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    If not A+, then where should someone start?

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    • F
      flaxking
      last edited by

      A+ helped me get a $12/hour job 7 years ago. $40K entry helpdesk jobs are out there, but I've mostly just heard about them in unionized jobs, and someone applying internally can cross departments and will automatically get the job instead of you because of seniority.

      IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • IRJI
        IRJ @flaxking
        last edited by

        @flaxking said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

        A+ helped me get a $12/hour job 7 years ago. $40K entry helpdesk jobs are out there, but I've mostly just heard about them in unionized jobs, and someone applying internally can cross departments and will automatically get the job instead of you because of seniority.

        Most of the stuff in my area starts around $20/hr which is over $38k. I live in an area where cost of living and salary is lower than national average.

        scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • scottalanmillerS
          scottalanmiller @IRJ
          last edited by

          @irj said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

          @flaxking said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

          A+ helped me get a $12/hour job 7 years ago. $40K entry helpdesk jobs are out there, but I've mostly just heard about them in unionized jobs, and someone applying internally can cross departments and will automatically get the job instead of you because of seniority.

          Most of the stuff in my area starts around $20/hr which is over $38k. I live in an area where cost of living and salary is lower than national average.

          $20/hr is way over that, even just at 40hr weeks. Do 50+ hours and you are making some serious money. $57,200

          JaredBuschJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • JaredBuschJ
            JaredBusch @scottalanmiller
            last edited by

            @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

            @irj said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

            @flaxking said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

            A+ helped me get a $12/hour job 7 years ago. $40K entry helpdesk jobs are out there, but I've mostly just heard about them in unionized jobs, and someone applying internally can cross departments and will automatically get the job instead of you because of seniority.

            Most of the stuff in my area starts around $20/hr which is over $38k. I live in an area where cost of living and salary is lower than national average.

            $20/hr is way over that, even just at 40hr weeks. Do 50+ hours and you are making some serious money. $57,200

            The official number used by most government agencies is 2087 work hours in a year.

            So math is your friend.

            • 2087 * $20 = $41,740
            • 2087 * $25 = $52,175
            scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • JaredBuschJ
              JaredBusch
              last edited by

              Most people paid hourly don't make $100,000 but for reference.

              • $100,000 / 2087 = $47.915668424
              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • scottalanmillerS
                scottalanmiller @JaredBusch
                last edited by

                @jaredbusch said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                @irj said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                @flaxking said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                A+ helped me get a $12/hour job 7 years ago. $40K entry helpdesk jobs are out there, but I've mostly just heard about them in unionized jobs, and someone applying internally can cross departments and will automatically get the job instead of you because of seniority.

                Most of the stuff in my area starts around $20/hr which is over $38k. I live in an area where cost of living and salary is lower than national average.

                $20/hr is way over that, even just at 40hr weeks. Do 50+ hours and you are making some serious money. $57,200

                The official number used by most government agencies is 2087 work hours in a year.

                So math is your friend.

                • 2087 * $20 = $41,740
                • 2087 * $25 = $52,175

                Right. I did it on 50 hours plus overtime rate for ten hours, so 55 * 52 * 20

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • IRJI
                  IRJ
                  last edited by

                  Does the answer to this question change in 2020?

                  Where would you recommend an entry level person start in IT?

                  DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • scottalanmillerS
                    scottalanmiller @IRJ
                    last edited by

                    @IRJ said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                    My friend wants to work computer support job. I dont ever see him being the type of guy to work on networking or servers.

                    How has his career progressed in the last two years? What did he do, and how did it turn out?

                    IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • IRJI
                      IRJ @scottalanmiller
                      last edited by

                      @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                      @IRJ said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                      My friend wants to work computer support job. I dont ever see him being the type of guy to work on networking or servers.

                      How has his career progressed in the last two years? What did he do, and how did it turn out?

                      He never made the move to IT. I thought about this and was going to post about it and saw this old thread.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • DashrenderD
                        Dashrender @IRJ
                        last edited by

                        @IRJ said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                        Does the answer to this question change in 2020?

                        Where would you recommend an entry level person start in IT?

                        That's an entirely different question from the OP.

                        DashrenderD IRJI 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • DashrenderD
                          Dashrender @Dashrender
                          last edited by

                          @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                          @IRJ said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                          Does the answer to this question change in 2020?

                          Where would you recommend an entry level person start in IT?

                          That's an entirely different question from the OP.

                          I got the impression from the original thread that the person in question only wanted bench level support, not actual IT.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • scottalanmillerS
                            scottalanmiller @Obsolesce
                            last edited by

                            @Obsolesce said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                            If you owned a computer repair business, would you look over each of the hundreds of applications closely enough to notice someone who is qualified enough that doesn't list an A+ cert?

                            I've done a bit of study and talks on this. Requirements are used for two primarily purposes...

                            1. To give a general idea of what kind of level or skills are sought. A+ requirement tells us that it is absolutely entry level, the absolute bottom rung. Any experience, of any sort in IT would be leaps and bounds above this requirement. Every hiring manager I've ever spoken to refers to this as the "or better" principle. We want X, the equivalent of X, or better than X. Having the Network+, for example, is a full rung on the ladder above the A+. If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.
                            2. Everyone adds all kinds of requirements so that there is always a reason you can give to not hire someone so that you never have to pretend that someone evaluated better or that you weren't a good match. Turning people down for jobs is stressful and risks discrimination charges. So if you make a bunch of requirements that no one is going to have all of you have a way to turn anyone down, anytime and not have to worry about proving why. You have a completely false excuse that no one can prove isn't the real reason. It's a stock HR tool that everyone in HR knows as a way to CYA when turning people down for a job. Same reason impossible requirements are used (10 years on Ubuntu 18.04) because it's a guaranteed excuse.
                            DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • DashrenderD
                              Dashrender @scottalanmiller
                              last edited by

                              @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                              If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                              This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                              scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • scottalanmillerS
                                scottalanmiller @Dashrender
                                last edited by

                                @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                                This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                                No, it assumes HR is incompetent and not even remotely attempting to do its job. And that any job you'd want to waste time talking to would operate that way.

                                One is a huge assumption people should not make, HR is rarely so incompetent or outright evil to sabotage their own firms intentionally. The IT hatred for HR does a lot to undermine logic in IT career planning. It's absurd.

                                The second is a big planning mistake IT should not make. No one honestly trying to have a career should be focused on trying to get interviews and waste their time with the bottom of the barrel jobs. There will always be total career failures out there to fill those jobs, don't fight for them.

                                ObsolesceO IRJI 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • ObsolesceO
                                  Obsolesce @scottalanmiller
                                  last edited by

                                  @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                  @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                  @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                  If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                                  This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                                  No, it assumes HR is incompetent and not even remotely attempting to do its job. And that any job you'd want to waste time talking to would operate that way.

                                  One is a huge assumption people should not make, HR is rarely so incompetent or outright evil to sabotage their own firms intentionally. The IT hatred for HR does a lot to undermine logic in IT career planning. It's absurd.

                                  The second is a big planning mistake IT should not make. No one honestly trying to have a career should be focused on trying to get interviews and waste their time with the bottom of the barrel jobs. There will always be total career failures out there to fill those jobs, don't fight for them.

                                  I don't think HR is bad at selecting good resumes to pass on to the hiring managers. I feel that's a general misconception and is as Scott says, only places you don't want to work anyways.

                                  IRJI 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • IRJI
                                    IRJ @Obsolesce
                                    last edited by

                                    @Obsolesce said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                    @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                    @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                    @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                    If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                                    This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                                    No, it assumes HR is incompetent and not even remotely attempting to do its job. And that any job you'd want to waste time talking to would operate that way.

                                    One is a huge assumption people should not make, HR is rarely so incompetent or outright evil to sabotage their own firms intentionally. The IT hatred for HR does a lot to undermine logic in IT career planning. It's absurd.

                                    The second is a big planning mistake IT should not make. No one honestly trying to have a career should be focused on trying to get interviews and waste their time with the bottom of the barrel jobs. There will always be total career failures out there to fill those jobs, don't fight for them.

                                    I don't think HR is bad at selecting good resumes to pass on to the hiring managers. I feel that's a general misconception and is as Scott says, only places you don't want to work anyways.

                                    Most places use recruiters for this now, they can be internal or external recruiters.

                                    DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • IRJI
                                      IRJ @scottalanmiller
                                      last edited by

                                      @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                      @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                      @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                      If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                                      This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                                      No, it assumes HR is incompetent and not even remotely attempting to do its job. And that any job you'd want to waste time talking to would operate that way.

                                      Is that really an HR responsibility? I guess maybe internal recruiters are considered HR, but they usually dont fall under that department from what I have seen.

                                      scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • scottalanmillerS
                                        scottalanmiller @IRJ
                                        last edited by

                                        @IRJ said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                        @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                        @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                        @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                        If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                                        This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                                        No, it assumes HR is incompetent and not even remotely attempting to do its job. And that any job you'd want to waste time talking to would operate that way.

                                        Is that really an HR responsibility? I guess maybe internal recruiters are considered HR, but they usually dont fall under that department from what I have seen.

                                        Not sure I've seen enough to say, but I feel that recruiting is either an HR (company wide) function or a departmental function.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • DashrenderD
                                          Dashrender @IRJ
                                          last edited by

                                          @IRJ said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                          @Obsolesce said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                          @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                          @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                          @scottalanmiller said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                          If the A+ (or better) is a requirement, then the Net+ is above that and only the most worthless and corrupt HR department would ever attempt to screw their employer and not take it.

                                          This assumes the HR department knows that Network+ is higher than A+. Not an assumption I would make.

                                          No, it assumes HR is incompetent and not even remotely attempting to do its job. And that any job you'd want to waste time talking to would operate that way.

                                          One is a huge assumption people should not make, HR is rarely so incompetent or outright evil to sabotage their own firms intentionally. The IT hatred for HR does a lot to undermine logic in IT career planning. It's absurd.

                                          The second is a big planning mistake IT should not make. No one honestly trying to have a career should be focused on trying to get interviews and waste their time with the bottom of the barrel jobs. There will always be total career failures out there to fill those jobs, don't fight for them.

                                          I don't think HR is bad at selecting good resumes to pass on to the hiring managers. I feel that's a general misconception and is as Scott says, only places you don't want to work anyways.

                                          Most places use recruiters for this now, they can be internal or external recruiters.

                                          It might be better to say - the places that Scott and elk WANT to work use recruiters...

                                          scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • scottalanmillerS
                                            scottalanmiller @Dashrender
                                            last edited by

                                            @Dashrender said in If not A+, then where should someone start?:

                                            the places that Scott and elk

                                            Who?

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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