…

Observations from Successful CompTIA A+ Certification Holders in the Industry

It’s always useful to ask people who actually passed the exam about their strategy, experience, and best practice to tackle the CompTIA A+ certification.

Here are some comments from people who have passed the A+ exams that will help you in your exam preparation.

Here is a comment from Reddit User “HPGrizzly”

The A+ is only as easy as you make it. If you stress, you’ll make it harder. Have you built a computer before? If so, you’ll do fine.

I’m currently pursuing my CCNA to take the networking route instead of going Net+ but A+ gave me complete confidence so far in the first 3 chapters of the Wendell Odom Cert Library as it is that broad in the spectrum. Definitely go for A+ first to get you a scope of all fields.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/gtlwj8/passed_2201002_now_a_certified_trifecta_complete/

Here is another comment from Reddit User “alextbrown4”

First things first, print out a copy of the exam objectives from comptia’s website. Tape it up near where you study. Have that thing within arms reach so you can reference it whenever you need to. Familiarize yourself with the topics the exam will cover.

I recommend watching all of professor messers free videos for both tests and taking notes while you watch. Personally, I watch through the whole series twice. One time while taking notes and the second time just listening and paying close attention.

Exam compass and crucial exams have good practice tests so you can test yourself and gauge your readiness.

Lastly, I would suggest making flashcards over different facts you think you may need to know. And write them by hand on physical flash cards. The act of writing helps cement it into your brain. I read them aloud to myself as I write them, too.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/bd3zp8/how_did_you_study_for_the_a_cert/

Here is a comment from Reddit User “redditkashi”

I passed the tests in December with a pretty low score, but it didn’t feel too terrible when I was taking them. I studied hard core non-stop for 3 days straight and took both tests back-to-back, with very intermittent studying the week prior. There were a few simulation questions in the beginning, which I took everyone’s advice on skipping them til the end. There were also quite a bit of troubleshooting questions, PCIe questions, and a lot of printer questions (ie thermal). Also know your cable connectors. I’m now working on my Net+ for tomorrow’s exam and I’m so not ready – it’s way harder than the A+. It greatly helps if you’ve been working in the industry for some time. Good luck to you!.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/bd3zp8/how_did_you_study_for_the_a_cert/

The Truth About CompTIA A+ Certification

The CompTIA A+ certification is the ideal certification to launch your IT career.

However, you should combine A+ certification with more advanced IT certifications, and also try to gain as much practical experience as you can.

Try to enter the industry and do as many practical projects as soon as possible. The IT industry generally prefers candidates who have gotten their hands dirty while engaging with IT projects.

Is the CompTIA A+ Certification for You?

If you want to enter the IT industry and have no prior experience or related education, CompTIA A+ is a good place to start.

Having the CompTIA A+ certification will help you gain the attention of recruiters and companies looking for IT support people.   The starting salary for having the A+ certification is pretty good as well.

So, is the CompTIA A+ certification worth it?

If you are new to IT and looking to get your foot in the door in the IT industry, CompTIA A+ is definitely worth it.