Why I’m taking the Data+ Certification Exam
CompTia does a couple of things right. One of the biggest being it’s reputation as the vendor-neutral industry standard. For years it’s been one of the best entry points into IT, and I’ve known firsthand ever since I studied for (and passed!) my Network+ exam. So when I started searching for a data certification nearly two years ago, it made sense to head to CompTIA first. The timing was perfect, I discovered the Data+ Certification, which had launched just a few months earlier.
Then I did some digging.
Turns out not a lot of people know about, let alone recommend, the Data+ exam. Instead, most people still rely on the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate which you can find on Coursera, or the Microsoft Data Analytics tracks.
So why, after doing all this research, am I taking it? For the following reasons:
It complements my Network+ certification perfectly.
Even if it’s not widely requested now, it might be in the future.
CompTia is a trusted name in the industry I want to work and grow in: Information Technology.
Sure I’m also supplementing my learning with the Google Data Analytics course, and yes I do plan on getting more certs after this (looking at you PL-300) But as I move through the Data+ material, something has started to happen:
I feel accomplished.
I’m realizing I already know a lot of these concepts. The course is reinforcing that the things I’ve taught myself, the solutions I’ve figured out in my actual job, weren’t just guesses. They were right.
It reminds me of when people take CompTIA’s ITF+ (IT Fundamentals). It’s not a requirement. But it’s a powerful confidence booster—a way to say, “Yes, I understand this. And here’s proof.”
That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m taking it. And that’s why, regardless of what others may say about it, I am going to master that too.
