The CompTIA A+ certification represents the main standard of the IT industry and serves as a starting point for any candidate who wants to build a successful career in this field.

Candidates for the CompTIA A+ Certification

CompTIA A+ is best for beginner-level IT specialists willing to develop a solid knowledge of the basic concepts and improve their skills in problem-solving. When preparing for the associated exam, applicants will learn how to be efficient in supporting daily core technologies and work with different tasks from data management to cloud and security. With this certificate, the individuals will gain a globally recognized verification of their competence, which will help them launch their careers successfully and adapt to today’s digital environment. As for the prerequisites, the vendor mentions that the candidates should have between 9 to 12 months of prior experience working in the field or lab.

Generally, the target audience for the A+ accreditation is formed by those individuals who want to gain the necessary skills to deliver solutions to critical IT issues in networking, security, troubleshooting of software, and other areas. Thanks to this certificate, they will become trusted by their employers and will become the point of contact for various technical situations.

Steps to Follow to Earn the CompTIA A+ Certification

The CompTIA A+ certification can be obtained after going through two subsequent exams, namely 220-1001 and 220-1002 by code. The candidates are required to complete both tests to earn this accreditation. Also, they are not allowed to combine them across the series.

Each of the two A+ includes 90 questions, and applicants will be awarded 90 minutes for each test. As for the structure, one will face questions of different types, including multiple and single choice items, performance-based, and drag-and-drop inquiries as well. When it comes to the passing mark, the candidates need to first gain at least 675 points in 220-1001 exam. The second exam 220-1002 requires applicants to achieve a minimum score of 700 points out of 900.

Besides, the tests are available in different languages. Apart from English, one can take them in Japanese, German, Portuguese, Spanish, or Thai. The testing provider for these certification exams is Pearson VUE. Also, note that you have the option to sit for 220-1001 and 220-1002 either in the testing center or via an online facility. In any case, you need to create an account on the Pearson VUE site and register for the exams as well as pay the registration fee which is $232 per test.

Skills Tested for CompTIA A+ Certification

Since the CompTIA A+ certification path includes taking two exams, be ready to master a double amount of objectives and skills. Thus, the first test, 220-1001 evaluates whether the candidates have developed their expertise in the following domains:

• Mobile Devices

  The applicants should demonstrate that they can configure and install laptop hardware and its related components by respecting the requirements of a certain scenario. Based on the stakeholders’ needs, the exam-takers should know how to properly install the most important elements on the laptop’s display and should be able to use the right laptop features together with setting up the ports and accessories of mobile devices.

• Networking

  The candidates have to develop solid skills in working with protocols, UDP, and TCP ports, and understand their purposes. They should also know how to install a wireless or wired SOHO network as well as compare different wireless networking protocols, internet connection types, choose the right networking tools, and many more.

• Hardware management

  Within this topic, the applicants will need to solidify the ability to install RAM types and improve their knowledge of the basic cable features as well as understand what their purpose is. The exam-takers should also become skilled at configuring, installing, and selecting storage devices, CPUs, motherboards, maintain print technologies, and others.

• Cloud computing and virtualization

  This domain focuses on testing the candidates’ capability to compare different cloud computing concepts, including resource pooling, cloud models, virtual app streaming, etc. They should also demonstrate that they can configure and install client-side virtualization.

• Network and hardware troubleshooting

  Following the requirements of a given scenario, the applicants need to be able to identify the best practices to solve different issues related to power, CPU, RAM, and motherboards. Besides, they should know how to troubleshoot printers, network problems, and other issues related to displays, video projectors, and other hardware devices.

The second exam, 220-1002 covers the following topics:

• Managing operating systems

  For this section, exam-takers should prove that they can contrast and compare the most common operating systems and Microsoft Windows features. They will also find questions that test their skills to use the Microsoft command line and other operating system tools and features, configure networking, utilize Control Panel utilities, and more.

• Security

  The examinees will need to develop solid skills in identifying the physical security measures imposed by a specific scenario. They should also understand how to use authentication methods for wireless security protocols as well as be proficient in detecting and removing malware using various methods and tools.

• Software troubleshooting

  The applicants will need to learn more about which troubleshooting tools to use to solve Microsoft Windows OS situations or other PC security issues. Also, starting from a given scenario, they should know how to troubleshoot mobile OS and other relevant application problems.

• Operational procedures

  The candidates should be able to compare the best practices that can be used according to different document types. Also, they need to know how to identify prevention methods in case of disaster and ensure business continuity, as well as be familiar with the key principles of scripting and be able to use technologies for remote access.

Career Opportunities for CompTIA A+ Certified Professionals

Those individuals who succeed in adding the CompTIA A+ certified under their belt can apply to different technical support positions, such as:

• Data Support Technician
• Technical Support Specialist
• End-User Computing Technician
• System Support Specialist

Thanks to CompTIA A+, they validate their core abilities and become competitive in today’s business environment. For instance, according to Payscale.com, the annual compensation that an accredited data technician can get is up to $61k. On the other hand, a technical support specialist can get a salary of $52k on average annually.

Certification Prospects

As the CompTIA A+ certification represents the starting point for any professional who wants to build a career in IT, you shouldn’t stop here and continue leveraging your skills. This certificate serves as a good foundation for further professional achievements. Therefore, you can move forward to obtaining CompTIA Network+ or Security+ accreditations.