Table of Contents
Introduction
In one very simple statement: you should get CompTIA certified because you lose nothing!
You may ask: “what about the $400 I spend to take the tests? what about the time I invest? Are they nothing?”
Well, read again! I did not write that you should get CompTIA certified because you SPEND nothing, I wrote: “because you LOSE nothing”
You are apparently going to spend time and money, but when you consider all you would gain from the certification, you realize there is certainly no way you are losing.
So What Do You Stand To Gain?
Industry-standard Certifications
When you get CompTIA certified in a particular field, you can rest assured that you already have a standard IT certification in that field that no employer can look down on.
CompTIA certifications have been around since 1993 and are arguably the oldest IT certification vendors; but don’t let the word ‘old’ deceive you! CompTIA upgrades each of their tests periodically to fit the current demands of the IT world and meet the industry standard.
CompTIA certifications hold ISO/ANSI accreditation status, which means they meet or exceed the global benchmarks set forth by ISO – the worldwide organization that sets the standard for certifications, processes and products – and ANSI – the U.S. representative to ISO.
Good Foundation For Getting Your First Job
Can you solve this puzzle?
How do you get experience when all the jobs you need to get your experience from requiring that you have prior experience?
The IT world is one that values hands-on skills a lot; this makes most employers prioritize experience when hiring, and this often hard to come by for a beginner in the world.
The only thing that can replace experience (to some extent) and make employers trust you, without you having many projects to present, is certification.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), 96 percent of human resources managers use IT certifications as screening or hiring criteria during recruitment.
When we talk about IT certifications, only a few certifications can rival the authority a CompTIA certification wields.
Good Foundation For Delving Into The IT World
The IT world is a world that is often a very confusing one for beginners; you see a lot of enticing things along the way and sometimes you spend a long time jumping from one sector into another without having industry-standard knowledge in either sector.
With CompTIA certifications, you have a sense of direction, the certifications are graded in such a way that you know what should be next for you, based on your interest, after finishing each one.
Also, while you are preparing, you are not just running around haphazardly in the IT world, but you are following a good structure that assures you that by the time you are done, you would have industry-standard knowledge.
Flexibility
While preparing for CompTIA certifications, you work at your own pace and can decide to strike a very good balance between work and learning, and advancing in your new career.
This ensures that you can easily advance in your studies, skills, and certifications without having to take time off from work. It serves as a good advantage over taking a degree course.
Cheapness
One of the advantages of studying for CompTIA certifications is the popularity of the certifications. CompTIA certifications are so popular that if you do your findings right and make the best use of communities, you could prepare for many CompTIA certifications with very little amount given how many free resources you would find on the internet.
Also, the certifications themselves cost too little (less than $400) compared to the gulf of the difference they create between one who has them and one who doesn’t in the job market.
Community
CompTIA certification holders have formed a strong community you can learn from, interact with, ask for support from and give back to.
You have a community of like-minded people; people who have gotten the certifications you are working towards and can guide you towards making the best use of it when you get it and also the best way to get it.
If used wisely, the community could in fact be a bigger blessing than the certification itself, as you create connections that may have a huge impact on your career and exposure.
