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BestComputerHardware
Certificationsfor2015

Don'tmisseachweek'smostimportant
technologytrends,insightsanddecision
makingadvice,rightinyourinbox.

ByEdTittel,KimLindros FEBRUARY10,20156:00AM

SIGNUPNOW

1. Top5ComputerHardwareCerts

BecomingacomputertechnicianisagreatpointofentryintotheITfield,andcomputerhardware
certificationswillhelpdemonstrateyourknowledgeandcompetencyinmaintainingcomputers,

Certification
g

SeeallarticlesinCertification

mobiledevices,printersandmore.ThesetopfivecomputerhardwarecertscangetyourITcareer
offtheground.

Seealso: Hardware Training Careers

Toacertainextent,thetitleofthisarticleissomethingofamisnomer.Intheinterestsofincreased
specificity,itmightbemoreappropriatetoaddthewords"general"or"mostlyvendorneutral,"
althoughwedoincludeacredentialfromAppleinthislistthatfocusesexclusivelyonApple
hardware.Andinfact,it'spossibletoviewsomecertificationsfromhardwarevendorssuchasHP,
Dell,Cisco,Juniper,Fortinetandsoforthashardwarefocused,atandbeyondtheentrylevel.
Thus,asyouperusethisguide,don'tforgetthattherearelotsofotheroptionsfromwhichyoucan
chooseifyou'reinterestedindemonstratingyourknowledgeandabilitieswithparticularvendor's
productsanddevices.
There'sanothermisnomerinvolvedincallingthesecredentialshardwarecertifications,too
namely,theideathathardwarecanexistoroperateindependentlyofsoftware(orviceversa).If
youdigintothecurriculumforanyspecifichardwarerelatedcertificationsinanydepth,you'll
quicklyrealizethatbyandlargesoftwareisincontrolofhardwarenowadays.
Softwarecomesintoplayforinstallation,configuration,maintenance,troubleshootingandjust
aboutanyotheractivityyoucanundertakewithhardware.Wedon'twanttomisrepresentthefocus
andcoverageofthesecerts,soit'simportanttounderstandthatthehardwarelabelsimply
32

indicatesthatdevicesareinvolved,notthathardwareisALLthat'sinvolved.
Like

Table1liststheresultsofaninformaljobsearchweconductedtoseehowfrequentlythefeatured
certsappearinactualjobpostings.Keepinmindthattheseresultsareasnapshotintimeandvary

fromdaytoday,dependingontheneedsoftheemploymentmarket.
16
Table1:JobBoardSearchResults

Dice

Indeed

JustTechJobs

LinkedIn2

SimplyHired

TechCareers

ACMT

134

43

33

122

22

ITSTechnician

30

Reddit43

A+

43

1,026

392

411

Share 800

600

Server+

149

67

64

254

44

CWTS

15

11

Print

21

Wehopeyoufindourtopfivehardwarecertificationpicksfor2015useful.

MorebyEdTittel

ConnectwithEdonGoogle+

BestITCertifications

PRODUCTSINTHISARTICLE

CompTIAA+220801and220802AuthorizedExamCram
6thEdition

Amazon

CompTIAA+CertificationAllinOneExamGuide,8th
Edition

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$153.84

CWTS:CertifiedWirelessTechnologySpecialistOfficial
StudyGuide

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CompTIAServer+Certification

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SUMMARY
g 1. Top5ComputerHardwareCerts
2. CompTIAA+
3. ACMT:AppleCertifiedMacintoshTechnician
4. CompTIAServer+
5. CWTS:CertifiedWirelessTechnologySpecialist
6. BICSIITSTechnician
7. BeyondtheTop5:MoreHardwareCerts

Comments
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Post

4Comments
AdeelMalik 70daysago
http://www.care
er.edu.pk/

RSS | Subscribe

Reply

TheresaDHacker 458daysago
hy
Reply

2replies

CarlChandler 316daysago
Ihavebeenavoicetechforover20yearswithmultiplecertificationsandIwillsaythatBicsicerts.
meannexttonnothingistheindustry.
Reply

1reply

Stephen 31daysago
Hi,whatcertificationsdoyouthinkarethebestandmostindemand?I'mabouttoget
certifiedbutdon'tknowwhichonetochoose
Reply

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