How can you balance tech support and certification study time?

As I am going through studying skills that aren't part of my job, my advice: 1-Some people get very motivated at the beginning and start big, then get tired and can't keep it up. Instead, plan for reasonable but consistent study time(Consistency is crucial). 2-Do some research on the best course/material..etc, but don't spend too much time, some people fall into an ever-ending loop of trying to find the best plans and materials. 3-Sometimes what you are studying isn't related to work, still try to get some hands-on. 4-You will never feel 100% ready, I suggest after finishing your study plan, take a pre-test and if ok, go for it. 5-Finally, if failed, that's ok, failure is a great teacher, identify what's missing, work on it, and try again.

I believe that the first step is to decide that you want to move ahead in life and career… Once you decide you are already halfway through. The nest step is to accommodate your study plan into your daily routine. Since you are already working, the hands on experience is an add on to the study material. Combine the two and you will be ready for any challenge. An exam or certification is only as difficult as you perceive it to be

Well, it's not easy, that's for sure. If you're starting out in a 1st or 2nd line role, then you're likely to be busy during working hours. You'll probably be under pressure to hit SLAs and keep closing calls. Having to study in your own personal time is inevitable unless you are very lucky to be in a supportive and forward thinking organization. Things you can do are: 1) Speak to senior colleagues and get their advice on useful certifications. They may even have exam notes or study guides. 2) Take a course on Udemy/A Cloud Guru. They have apps so you could study in bursts during breaks. 3) Watch video content at 1.5 - 2 times normal speed. Sounds simple, but is a great time saver. 4) Don't take on too much at once and burn out.

It can be as simple as 3 steps. 1. Under stand your W's (Who, What, Where, When and Why ) for the end goal of your certification thought. 2. Now as you have your goal set well, prioritizing this goal in your daily life is important. I recommend to learn Time management matrix concept and apply it in your day to day routine. 3. Live what you want in your daily life, at your current tech support role. Meet with other teams working in the certification pathway you are on to. 9 / 24Hours - Job 9 / 24 Hours - Sleep and hygiene 6 / 24 Hours - Use your phone and study in all this time wherever you are.

Prioritizing and keeping a semi-strict schedule is key to balancing certification studies while also staying on course at work. Setting study times that don't conflict with work where you can devote all of your time to studying will ensure you keep time each day to work on pursuing your certification without cutting your work short... however, it's also important to consider giving a bit of leeway occasionally in case something pressing comes up that you need to focus on. A work emergency, if you will-- something that deters your schedule can sometimes cut into study time, but so long as you remain mostly consistent throughout the week, that shouldn't cause any problems. We're only human at the end of the day.

For call-center support representatives, there's no real down time, and no way to put aside time for any sort of self improvement or career progress. It may be, that your "prioritization" will be regarding your own free time. It's hard, studying anything while having a full time job, and you have to take this into account. All promises for the world to be a garden of roses will eventually prove to be false. Be ready to put a lot of effort into it.

Ensure your certification study is seperate from tech support. Many people try to squeeze studying into small times between support calls. This is highly ineffective. Create a space and time dedicated to your studies for best results.

This would sound like Instagram motivation quotes - Find the course you want to study(Google what skills your desired profile needs). - Make a timetable to complete chapters/tasks(would advise to study daily 1-2 hrs instead of 4 hrs on weekend). - Set a time limit to complete the course. - Follow these steps obediently, Most important part

With the current state of technology, fulfilling the requirements are bit tricky if we are not good in-off with the foundation skills required to full-fill the the job requirement it is like “be the best at what you do”

Prioritizing things can help, but I've also found that multitasking can be equally as important and sometimes even more efficient. If I've got a busy day but I still want to find time to devote to each project I may specify a few tasks for each project per day that I want to get done so I can progress on more than one project at a time.

It can be as easy as reading while eating lunch. I tend to lean toward listening to study materials through audiobooks while I work on tasks that don't require close attention to detail or while I have a bit of downtime. That way, I can quickly jot down anything I hear that I want to reflect on later or remember and still have my hands and eyes free to work on what's on my computer.

There's nothing more valuable than a coworker. They're full of stories and experiences that you yourself may not have ever had to deal with and can offer valuable insight as to how to get things done, possibly in a different or more efficient way than you would've previously considered. Mentors or senior coworkers may also have certifications that you're trying to get yourself and can tell you more about their experiences in getting it.

Go through your study materials at a high level and identify areas that you may have less knowledge or experience with, and use your work as an opportunity to focus your efforts. While preparing for a certification and working full time can be stressful, real world problems provided some much needed context that is often missing from study materials. Hypotheticals can get you the certification, but being able to provide potential employers examples of when you used you certification is more valuable.

I've loved reaching out within my educational community for insight and help, both to students and to advisors or teachers. It's also nice to be able to show off academic achievements that I've worked hard for as well as relate with and congratulate others on their hard work! Support from peers can justify your challenge and offer some new perspective along the way.