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Breaking into IT with the CompTIA A+ Certification

Many IT-related jobs require the A+ certification. Even if not required, the certification shows that you have a good understanding of how computers work. This certification does not guarantee you a job, but it does open doors in that a company may interview you if you lack IT experience but have the A+ certification.

A+ certification requires that you take two exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102). Each of these exams covers specific material. Tables 1.1 and 1.2 show the major categories (domains) for each exam and the extent to which they are represented.

Table 1.1 CompTIA Core 1 (220-1101) A+ certification domains

Domain

Percentage of examination

Chapter(s)

1.0 Mobile Devices

15%

10

2.0 Networking

20%

12–13

3.0 Hardware

25%

1–9, 11

4.0 Virtualization and Cloud Computing

11%

3, 12

5.0 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting

29%

1–13

Table 1.2 CompTIA Core 2 (220-1102) A+ certification domains

Domain

Percentage of examination

Chapter(s)

1.0 Operating Systems

31%

14–17

2.0 Security

25%

18

3.0 Software Troubleshooting

22%

14–18

4.0 Operational Procedures

22%

19

“What are the exams like?” you might ask. The exams include multiple-choice and performance-based questions. A performance-based question might be a drag-and-drop scenario or might ask you to do something specific on a particular device or within a particular operating system environment. Each exam is 90 minutes long and contains a maximum of 90 questions. The testing system allows you to bookmark questions that you might want to return to at the end if you have time. More information can be found on the CompTIA website (www.comptia.org).

At the beginning of each chapter, you will see a list of the CompTIA A+ exam objectives that are covered in that chapter. At the end of each chapter, we’ve provided some A+ certification exam tips—tips to definitely pay attention to if you plan on taking the A+ exams. I recommend that you review the exam objectives, study material specific to them, and take some practice exams. Pearson IT Certification, the publisher of this book, develops many different certification exam prep resources that suit various study styles. Go to http://pearsonitcertification.com/aplus to browse the options.

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