Do I need Certifications and other questions...

[B0Z0]

I just want to know how to do things. Has anyone studied for certifcations and realized that you didn't need to know any of what you read in real life situations. Or do you really learn allot and apply in real world situations by studying for certs?

[Shakie]

The potential to learn a lot is there. It depends on what your studying.

If you use W2K Pro every day all day and know it inside out, you probably won't learn much from a book (unless it is the real obscure stuff), on the other hand, if you know nothing about networking, then you will learn more than you want to know if you study Network Infrastructure or some of the Network+ books.

[Bassjack]

Certifications are a test of knowledge that you allready have. If all you do is want to "learn" about, say, how to repair a PC, then certification may not be for you, though studying for the A+ will deffinately help you learn about what a PC is and how all the parts work together. Most employers require their workers to be certified as proof that they know what they are doing. If you want to know about networking as a hobby, then all certification would be worth is the peice of papaer its printed on. If you are seeking a career, then a good certificiation backed by a college degree may get your foot in the door.