How I Prepare For A Certification Exam
Here is my process for preparing for a certification exam. This process might take me 2 to 3 months, so I will lay it out like that below. It might take you less time or more time, this is just a guideline.
A quick note on how much time I spend each day studying; I spend typically about 1–2 hours a night and about 4 hours each weekend reading or studying. Spend time with your family too though. I usually get home from work, have dinner, catch up with the family, watch some tv with my wife then get on to the studying for an hour or two a night. Enjoy the weekends or the days you are with your family, don’t make it all work and no play. Your brain needs time to sort the new information out and you need time to think about this new information when not looking at a book or a computer screen.
When I study, I have a dedicated area for this. Away from TVs and other distractions. It must be well lit and I usually have my headphones around listening to some instrumental music to block out sounds around the house. You will see in my pictures, that place is the kitchen table, or was. I actually have a desk now in a quiet area of the house.
Week 1 — First I search Amazon for the best reviewed book for the certification and order it. Make sure that the book is for the right version of the certification. This is very important as well, keep an eye on when the exam will be revisited and updated. Don’t start studying for an exam that is coming up for a version change in a month. Wait until the new books are out and start the process then. Verify the exam requirements as well, make sure that you can self study the exam and are not forced to take a paid course. Some exams also have experience requirements in order to get certified. You could write and pass the exam, but not get the credential associated with the certification. Some certifications will allow you to become ‘An Associate’ while you gain the experience and will give you time to get the experience in order to be fully certified and get the full credentials associated with the certification, but make sure you have read and understood the full requirements for the certification process.
Weeks 2–4 — When my book comes in I start my first read through. I read cover to cover, highlighting anything that I didn’t know before or wasn’t obvious to me. I am truly honest with myself when I do this. I make no exceptions. Doing my reading this way on the first read through slows me down and really makes me think about each sentence I am reading. Yes the book is a pound heavier when I am done because of all the highlighting but it is worth it.
I record each test at the end of the chapters in a book and mark them. I make sure to not mark the test sections up in the book so when I go to do the tests again I don’t leave hints for myself.
Week 5 — I start a new notebook for the subject. I then go through the book again, taking notes on what I have now determined to be the important areas of the books. Paying close attention to formulas, tables and any diagrams that help explain the concepts better. I then try to find some online tests — usually Udemy.com has plenty of good ones to do. Look for Jason Dion, if he has a class on the exam you are taking, it is very worth while to get his practice exams.
Start going through the other exams making note of what areas you are failing in or not doing as well in. Go back and re-read those chapters, take better notes, see if you do any better.
Week 6–7 Order the second book. Start the process all over again with the highlighter. You might not highlight as much in this book but it is important to read it cover to cover as well. Now you have two resources at your fingertips for studying for the exam and bouncing the two authors ideas off of each other to help you understand the concepts required for the exam.
Once I have gone through both books and am consistently knocking out 80–90% on the exams, then I know I am ready to schedule my exam. If I am still getting 70–80%, then I keep going back and rereading the chapters that I am failing on and start finding more resources for information. Reddit and Discord channels are great resources for people that are in the same position as you. Some groups have weekly study sessions and are always up to answering a question for you.
Week 8–9 — The final 1–2 Weeks before I write the exam, I sit down and review each major area of the exam, also known as ‘The Domains’ for the certification. I spend one or two nights on each domain, fine tuning my notes in my notebook and even re-writing entire pages of notes to make it clearer.
Here is how I know I am ready. I can do the sample exams and score 80–90%. I can read through my notes and not think that I really should learn more about subject x. If I can get through all my notes with full clarity of the subject and even maybe a quick pass through of the books and not stopping to understand a concept, then I am good to go. I book the exam, and I book the exam for middle of the day, around lunch if possible.
Day before the exam — stop, go do something fun, watch a movie, relax (don’t go partying or drinking, anything that will make you feel horrible the next morning). Get a good sleep though.
Exam Day —Get up early with enough time to not feel rushed. Have a good breakfast. Wear comfortable clothes (layers, so if it is cold you can put on the sweater, if it is hot, take it off etc). Take only your notebook of detailed notes, and get to the area of the exam centre early, so you can park your car, walk if you need to, get a coffee or a snack and just sit down and take your time before the exam. I usually show up about 2 hours early to the neighbourhood of where I am writing my exam, go find a Starbucks, grab a coffee and a piece of banana bread and find a quiet corner to review my notes again. I then make my way to the exam centre about 30–45 minutes early to see if we can do the exam registration and Identification steps and maybe get in to write the exam a few minutes early. Deep breath and go.
Writing the Exam — Keep calm, keep focused and don’t panic. Most exams (verify this before you go) will allow you flag a question if you are unsure of the answer, or are doubting your answer at the time. Flag it and move on. Go through each question reading it very carefully, a lot of times there is a keyword in the question that will steer you in a different direction. If you miss this keyword, you will get the question wrong. Don’t make any assumptions when it comes to the answers. There is only going to be one answer to the question and most of the time they give you all the information you need to answer it, you just need to make sure you find that word or phrase that makes that answer right.
Keep calm, work your way through the exam. When you reach the end, go back and review your flagged answers. Try not to think that you have failed it before you are done. This is a defeatist attitude and will not help you at all during the exam. Be positive, deep breaths, and worry about the question on the screen, not the overall test.
I would be interested in knowing what strategies have worked for you in the past. Please let me know. I will be posting the books and resources I have used for my studies soon.
