What kind of job can you get with a CompTIA A+ certification in the USA?

comptia job

With CompTIA A+ certificate one can get entry-level IT jobs like installing, repairing and configuring PCs, or working in technical support positions.

However, the experience is also a factor which influences your job position and salary. Higher experience means higher positions and better salary.

With A+, you can get opportunities to lead as a professional technician in any of the mentioned job roles with a sophisticated starting salary in the USA:

• IT Support Technician
• Help Desk Specialist
• IT Desktop Support Tech
• IT Service Desk Specialist
• IT Support Analyst Desktop Support
• IT Desktop Administrator

CompTIA A+ might only help you acquire entry-level jobs but If you manage to get other higher level CompTIA certifications like Security+ and Network+ you’ll easily get mid to senior level jobs in IT networking and Security. I would recommend you to get the A+ to build a good fundamental base and gradually make your way to higher level CompTIA certifications.

So you are aiming for an entry-level IT job. Do you know what that entails? An IT Help Desk or Tech Support role can be very different depending on the size, structure and culture of the company. Below is a snapshot of three opportunities on the market.

Tier 1 Help Desk/Desktop SupportContract worker employed by Randstad Technologies (IT staffing and recruitment agency) at an enterprise-sized client company with 1,000 or more employees.

Required skill-set, work experience and/or credentials:

• CompTIA A+ to demonstrate knowledge base and ability to "hit the ground running"
• Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) also helpful
• 2-3 years hands-on IT experience (can include internships or work/study)
• Should have experience working in a large enterprise environment
• Should have experience answering on average 50 inbound calls per day
• Good communication skills

Job responsibilities:

• Answer in-bound user calls for support
• Perform any troubleshooting necessary to help resolve user issue and enter the user's problem into the company help desk ticketing/tracking system
• Escalate tickets to tier 2 and tier 3 help desk levels as needed

Possible shifts:

• 9 a.m. -5 p.m.
• 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. (4 days on, 3 days off)

Compensation:
$18 to $25 hourly, depending on experience, plus health benefits at discounted rate and access to a 401k plan through Randstad. Also paid overtime.

Work Environment:
Open office desk environment on site with a contracted company. Typically, the help desk worker will be sitting at a desk, in front of a computer, as a member of a helpdesk team. Team members have similar backgrounds and frequently share information and ideas for solving user problems.

Stability:
"There will always be a need and high demand for this type of position," says Kara Mancinelli, senior technical recruiter, Randstad Technologies. "IT is always changing so there will always be help desk environments needed to support those changes."

Networking opportunities:
Beyond immediate teammates, LinkedIn user groups are also a great resource. "I encourage entry-level employees to network, not only within their own company, but also outside their work environment to learn how other companies operate and share best practices," says Mancinelli.

Advancement opportunities:
A Tier 1 Help Desk worker can advance to Tier 2 Help Desk and eventually to Tier 3. In addition, a Help Desk worker can increase specialization — into network engineering or system administration for example.

Training opportunities:
Randstad offers discounted training through New Horizons Computer Learning Centers. Credentials that can benefit help desk employees' career growth include CompTIA A+, Microsoft's MCTS, MCSE and MCSA; and Cisco's CCNA and CCNP.