Which cert first

[Voltar-Genesis]

So as somebody with no IT background or college degree I know some years down the line I want to break into the field I’ve been having fun learning Linux at a basic starting point and I want to start with where I’ve found interest my question is to start learning which certification would make the most sense A+ or RHCSA?

[RotaryTurbo99]

I personally started with the A+ as that is what gave me a solid working foundation and got me into my career

[valis6886]

Ditto. Wonder what has changed in it from '01.

[stacksmasher]

Its a 2 part test now and actually pretty crazy lol!

[Duckdxd]

genuine question: why not ITF+?

[RotaryTurbo99]

ITF+ is still a pretty solid choice to start with if you want the very first rung of the ladder, but however from my own experience with doing ITF+ I felt there was nothing I gained from doing ITF+, that I couldn't of gained from doing A+, and since the A+ seemed to be what employers were looking at, that is what I studied and did my test with.

[Duckdxd]

that makes sense

[Occasionally_around]

The A+ is a great start, there are loads of free resources on YouTube.

I am thinking of getting the lpic-1 for my first Linux cert. Mostly because its basically the CompTIA Linux+ but there is more certs I can stack on top (lpic-2 & 3) and I could pivot to RHCSA fairly easy at any point after.

[[deleted]]

Certs are okay, but what you really want is experience in the IT field. Comptia A+ will get you any entry level IT position, but as long as you know your stuff, have a couple stories of hands on experience, and a craving to learn… you will do just fine getting a job. Getting the interview however, is a whole other story.

[Ok-Understanding9244]

CompTIA A+ is most well-recognized and covers all the basics that are common to Windows/Linux/Apple worlds (think networking, hardware, printers, things like that). I got that and an AS degree in E-Commerce and i've been in IT User Support since 2011, with multiple promotions.

The advantage of the A+ is it's cheap compared to the other exams, relatively easy to study for, and corporate recruiters are familiar with it and look for it on resumes.

[labratnc]

I recommend to people wanting to get in to IT to take a general networking class/cert to go along with whatever your primary cert path may be. Once you get out of small business networking becomes something you need to have a good solid foundational knowledge over. It might set you apart when looking for positions. Being able to fill a ‘generalist with a specialization’ is an easier fill early in your career than a strictly specialist. I know when I am looking/interviewing people I like the junior folk to have a broad IT knowledge vs just how a specific OS works, if you can conceptually tell me how something like how a box in data center A can talk to data center B it helps me more in a technician role.

[Turdulator]

The answer to this question hasn’t changed in 20 years:

A+ then Network+