You may have heard of many preparation tips for certification exams. Many will tell you to eat healthy, to take practice tests, to take breaks, and to learn as much as possible. These tips may help you pass certain tests but may not be necessary for IT preparation. Exam preparation is not an easy task.
Remember that certification exams are an inevitable part of your career. You must approach them with the seriousness that they deserve. You should aim to pass the exam(s) the first time. You’ll be able maximize your learning and pass the exam easily if you know a few simple principles that your brain can work with. Here are some top tips to pass any IT certification exam.
Why is it so difficult to pass certification exams?
These certification exams are different to the ones you took at university and high school. IT certification exams are designed to assess the knowledge and skills you need or use at work. There are practical components to most IT certificates. You might need to drag and drop components into virtual networks, or input commands into a virtual command-line.
When preparing for certification tests, there are many domains you need to remember. Some tests also have practical elements that look like lab exercises. The exam questions are technical. If you don’t know how the systems and networks work together, they can confuse you. Let’s take a look at the most important things you should do to prepare for your exam.
1. Create and use a Study Plan
Before you begin your exam preparation, create a schedule that suits your learning style. Once you have created a schedule that suits your learning style, you can create a simple study plan. Do not rush to cover all exam domains. This is not a smart strategy to pass the test. Instead, dedicate at least 45 minutes each day for learning for many weeks. You can also allocate a few hours each week if you don’t have enough time. Don’t study too much, as your brain isn’t capable of taking in all the information at once.
2. Make sure you understand your exam well
This is another great way to pass your certification exam on the first try. Before you start your preparation, you should first explore the test. Most exam vendors will provide blueprints that outline the topics and domains for a particular test. These blueprints will be your study guide. It is important to know the details of the exam, such as the time limit and question formats. This is important because you will be confident in taking the certification exam since you won’t be surprised by what you see.
3. Define Your Best Learning Strategies
It is important to understand how you learn best, especially for certification exams. You can align your preparation with your brain’s natural abilities by understanding how you learn best. Learning methods are the various modalities that test takers use to realize they learn in a great way. These styles include visual, auditory, and tactile learning.
Online videos are the best way to learn for visual learners. Online training courses are usually presented in a whiteboard format. This allows for a one-on-1 experience with IT industry experts. They can color-code or use flashcards to organize and see key concepts easily. It can be helpful for auditory students to read text out loud. This helps them understand the concepts better. To capture what the tutor is teaching you, you can also use a tape recorder. You can also read the notes aloud. Practical learning is a good option for tactile learners, such as practice tests or tutorials. These guides often include quiz questions that appear after every minute. These questions help you retain the right information from what you have learned.
To be successful in the exam, you will need to use all of these learning methods. Understanding your preferred learning style will help you choose the best approach for your preparation. You will be able to identify the learning process that suits your training style.
4. Make sure you stick to your learning plan.
Ensure that your study space is comfortable during your preparation. You should be able to focus on what’s important. When there are no distractions, you’ll be able absorb enough information. Avoid sitting in an uncomfortable chair and avoid working in a dimly lit room. You can find out if you learn best when you listen to soft music or in silence. Your work space should be
