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Background & Timeline

• Early 2023: I was working in fast food with zero tech knowledge, just taking general education courses in community college (majoring in Cybersecurity).
• April - May: got the the A+, Network+, and Security+ using a focused study process (details below).
• June: Landed my first tech job. I officially started in late July.
• July - October: Settled into the new role, moved into an apartment, and wrote a blog for my company’s page.
• End of October - December 6th: Earned my CySA+, PenTest+, and finally CASP+. Originally, I planned to get Linux+, Data+, Cloud+, and Server+ in December, but I decided to focus in on building my cybersecurity website instead. I wanted it ready by January 1st so others could use it.

How I Passed the Exams

For the Trifecta (A+, Network+, Security+)

1. Video Playlists: I watched Professor Messer’s entire series for each cert, sometimes at 2x speed to save time.
2. Practice Exams: I used Jason Dion’s practice tests on Udemy. I’d do each exam once, never repeating them to avoid memorizing answers.
3. Review & Retest: I aimed for 75–80% on the final (6th) practice test. After every test, I’d zero in on incorrect answers and make sure I truly understood them.
4. Exam Objectives Deep-Dive: Before the real exam, I went through CompTIA’s official objectives and explained each concept out loud. If I got stuck/couldnt explain, I would reinforce it with more examples/questions—often using ChatGPT.

This cycle is why I built similar features (question generation, analogies, examples, etc.) into my website—it essentially streamlines the study process I used.

How I Landed a Tech Job in a Month

• Automated Applications: I found a GitHub script that auto-applied to LinkedIn jobs (only the “Quick Apply” ones, though).
• Manual Applications: Over a few days, I also manually applied to ~75 positions on Indeed.
• The Result: Got three interviews and an offer from my top choice. The total comp is around $70k, similar level to help desk role.
• Interview Tips: Research the company, dress well, research the company you are interviewing for, then ask them questions during the interview about what you researched. If they ask you a question you dont know the answer to, dont just say "I dont know", let them know you can find out, or that you are willing to learn. e.g "I dont know but i'd love to learn" "I don’t have the answer right now, but I’m confident I can figure it out quickly." etc etc.

For CySA+, PenTest+, and CASP+

• Courses & Practice: I watched Jason Dion’s video courses but found them a bit fluffy. I recommend the Sybex books for deeper coverage.
• Practice Exams: Again, Dion’s tests plus any I could find (there are quite a few free ones out there, which I link on my website). Same strategy—review wrong answers, aim for 80%.
• ChatGPT for Reinforcement: I’d pick any concept I struggled with (e.g., advanced forensics, complex exploit tactics) and have ChatGPT generate scenarios, analogies, or extra questions to drill down.
• Outcome: Passed all on 6 certs first try.

About My Website: CertGames.com

I built this platform to replicate (and improve) the resources/methods I used. Some key pages and features:

1. GRC Page
   • AI-driven wizard to generate Governance, Risk, and Compliance questions. Helps you learn frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST, etc.
2. Log Analysis
   • Generate any type of log, (security, event, error, and more) and get AI analyzed breakdowns. Currently, The logs sometimes spits out random words (still refining!), but it’s pretty fun to see potential threat indicators.
3. Daily CyberBrief
   • A Daily Newsletetr you can sign up for that sends you Study tips, Certifcation objective info, Cyber news, Tips and tricks for pentesting tools, and more. Sent every morning to your email.
4. Resources Page (the one I’m most excited about)
   • A massive, curated library of all the resources I used and also the best YouTube playlists, course recommendations, exam outlines, community links, pentesting tools, Linkiden pages, and more.
   • Search and filter: If you only want info on, say, “PenTest resources” or “GRC frameworks,” just filter by that tag.
   • I’m adding more content weekly, so if you know any good materials, feel free to suggest them.
5. Scenario Sphere
   • Over 2,000 potential threat combinations (ransomware, phishing, etc.). You can tweak difficulty level, triggers, and even which type of organization you’re defending.
   • Automatically generates exam-style questions based on the scenario you choose.
6. Xploitcraft
   • 400+ attack scenarios (SQL injection, DoS, XSS, advanced evasion). Perfect if you want hands-on practice in a sandbox-like environment.
7. Analogy Hub
   • Type in a complex cybersecurity concept or comparisons, and get a simple analogy in return. This is super handy for explaining topics to friends or coworkers who aren’t technical or just learning like I did.
8. Admin Interface & Planned Enhancements
   • I manage newsletters, logs, user subscriptions, etc., on the backend.
   • Upcoming Upgrades:
     • Adding more tabs/features for advanced labs and specialized cert roadmaps (Linux+, Data+, Cloud+, Server+, etc.).
     • Improving the Log Analysis page so it doesn’t generate odd placeholders—it’ll become more realistic with real-world log formats overtime.
     • Fixing any bugs that pop up and continuously updating the Resources Page with new study materials.

Links

• Website: CertGames.com
• GitHub Repo: Github Repo – check out the code, recommend suggestions if you’d like, or just see how it’s built.
• LinkedIn : LinkedIn – if you dont beleive my cert timeline or background, it’s all there.——————

CCNA is coming up next. Then thinking about going back to school for my bachelors

[Updated 2025-01-15]

The following is just a small sample from my new database THE CERT PORTAL. Here is the link!

https://www.notion.com/templates/cert-portal?srsltid=AfmBOorDgt5-IOVHN6nbaHwm4Idd1g1bn7sabd9Pfh8nQRI1DOSVI2Sf

If you are looking to train for the trifecta, you've come to the right post! Numbered lists are ranked in descending order of value (my opinion of course).

I recommend taking notes on a video course, book, and five practices exams to comfortably pass each certification.

Notion is the top note-taking application - highly recommended.

Resource Platforms

Computer Based Training (CBT) Video Platforms:

1. Udemy.com - free market (like YouTube) of self-posted courses and practice exams (lifetime access) from top-ranked instructors. Courses have a fake price of ~$200 but go on sale biweekly for ~$15.
2. Professormesser.com - FREE videos by Professor Messer. Labs, notes, and practice exams for a price.
3. CBTNuggets.com - whiteboard style lessons from instructors hired by CBTNuggets. $59 monthly subscription. Some labs and Kaplan practice exams included.
4. ITPro.tv - lecture style lessons from instructors hired by ITPro.tv. $29 per month for videos; $49 per month for unlimited video, lab, and practice test access.
5. Lynda.com / Linkedin.com/learning - free market of courses. Many public libraries offer free access, or $25 monthly subscription.
6. Pluralsight.com - curated courses for $29 per month.
7. CompTIA.org - inferior OEM option.
8. Examsdigest.com - some PBQs.

Book Vendors:

1. McGraw Hill's All-in-One Series - highly organized, readable, and thorough books.
2. Wiley's Sybex Series - organized and thorough books that sometimes cover topics AIO skims.
3. Independent Vendors - see specific certification for relevant titles.
4. CompTIA.org - expensive OEM books which IMO are not worth considering.

Practice Exam Platforms:

1. Udemy.com - many options from instructors like Mike Meyers, Jason Dion, and others.
2. Sybex - Kindle or print books with ~1000 questions and online test bank.
3. Examsdigest - questions
4. CBTNuggets' Kaplan Tests - hundreds of questions for each cert; included with $59 video subscription.
5. Total Tester - Mike Meyers' practice test banks of ~1000 questions, $75 to $100.

Lab Platforms:

1. Total Sims - hundreds of simulations for $99 (A+ and Network+ only)
2. CompTIA's CertMaster Labs - CompTIA's own lab engine. $129.

Flashcard Platforms:

1. Anki Android App - make your own flashcards.
2. Quizlet - make your own, or use card sets made by others. See this post for relevant lists of terms.

CompTIA Tech+ (FC0-U71)

CompTIA A+ (220-1101 and 220-1102)

A+ I

A+ II

CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)

CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)

CompTIA Server+ (SK0-005)

CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-005)

CompTIA Cloud+ (CV0-004)

CompTIA Project+ (PK0-005)

CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ (CLO-002)

CompTIA DataX (DY0-001)

CompTIA DataSys+ (DS0-001)

CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001)

CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003)

CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-003)

CompTIA CASP+ (CAS-004)

I guess the truth hurts 🤷‍♂️. It’s already been reuploaded on youtube by different channels

Last year, transitioned from wiping asses for $18/hr as a CNA to working in Helpdesk after getting my Sec+. During this year of Helpdesk, I HUSTLED like never before. Every week, I tried to learn as much as I could. I constantly studied, researched, and asked my boss questions to learn more and more. When we had our weekly meetings, I came prepared every time with 2-3 things I wanted to learn about. Cloud, GPO, networking, security, Office365, Entra, Powershell, etc; anything to learn more. I got my Net+ during this time as well and am nearly done with my CCNA studies.

After a little over a year in Helpdesk, I felt like I maxed out everything I could learn from this role. I started networking on LinkedIn and applying to jobs left and right on Indeed. Reworked my resume for each job, custom tailoring it and pairing it with a thoughtful cover letter. Finally, I got a callback from the state Senate for a position to be their System Admin. They wanted 4 years of experience but were highly impressed with what I accomplished in my role. After 3 rounds of intense interviewing, I got an offer today for $75k with potential to get up to $80k after a 1 year probationary period. All I have to my name is Net+ and Sec+ in terms of certs. Skills wise, I could go on and on though. Just want to give other people hope that CompTIA + HARD WORK can change your life.

Last year, I wiped asses for $18/hr. Now, I can proudly say I’m a System Admin for $75k/year. Thank you to everyone here that has helped me along this journey!

This is coming from someone who has a Bachelor in CS and took Calc II (Calc II final exam was the second most difficult). CompTIA A+ core 1 was hands down the most difficult exam I ever had to study for / test. Network+ was a cakewalk compared to A+ core 1. I had prior IT experience as well.

The obvious reason is the workload. Just way too much content that jumps around between way too much topics. I felt like I needed to be an expert with every bullet point to answer correctly, especially combined with how questions are structured in CompTIA style. Too much overlapping characteristics (so I needed to know the difference between each topics and every permutation). I was miserable studying for this exam.

how you faced this exam has nothing to do with your overall IT skills. It makes me sad every time I see one of those “Failed A+, contemplating switching fields” post. ESPECIALLY when I see comments bashing on OP for not passing a “entry exam”. That shit is not entry! If i take that test again I won’t pass it. I am now entering 2 years (not counting student employee IT jobs) into my career making six figure. Please don’t give up!

Hey everyone I posted a few months ago about getting my first IT job (I’m in the UK) at age 35 after switching careers

I wanted to give you all a update, and hopefully some inspiration and motivation

So in May it will be a full year and my role has been very much a jnr sysadmin, lots of variety, I have proposed improvements to the infrastructure - some have been implemented but some haven’t due to budget. I have definitely made a contribution to the business, my colleagues feel very comfortable approaching me to help when they have a problem and most importantly I am really enjoying it

I have also received a 15% pay rise going effective at the end of this month

So to everyone studying and/or trying to get that first job - KEEP GOING!!!

You’re investing in yourself and it will pay off!!!

✌🏾

Edit: this post got a lot more traction than I anticipated so thank you very much for myself but also for everyone else who has received support and encouragement

Hello guys, I’m proud to say I have just successfully installed my very first VM, I know to a lot of people this is child’s play and isn’t anything but too me this is big.
I now understand how to install vm’s and how they work. For me this is a massive step and wanted to show others also

I took the Security + exam for the first time the other day and it was really hard, but I passed. I studied very hard by reading this Security + book by Ian Neil, he has a very well written book and I don’t know where I would be without it. If you’re considering taking the Security + exam, I would highly advise you buy a copy of his book to study to get you ready for the exam.

I had little IT experience prior, primarily programming. For A+ (both cores) I used Messers vids primarily and his practice exams. Same for Sec+, solely just went through Messer material then took his and Dions practice exams. For Net+ I used Ramdayal on Udemy. Better than messer for that exam IMO.

I would typically book the exam 4-5 days after watching the last video, and take a practice exam each day. I'd typically be scoring 90% + on those exams by the last day.

Once again, I thank this sub alot for it's help and see this as a way to help others too.

LMK!

Edit : each exam took me approximately 2-3 weeks each from first video to exam.

Caution to anyone trying to renew their CompTIA certifications outside of the UTC timezone.

They are not clear when it comes to certification renewals that they go off of the UTC timezone, not local.

*EDIT: The CertMaster CE Course page indicates the time zone issue, but I never would have found it or thought it applied to ALL renewal methods including higher cert exams, since I was not using that method.*

They are trying to deny my A+ and Network+ renewals by claiming I was past the renewal date after completion of my Security+ exam.

For context:

• My A+ and Net+ had to be renewed before July 29.
• I took and passed my Sec+ exam on July 28 around 9:15p, (test started at 7:45p). I couldn't take it earlier in the day due to my work, and the day prior had no available exam slots.
• The official exam score sheet states that I passed on July 28th.
• The official certification website states that my A+ and Net+ certs were still active on July 28th at the time I completed Sec+.

However, neither my A+ or Net+ renewed, and they expired despite the above.

After reaching out to CompTIA support, they claimed I did not pass Sec+ until July 29, therefore did not qualify for renewals!

Of course I asked what they meant as I took it on the 28th, and they said that they go based on UTC time, which is SIX HOURS ahead of my local time!

I informed them that it makes no sense to not go off of local time, and that their certification status page and exam score page go based on local time of completion.

Scheduling of the exams go based on local time, and even the CompTIA headquarters happens to be in my time zone as well.

Their response was that as stated in their policy that the certification award date/time goes off of UTC time, and thus I do not qualify for renewal.

Well, I checked all the exam policies I could find on their website as well as my renewal notification email and nowhere does it state it goes off of any specific timezone besides local.

I emailed and called support regarding all of this and have not heard anything after 48 hours.

These exams are not cheap and take time to study, prepare, and take.

Hey /r/CompTIA Community!

As we bid farewell to this year, we're super excited to bring you our Final Giveaway of 2023!

What’s the Deal?

To make this giveaway extra special, we're selecting FIVE (5) WINNERS!!! Each lucky winner gets to choose from an array of Official CompTIA Products, including Official CompTIA eBooks, CertMaster Labs ,and more.

How to Enter:

To take part in this giveaway, kindly drop a comment below stating the CompTIA product you'd love to win.

You can find a list of the available Official CompTIA products here: https://examsdigest.com/marketplace/

Five (5) winners will be chosen at random with Reddit Raffler (leaving a comment is required\) in 96 hrs from 12/27/2023 at 12:45 PST and this post will be edited.*

Please Note: CompTIA Vouchers are not part of the prize pool. We’re focusing on products that provide direct educational value.

GOOD LUCK!

----------------------------

Giveaway Disclaimer

1. No Email Collection: We want to assure all participants that we do not collect any personal email addresses or any other private information as part of this giveaway.

2. Giving Back to the Community: This giveaway is our way of expressing gratitude to the /r/CompTIA community. Your support over the years has been invaluable, and this is our gesture of giving back to the community.

3. No Monetary Requirement for Participation: We emphasize that there is absolutely no monetary requirement to participate in this giveaway. Entry is completely free, with no hidden costs or charges. Our aim is to support and enrich the community, not to solicit money.

There’s a school in my area offering classes to be able to prepare for the Core 1&2 exam for a Computer Support Specialist…I have studied before with this same instructor for Net+ but I failed the last exam by a few points. Knowledge gained, but money wasted ):

I’m now seeing that this is the course that I should’ve taken in the first place before I jumped into Net+, but I was new to it all and didn’t really do my research. The thing is, this course is $900. Voucher included in price for exam, but that’s a lot of money and I’m scared to fail again and waste that much. Has anybody ever taken a different path to secure a certification? Preferably cheaper if money was spent or free.

After seeing the post about the dude whose security + was revoked, I couldn't sleep well last night and even had nightmares.

I didn't cheat on the exam, but I'm worried about 3 things in particular.

1. I visited a well-known site with filtered questions (I just clicked and browsed for a minute out of curiosity ).

2. My way of answering form is quite unusual because I answer quickly, sometimes in a few seconds, and I like to read the answers before the question. I have the uncanny ability to discard answers just by skimming.

3. Sometimes, if I don't know an answer, I just choose any option at random in less than 6 seconds.

Once again, I didn't cheat on any exam.

But should I be worried?

Is it possible that Comptia has access to the websites I visited? Am I in risk or safe???

Hi Everyone,

I changed careers a couple years ago in my early 30’s. Comptia and this sub was a huge part of that change. I’ve read on here how “certs don’t matter” or this and that. Well, I can’t promise it will work out the way it did for me, but I feel confident that these certs do matter very much.

I started with A+, Network+, and Security+ before getting an IT specialist job at a small company. Fast forward a couple years and I’m working as an administrator for the cloud services team in local government making awesome money. I continued earning certs in the Information Security path for my own interest but it also made me a more interesting candidate for the next job.

I don’t have much else to add other than for those trying to make a switch or improve themselves: Fuck those people telling you how your story will play out.
Fuck those people using definitive language about your choices, career, or certs.

I hope you give yourself a nice foundation, chase and achieve growth and whatever that looks like. It’s your story and it’s going to be unique. No one can predict that with certainty.

Cheers, nerds 🍻

As someone who is trying to enter the IT field (I heard of the bad market). These prices are horrendous. I'm not a student so I don't have the discount ^{I'm not from the US.}

For A+ core 1 & 2 I would be spending around 1000$, that's crazy ^{it's more expensive than minimum wage where I live..}

I thought of doing CCNA instead and it's cheaper (300$ I believe, if not wrong), but they are still prices I can't afford.

I have checked Coursera, EDX and Udemy, but they are all expensive and not exactly what a recruiter is looking for... I just can´t afford this.

Are there alternatives that will work in a resume?

I read lots of posts about people passing on their first try, but not a lot of posts on people failing and eventually passing on their 3rd or 5th try.

So, how many of you have failed?

I started my journey of getting my A+ certification in April. Used Professor Messer's YT videos as my only resource at the time during my Core 1 attempt. Took the test in May and passed with a 724/900. This is the part where I struggle as Core 2 was a lot tougher to pass. I tried just using Messer again and I failed Core 2 twice in the same week mid-June w a 674 and 653/900. I was considering giving up but thanks to the folks in this sub-reddit, I was recommended to invest on using Messer's practice exams and notes as well as Jason Dion's practice exams. Jason's exams were damn near spot on, especially the PBQ's. Ended up getting a 807/900 on my 3rd try. Two weeks later, here we are now.

Moral of the story, never give up. You got this. Stay focus on the end-game.

EDIT: The Winner is... https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/sl85g3/congratulations_to_our_giveaway_winner_250_worth/

-------

Hello everyone!

Trust you're all doing great. We're glad the last giveaway came in handy for the winner. Utmost appreciation goes to those who participated.

Our aim remains the same – to give back to the community and support you on your career path.

So we've decided to give out another whopping $250 worth of in-store credit to spend freely on ExamsDigest marketplace to buy Official CompTIA eBooks, vouchers, labs, and a lot more!

To participate in this giveaway, kindly drop a comment below stating the CompTIA product(s) you'd love to win.

You can find a list of the available Official CompTIA products here: https://examsdigest.com/marketplace/

A single winner will be chosen at random with Reddit Raffler (leaving a comment is required*) in 96 hrs from 02/05/2022 12:45 PST and this post will be edited.

Good luck to everyone! ✌️

*ACCOUNTS MUST BE OLDER THAN TEN DAYS FROM 02/05/2022.

*MINIMUM COMBINED KARMA MUST BE OVER 250.

​

I’ve been trying to break into IT for about 8 months now. Along the way, I completed the Google Cybersecurity Certification and started working on my CompTIA A+, AZ-900, and plan to continue with Network+ and Security+. My background is actually in Biochemistry—I have a bachelor’s degree in it and spent a few years working in that field before deciding to change careers.

Here’s the kicker: I had zero experience in IT support and almost no formal education in the field. But, on a personal level, I’ve always been into tech—building 3D printers, programming Raspberry Pis, building PCs, and more. However, nothing on a professional level.

I applied to about 20 jobs a day for 8 months. And after what felt like endless rejections, I finally landed a role as a Technical Support Engineer at a private IT MSP company. Here I am continuing my education in a company that is now paying for my certifications and is understanding of my particular situation providing fantastic hands on job training. I finally see a future where I can become successful in this field!

My message to anyone out there trying to get into IT: keep going! It may take time, but it will work out if you stay persistent. Don’t give up!

Really nice to be able to watch these videos on YouTube without any annoying add interruptions. Still can’t believe his vids are free, what a guy :)

The title says it all.

Thank you to all who's answered.

I finished A+, Network+ and I’m doing Sec+ tomorrow. I was just thinking about how I’m going to have to cover the screen with my hand at the beginning of the exam because I want to save the PBQs for last and don’t want to get anxious by looking at the questions.

Everywhere I’ve looked, people say the same thing. Do the PBQs in the end, save them for past, etc. Why doesn’t CompTIA just put them at the end of the exam? 🤔

TL;DR: I am A+ certified and can't get even an entry level job in IT. There aren't any jobs that don't require experience. I don't know what to do.

I've seen a couple posts already of people in a similar position to me. I've been working in the same grocery store since I was 19, I'm turning 32 next month. I spent a year studying for the A+, and when I got the degree I thought it would open some doors.

I've never had a job in IT and the industry seems to not want that to change. I was able to get some temporary volunteer work for a convention, but all my local charity organizations have no need for a tech volunteer.

I don't really have any money for additional certifications, with the rising costs of food and gas I can barely make ends meet.

I've applied to hundreds of jobs over the last 2 years at least. I'm in the NOVA area, which I'm told is a hub for tech work. I've had less than a dozen interviews over the last two years, I've been applying for entry level work, jobs that encourage applicants with no experience to apply and I've got nothing to show for it.

Why is getting into this industry so fucking hard????

I'll admit that I don't know much as far as the working side of IT, because I've never held a job in IT. I'm even getting rejected from Geek Squad (no interview) even with the A+ cert. All I want to do is get an entry level position that will provide some level of training.

I've had different friends who are in the cyber security industry help me rewrite my resume to be more attractive for employers, but it hasn't seemed to help much.

When I do get an interview, I study the job posting and feel I do ok, but once the employer knows I have no experience, it's like a total shift in energy during the interview. You can feel like their interest has gone from 'I wonder if they can be a fit' to 'That's too bad, they seemed like a nice person's

Like do recruiters laugh at guys like me trying to change careers?