What 220-1102 actually tells a hiring manager

CompTIA A+ Core 2 is the part of A+ that speaks directly to day-one support work: operating systems, security basics, software troubleshooting, ticket handling, and operational procedures. If I see 220-1102 on a resume, I do not assume the candidate is an engineer. I assume they should be able to sit on a service desk, support end users, work through common Windows and basic macOS/Linux issues, follow policy, and avoid making reckless changes.

That matters because a lot of entry-level applicants say they "know computers" but cannot explain the difference between user-level troubleshooting and admin-level changes, cannot walk through malware remediation safely, and have never touched real support workflows. Core 2 helps separate serious candidates from hobbyists.

For employers, this cert is most useful in environments where support staff touch:

Windows 10/11 endpoints
Microsoft 365 apps and user issues
Active Directory basics such as password resets and account unlocks
endpoint security practices
remote support tools
ticketing systems and escalation procedures
basic scripting or command-line troubleshooting

It is especially common in postings from managed service providers (MSPs), school districts, hospital systems, local government, defense contractors, call-center-based support teams, and mid-size companies building structured IT support teams.

What it does not signal: deep networking, cloud architecture, cybersecurity engineering, or systems administration mastery. A+ is a foot-in-the-door cert. A respected one, but still a starting point.

The jobs this cert really helps you target

The most realistic value of 220-1102 is getting shortlisted for frontline IT support roles. Not all job ads will list the exam code itself; many will say CompTIA A+ required or preferred, and 220-1102 is part of that credential. In postings, the cert shows up most often for jobs like:

Help Desk Technician
IT Support Specialist
Desktop Support Technician
Service Desk Analyst
Technical Support Specialist
Field Support Technician

The best hunting ground is not glamorous tech companies. It is employers with lots of end users, aging device fleets, password-reset volume, onboarding/offboarding work, and compliance-driven procedures. That includes:

MSPs supporting small business clients
Healthcare providers with many shared workstations and strict access controls
K-12 schools and higher education with mixed device environments
Banks, credit unions, and insurance firms with controlled desktop images
Local/state/federal contractors where baseline certifications matter
Manufacturing and logistics firms with distributed sites and frontline operations
Retail chains and hospitality groups with POS and endpoint support needs

If you are early in your career, MSPs are often the fastest route in. They can be stressful, but you see more tickets, more environments, and more troubleshooting in six months than you might see in a year at a quieter internal IT department.

If you already have customer service experience, 220-1102 can help you pivot into IT support faster than many people expect. Hiring managers for service desk teams often value call handling, de-escalation, documentation discipline, and reliability almost as much as technical depth at this level.

Salary reality: useful, but still entry-level money

Here is the honest salary picture: A+ Core 2 supports roles that are usually entry-level to early-career. You should not expect cloud-engineer or security-analyst pay from this cert alone.

In the US market, the typical pay bands tied to A+ level work look like this:

Entry level: usually $42,000-$58,000 for help desk, service desk, and junior desktop support
Mid level: usually $58,000-$72,000 for experienced desktop support, Tier 2 support, endpoint support, or field support with stronger troubleshooting ownership
Senior end of this track: usually $72,000-$88,000 for senior desktop support, lead endpoint technician, or support specialists in high-cost markets or regulated industries

A few important qualifiers:

Geography moves this a lot. Rural school districts and small-town employers may sit near the low end. Major metros like Seattle, DC, Boston, San Francisco, and New York can exceed these ranges, especially with shift work, clearance requirements, or on-site executive support.
Shift and environment matter. 24x7 support desks, hospital environments, and defense contracts often pay a bit more because the work is less convenient or more regulated.
The cert alone rarely gets the top of the range. The higher bands usually go to people who can handle escalations, document fixes, support identity/access tasks, manage endpoint deployments, and work independently.
Contract roles can look higher on paper. Some desktop support contracts pay hourly rates that annualize well, but benefits may be weaker.

For someone brand new to IT, A+ is often enough to move from general customer support or retail tech work into a first real IT role. That jump matters. The first role is usually the hard one to get. After that, your experience starts to carry more weight than the cert.

Where this cert has the strongest hiring value

220-1102 is strongest in environments where support teams need people who can follow process, troubleshoot common OS and software issues, and work cleanly inside escalation boundaries.

The cert tends to carry more weight in these settings:

MSPs and outsourced support providers

These companies hire on volume. They need people who can onboard quickly, handle tickets, and speak confidently with users. A+ helps because it gives them a baseline. If you want rapid exposure, this is one of the best places to use the cert.

Government and defense-adjacent employers

Not every role requires A+, but CompTIA credentials are familiar and often favored in contract environments. If the role involves endpoint support, account support, or service desk work, A+ is a recognizable checkbox.

Healthcare IT support

Hospitals and clinics need reliable endpoint and user support. The work can be hectic, but A+ aligns well with the reality of shared devices, locked-down systems, user account issues, printers, and application troubleshooting.

Education

Schools and universities often need broad support generalists. A+ fits well because the work is practical rather than specialized.

Mid-market internal IT teams

Companies with 200-2000 employees often want someone who can do the basics well: imaging, software installs, ticket triage, account support, and end-user troubleshooting.

Where it has less standalone value: startups hiring only senior generalists, cloud-first engineering teams, and specialist cybersecurity roles. In those environments, A+ is not harmful, but it is not a differentiator.

How careers usually move after A+ Core 2

The real career path after 220-1102 is not a generic straight ladder. People branch based on what kind of support work they end up doing.

A common pattern looks like this:

First stop: service desk or desktop support

You start with ticket queues, password resets, device setup, application support, printer issues, account lockouts, VPN problems, and basic malware/security procedure. This is where you learn speed, documentation, and user communication.

Then one of three common branches happens

1. Endpoint / desktop specialization
You get stronger at imaging, device lifecycle, Intune or SCCM-style tooling, patching, asset management, executive support, and Tier 2 desktop troubleshooting. This can lead to senior desktop support, endpoint administrator, or EUC-style roles.

2. Systems administration route
If you start touching servers, identity, Group Policy, virtualization, Microsoft 365 admin tasks, and automation, you can move toward junior sysadmin or systems support administrator roles.

3. Security or network pivot
Some people use A+ as the first cert, then add Network+ or Security+ and steer toward SOC support, junior network support, or IAM/access-focused positions. The A+ foundation helps, but you need more than 220-1102 to make that jump cleanly.

A realistic timeline:

0-12 months: Help desk / service desk / junior desktop support
1-3 years: Tier 2 support, desktop support specialist, field support, endpoint support
2-5 years: Sysadmin-track support, endpoint admin, senior support specialist, junior security or network roles if paired with targeted skills

The people who advance fastest are usually not the ones with the most certs. They are the ones who build a reputation for three things: good notes, low drama, and solving repeat issues permanently instead of repeatedly.

Skills that make 220-1102 pay off instead of sitting on your resume

If you want this cert to lead to interviews, pair it with hands-on skills that match the jobs above.

Windows support depth

Know Windows 10/11 beyond the exam outline. Be comfortable with:

Event Viewer
Task Manager and startup troubleshooting
Command Prompt and PowerShell basics
Device Manager
user profile issues
update failures
basic registry awareness
local vs domain account concepts

Microsoft 365 user support

A huge amount of entry-level support work touches Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and Office activation or sign-in issues. If you can speak to common M365 support scenarios, employers notice.

Active Directory and identity basics

You do not need to be an AD architect. But you should understand:

password resets
unlocks
group membership basics
MFA support
account provisioning concepts
least privilege and why support teams escalate certain requests

Ticketing and documentation

This is overlooked by beginners. Learn how to write a ticket note that another technician can actually use. Clear notes are one of the fastest ways to seem employable.

Remote support workflow

Be ready to explain how you would support a remote user with VPN trouble, poor connectivity, limited admin rights, and a looming deadline.

Security hygiene

Core 2 includes security topics for a reason. Entry-level support staff are often the first people users contact about suspicious pop-ups, phishing concerns, or account compromise signs. Knowing how to respond safely matters.

If you can, build a small lab using a Windows VM, a Microsoft 365 developer environment if available, and basic remote support practice. Even simple home-lab examples help in interviews when framed properly.

Resume and interview positioning that works for A+ candidates

The biggest mistake A+ candidates make is listing the cert and then giving no proof that they can work in support.

On your resume, do not just say:

CompTIA A+

Instead, support it with evidence such as:

resolved OS, login, and software issues in a home lab or volunteer environment
documented troubleshooting steps and outcomes
supported Windows 10/11, printer setup, and common application issues
used ticketing systems, customer service tools, or incident tracking in prior roles
handled high-volume user interaction while meeting response expectations

If you are coming from retail, hospitality, call center, or customer service work, translate that experience directly:

managed high-volume customer requests
explained technical or procedural steps clearly to nontechnical users
de-escalated frustrated customers
followed documented procedures consistently
balanced speed with accuracy

In interviews, expect scenario questions more than deep theory. You may be asked:

A user cannot sign in after a password reset. What do you check?
Outlook is opening slowly and crashing. How do you approach it?
A remote employee says the VPN stopped working after an update. What next?
A user clicked a suspicious email link. What do you do first?
When do you escalate instead of continuing to troubleshoot?

Good answers are structured, calm, and safe. Interviewers for A+ level roles want to hear that you:

gather facts,
verify scope,
try low-risk steps first,
document actions,
know your permissions,
escalate when needed.

If you are new, say so plainly. Do not pretend to be an admin. Entry-level hiring managers usually prefer an honest beginner with discipline over an overconfident candidate who might break things.

Should you get 220-1102 if your goal is bigger than help desk?

Usually yes, but only if you understand its role.

For people trying to break into IT, 220-1102 is useful because it validates practical support knowledge and makes your resume easier to place into the right pile. It is not the end goal. It is a launch credential.

You should strongly consider it if:

you have little or no formal IT experience
you are moving from customer service into technical support
you want your first help desk or desktop support role
you need a structured baseline before Network+, Security+, or Microsoft admin training

You may skip or de-prioritize it if:

you already have solid hands-on IT support experience and can demonstrate it clearly
you are already working in desktop support and are trying to move into admin, cloud, or security roles where another cert would better fit the next step
an employer specifically values a different vendor path more, such as Microsoft endpoint administration

My candid view: 220-1102 is worth it when you need credibility for entry-level support work. It is less valuable when you are already past that stage.

For many people, the best use of this cert is simple: get the first real IT job, stay long enough to build evidence, then specialize with purpose instead of collecting random certifications.

Salary Information

Level	Salary Range
Entry Level	$42,000 - $58,000
Mid Level	$58,000 - $72,000
Senior	$72,000 - $88,000

Common Job Titles

Help Desk Technician
IT Support Specialist
Desktop Support Technician
Service Desk Analyst
Technical Support Specialist
Field Support Technician