It's become obvious that I'm going to need certification for a career change. Question: 1. Anyone here ever took it (Comp TIA A+) 2. How much ($)? 3. How to you schedule it? 4. I've heard stories ranging from "easiest test I ever took" to "nightmare on paper". Personal opinions? Thanks in advance

A lot of people knock A+. I would say it's a good start though. While it's probably easier than MSCE, I don't know about it being the easiest. Before you start, consider your age. I'm in my late 50s & I don't think I would get the job over someone 30, no matter how many certs I had. How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.

Well, at 49 (and with no employment), there doesn't seem to be a lot of options. Seems having just a bachelor's degree doesn't mean squat anymore...

At 49, you'll face the same discrimination but there is still one option. Start your own service. It can be just PC repair or an entire list of things. Print cards & try it. When I lost my job in 2000, I started working as a day worker with the immigrants, after my unemployment finished. Little by little I had people calling for work to be done. I'll do plumbing, painting, computers...the list goes on... How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.

>>>"Start your own service. It can be just PC repair or an entire list of things. Print cards & try it.<<< Already have that. It used to help in paying the bills, but business has been so slow that it doesn't even bring in $20/mo. now... Getting back to the subject at hand... Anyone took Comp TIA A+?

1) I have my A+ and my Network+ 2) It's been a while but if I remember, each exam was around $250.00 Canadian 3) Find a testing center and call them for booking info. It's basically as easy as calling them and saying, "I'd like to book a time to write my A+ on such and such a date" 4) It depends on you and your level of knowledge. If I remember correctly, the A+ consisted of two exams. One strictly hardware, one operating sytstems. I found it pretty easy because I'd been working in industry for a few years before writing it and had a ton of experience with hardware. On a side note, I was 39 when I wrote my A+, Network+ and got my MCSE (as I said above, I had already been working in industry for a few years) and had no trouble getting a job. I think in big part because I had experience. But don't think that just because you're older, you won't get a job. Most companies realize age also equals experience and even if you're 50, you'd get a job faster than a kid with no experience (if you have some). If you've got experience with hardware that portion of the A+ shuould be a breeze. As for the OS portion, it would depend on which OS they're concentrating on. When I did it, it was XP. It could be Vista now.

Well, I found out how much ($168), not as bad as I thought. And there's a local university (Appalachian State) that offers the tests. Also found several study guides on usenet, so at least that's a start... >>>"But don't think that just because you're older, you won't get a job. Most companies realize age also equals experience and even if you're 50, you'd get a job faster than a kid with no experience (if you have some).<<< Thanks, those words of encouragement were needed, given the current situation....