Preparation is the most important aspect of passing an IT certification exam. Since test prep and IT certification exams require investments of time and money, it’s wise to plan your IT learning and then follow that plan through to completion.
Pranita, the CompTIA intern getting CompTIA A+ certified, shared her certification journey in a video series. In it, she explains why she chose CompTIA A+, how she planned her learning schedule and how she prepared for her certification exams with no prior IT experience.
How to Prepare for the CompTIA A+ Certification in 3 Simple Steps
Preparing for a CompTIA certification exam isn’t easy, but it can be simple when you have the right processes in place and learning and test prep materials that align with the certification you want. Here are the steps Pranita took to prepare for each CompTIA A+ certification module:
1. Read the Official CompTIA A+ Study Guide – Pranita found The Official CompTIA A+ Study Guide to be an invaluable part of her CompTIA A+ test prep process. Before she did anything else, she read through the eBook that correlated with the CompTIA A+ certification exam module she was working on. This introduced her to new, sometimes challenging, concepts, and it gave her the fundamental knowledge she needed before moving on to the next step.
2. Reinforce Book Knowledge with Video – After studying modules in the eBook, Pranita sought out video training. She used a combination of free sites, like YouTube, and paid sites, like Lynda.com. (P.S. You can also use CompTIA's official video training partner ITProTV.) Reading first and then seeing the content in action helped reinforce the knowledge to get Pranita ready for Step 3.
3. Use CompTIA CertMaster Practice – Pranita’s final step in the CompTIA A+ test prep process was using CompTIA CertMaster Practice. CompTIA CertMaster Practice is an intuitive learning tool that tailors itself to the needs of individual learners by posing multiple-choice questions that help increase a user’s exam readiness. According to Pranita, this was the most reassuring of all the steps, as it helped solidify what she’d learned from reading about CompTIA A+ and hearing its concepts discussed in YouTube videos.
Even the thought of taking a certification exam can be intimidating. However, passing an exam is well within reach if you create and stick to a study plan like Pranita did.
The Importance of Preparing for CompTIA Certifications
Like Pranita, many who want to get IT certified don’t have any experience in the field. As a result, their confidence is low and fear of failure is high. This can prevent some individuals who would be great in information technology, or at least greatly benefit from gaining IT skills, from moving forward with an information technology certification.
Thorough preparation is the best way to boost your confidence in your aptitude for IT. Seeing the progress you make as you prepare for an IT certification exam can make the exam prep process even more rewarding and effective.
Is IT Certification Right for You?
Pranita chose to look more seriously into CompTIA certifications when she learned they could lay the foundation to a career in cybersecurity law. There are many other non-traditional jobs IT certifications and skills can open doors to. If you are interested in working toward a career in IT, giving yourself a competitive edge in your current job or redirecting yourself into an entirely new field, an IT certification may be right for you.
Prepare with confidence using CompTIA CertMaster. Get started today.
Watch Pranita's Whole Story
Watch more of Pranita's journey:
