# Starting a career in IT, need advice



## -ROCKY- (Oct 24, 2007)

Hi

I'm currently 21, living in London and I work a job I dislike, I also have very few GCSE's and not much experiance besides the job I'm working in now which I've been in for about 9 months. 

I want to start a career in IT, I'm interested in both the hardware and software side of things. I've been looking around for courses but I'm not sure what I should do or where to start. MY IT skills are proficient but not advanced.

A+ courses in London, A+ certification and exam in London, A+ courses offered by London College, London(UK)

Is this the sort of course I should be starting with? If not what is a good starter course I can get a first time IT job out of? Also should I be moving onto more advanced courses after I complete it?

A few questions also.

1. Does anyone in London know a good place to study these courses? I've seen a few colleges like the link I posted above but the places seem a bit dodgy and I heard one closed down, should I be studying from home or try and find a college? Really need help on this one. :wavey:

2. Will my lack of GCSE's and experiance in IT hurt me even if I was to complete a course?

Thanks


----------



## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

Yes - the A+ is a fine place to start. 

You don't need to spend a bunch of money on a course. In truth, all you need is a book and the motivation to study. I typically recommend the All-in-One A+ Exam Guide Seventh Edition by Mike Meyers. 

If you want some hands-on practice, and you've got an old computer to practice on, I would recommend picking up PC Technician Street Smarts Second Edition by James Pyles.

If you want some practice to see how you would likely do on the live A+ exams, I would recommend you purchase some high-quality practice exams. Good ones aren't cheap, but they're a tiny fraction of what a classroom training course will cost you. 

Beware: there are braindump companies out there who are selling the exact questions stolen from the live exam. _Do not be tempted by them_. Using them is no different than stealing a professor's test from his or her desk. If CompTIA suspects that you've used braindumps to study, you can be decertified and banned for life from getting any further certifications. 

So whose practice exams can be trusted? And whose are the best? I write for one (guess which!?), so my opinion is heavily biased as to which one is best. But here is a list of companies that can be trusted to give you a legitimate practice exam product. I'd rather you go with a competitor than cheat, you know? In alphabetical order:

Boson
Measure Up
Prep Logic
Self Test
Total Seminars
Transcender

Download demos from each and see which ones you like the best. Don't just buy the cheapest or the one with the most questions... look for ones that help you learn the best, providing a solid explanation of why the right answers are right and why the wrong answers are wrong. 

There are several advantages to self-study. First, you get to choose the BEST study tools available... not just the study tools that the school has chosen for you. Second, you study on YOUR schedule from the comfort of your own home... not on the SCHOOL'S schedule, where you have to travel to the school's location. Third, you take the exam when YOU are ready to take the exams... not when the school says you're ready to take the exams. Last, but certainly not least, it's a lot, LOT cheaper. 

Advocates of classroom study will argue that you can't learn as fast if you're not in a classroom environment. If you've ever sat in a classroom bored out of your skull because you're waiting for others to comprehend something you figured out hours ago, you'll know this isn't true. They'll also argue that you can't learn as well if you don't learn from a teacher. But who do you think writes the books and practice exams? You'll be learning from teachers. And if you get stuck, you've got access to dozens (if not hundreds) of virtual teachers on forums like these! Third, they'll argue that it's hard to get motivated to study unless you've got a structured training course to push you. My counter-argument to this is that if you NEED a structured training course to motivate you to succeed in IT, you're probably in the wrong career field. Finally, they'll argue that you can make some good connections with people who are already in IT while taking a course. Well, this is indeed true. But you can also make some good connections with people who are already in IT in forums like these. 

So you have to ask yourself... is a structured training course worth the cost? To some, it will be. Self study isn't for everyone; some people do indeed learn better in a structured training environment. If they've got the extra money to spend, I wish them well. I simply want to let people know that you don't HAVE to take a training course. There IS an alternative. 

Keep in mind that a certification isn't a golden ticket to an IT job. All a certification does is make you look more attractive to employers by showing them that you have a baseline level of knowledge regarding those technologies found on the exam. Do you HAVE to be certified? No, but every advantage you can get will help you look more attractive than those who aren't certified.

No, you don't have experience, and experience is always better than certification, but we all lacked experience at one point. And no, it won't be easy getting your first IT job. But it IS possible, and after you've gotten your first IT job, subsequent jobs will be easier to get. After all, you'll get valuable experience in your first job!

Wow. That was a lot more than I originally started out to say. But I hope it helps to clarify things for you!  

Best of luck in your IT career. Let us know how you progress!


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

What Mike is saying is correct.

I have done a lot of courses before I started down the certification route, I was not aware that you could get qualifications/certifications without studying a set cirriculum. Unless I am required by my employer or a certain certification requires me to attend classes I will always self study for three main reasons.

its cheaper than a course
you can study as fast or as slow as you want
you dont get pushed into a set of certifications that could over certify you for your experience level and make your job seasrch harder.

The A+ should be your starting point.


----------



## mendit (Aug 27, 2011)

Unless you need the structure courses aren't the way to go if your on a budget. I paid for expensive courses in A+,MCITP and Network+. I wish I had just bought a book studied it and played with some cheap hardware would have been cheaper than paying for the courses and it would have been a more hands on approach which I prefer and I learn better that way. Courses are an added extra but you really don't need them to pass the exams.

On lack of experience it depends who is employing you but if you know what you are doing and have the certifications most small businesses or junior jobs are happy to take you on.


----------



## Keithacehollis (Dec 12, 2011)

Start with A+ then move onto Network + I had no knowledge on computers other then the basics but I passed A+ in 7 months now im certified and doing Network + also be careful ,I was signed up with Advent paid 6 grand up front went bust after 2 months they where useless any way not much help apart from sending me books that where out of date ,mike Myers is brill I have a few of his books and they are great as he puts it in simple terms ,my advice buy a cheap pc you can mess with and crack on with the book siiting in class rooms are boring and if your a novice youll find they move to quickly ,at home youll learn at your own pace sites like this are great also for researching issues and general knowledge even reading some of the threads helps ,this is my first post but I wanted to say thanks to all you guys reading your threads on different issues you have helped me no end now I'm building pcs for family and friends and also giving advice to my wife's work place on day to day issues apparently her IT are useless ,so once again thanks guys I'll always me a member of this site


----------



## frank martin (Jan 13, 2012)

i think if you start career in it firld i think your thinking is best and i give advice you join microsoft fielf and get all certification microsoft if you take any help formaterial to visit and i wish you easily pass all exam and enjoy a good and charm career nice job keep it up


----------



## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

the above poster has been given an infraction as he mentioned a braindump site. If you need to cheat to pass a certification then you should not be in IT.


----------

