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LAN Party Forums => General Discussion => Started by: Rouen on January 26, 2010, 11:10:13 AM
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For those of you who have the A+, Network+, and/or Security+ certifications, they are no longer lifetime certs. They must be renewed every 3 years. There are a number of ways to keep it current.
http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx (http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx)
http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/ (http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/)
Here's some interesting discussion on the subject.
http://www.techexams.net/forums/general-certification/49994-comptia-certification-renewal-policy.html (http://www.techexams.net/forums/general-certification/49994-comptia-certification-renewal-policy.html)
I'll quote some folks here to address some of the questions you'll have.
FAQ Question
I hold multiple CompTIA certifications. Am I required to renew each of them?
No. Individuals with multiple CompTIA certifications will be required to renew only at their highest level certification. For example, someone who holds CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ certifications would be required to meet only the continuing education requirements for CompTIA Security+.
If you hold all three certfications, Security+ is considered the higher of the three. By renewing your Security+, it automatically renewals your Network+ and A+ too.
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I take it this means that you have to pay for the testing each time you need to renew. Sounds like a load of BS to me.
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According to http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx (http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx) , all current folks with those certs are grandfathered in for life. NEW people will have to do the 3 yr thingy-do.
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With the value I have gotten from my CompTIA certs (none, lol) I'd let them expire. I took three, Security+, some windows admin and something else I forgot. I found the tests to be an absolute joke. They are good resume fodder to get an entry level spot, but that's about it.
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Thought I read that tests taking in 2011 and after were no longer lifetime. Tests taken this year were still lifetime.
It makes sense though. When I got my A+ it was for DOS on 486 hardware, which doesn't mean much nowadays. Of course A+ doesn't really mean much either.
Cisco does the same thing.I passed the ccna about 10 years ago, but let the cert expire.
H
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I thought I wanted to get these certs once upon a time, but after I started looking at some study materials and practice tests, I thought they were pretty worthless. 10 years later and I can guarantee you that your interviewer (future boss) doesn't care about your certifications. Given two people who are on equal footing all the way around, except one has certs (knowledge on paper) vs. the other's experience (knowledge in the real world), the certification only guy will lose out every time.
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Of course if 1 has experience and the other has experience plus the certs with everything else being equal the cert-less guy will lose out every time.
These certs are really only good for entry level IT positions. Being entry level there are a lot of people that are applying for those types of jobs. With almost 10% unemployment nowadays every little bit help.
Interesting thing with the Security+ test, last time I was at the local testing center I ran into someone who was there to take the Secuirty+ test. She wasn't an IT person but worked for I believe the DoD. She was telling me that everyone there had to get security training and pass that test.
H
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Nice I got my Security+ a few months ago... looks like Im good for a lifetime!