by Greg Schwartz

Created on: August 26, 2010

Whether you're looking to be a helpdesk technician, bench technician, IT specialist, or network administrator, there are several basic IT certifications that will help you get your foot in the door and show that you have at least an entry-level knowledge of the field.  These certifications can be built upon later for increased knowledge and training, but they are good starting points.

* CompTIA A+ certification
The CompTIA A+ certification is vendor-neutral and is a good baseline for anyone entering the IT field.  You must pass two 100-question exams in order to earn the certification, and the exams will test your knowledge of hardware, software, networking, and security, among other topics.

In order to take the A+ exams, you must purchase a voucher for each test.  The vouchers are currently $168 each, and they can be bought online at CompTIAStore.com.

After achieving passing the A+ exams, you may want to consider trying for the Network+ certification, which is also overseen by CompTIA and verifies the ability to maintain, configure, and troubleshoot networks and network devices.

* Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
Microsoft has recently revamped their certification path, discontinuing old certifications and creating new ones.  The MCTS is a new certification that tests your ability relative to a specific Microsoft technology.  For example, you could earn the MCTS certification in both Office 2007 and Windows Vista.  (Of course, you would have to take two separate exams.)  Some MCTS certifications, such as .NET Framework, require two exams, but most only require one.  With Microsoft, many of the lower-level exams will also count toward higher certifications down the road.

The Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) is a similar, older certification that focuses on Windows XP.  It would certainly not hurt to have it, but a more current certification might be more beneficial.  The MCDST certification requires passage of two exams (70-271 and 70-272).

Microsoft exams can be scheduled through Prometric.

* Apple Certified Macintosh Technician (ACMT)
The ACMT certification shows that you are familiar with Apple computers, and that you can troubleshoot hardware and software.  In order to earn the certification, you must pass two exams (Apple Macintosh Service Exam and MAC OS X v10.6 Troubleshooting Exam) which cost $150 each.

Like Microsoft, Apple certification exams can also be scheduled through Prometric.  However, before scheduling an exam, you must register for an Apple Tech ID if you don't already have one.

If you work heavily with Apple products (or you want to) you may also want to consider a more specific MAC OS X certification as well.

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