How I pass certification exams - you can do it too!

This article is following up on my previous article about "IT certifications - getting started"

It is probably no secret at this point, that I enjoy studying for IT certifications and like to take the exams to prove to myself that I know enough about a given subject. I have a lot of certifications under my belt at this point. I usually go for those that have some weight in my current (or future) job - hence I have primarily taken Juniper, Microsoft and ISC2 certifications at points in my career where it made sense. Most, but not all, are renewed to keep my knowledge current.

This will be a rather Microsoft focused article though, as that is the area that I have studying for, for the past 3 years. I just looked it up - 14 Microsoft exams in just over 3 years (and a 2 others on the side). But for the most part, the tips will still be valuable for many other exams.

Preparation

Learning:

For most exams you have plenty of options for learning:

• Microsoft Learn and documentation for Microsoft Exams
• Microsoft's free practice assessments (not all exams yet)
• YouTube videos
• I highly recommend John Savill's videos for Microsoft exams
• Books aimed towards a specific exam
• Vendor webinars

I happen to work for a Microsoft Partner - we often get invited to online events where the goal is exam prep. I've used some of these as well, primarily to either kick start learning for an exam or as a last brush up before the exam. Besides the above free learning resources, you can often by test exams for popular certifications - I never really embraced that, as the above have been enough for my past Microsoft exams.

Personally, I learn best by watching videos and then reading up on anything that needs clarification. This usually my flow is something like this:

• Get excited about an exam and/or certification
• Find a good exam prep video on YouTube (or multiple)
• For Microsoft exams I always look for anything John Savill made first
• For my ISC2 exams - I read some books recommended by the community - I wouldn't have passed without them
• Depending on the topic and my initial knowledge and experience, I test the technology in practice
• Run through a test exam if available. I tend to do a lot of test exams or exam assessments when I get closer to the exam date. These can often show you your weak areas. That way I find my knowledge gaps - and learn what I need to study a bit more before booking the exam.

When you can pass the test exams with a margin large enough for your taste - you're probably ready to book the exam. Many exams have a passing bar at 700/1000 points - so if you can reach 80% or more on a (good) test exam, you are probably all set.

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Booking:

I usually book exams with relatively short notice - sometimes even the day before. I like that, as that allows me to study until I feel ready. It also means you have to be determined and focused. Others will need to have a set deadline for their study to keep them motivated.

In some cases, I do the opposite, as some exams can only be taken in certain places - ISC2 exams for example. That narrows down the options, both locations and timeslots. Hence, I book them in advance, and make sure I give myself enough time to study.

Many exam providers allow you to choose between going to a test center or doing it at home. Personally, I prefer going to a test center - that makes me relax, as I don't have to take technical issues into account. You just need to show up. I used to have many test centers within 30 minutes drive with open timeslots every day. That has changed over the past years - now there is only one, luckily with available timeslots almost every day outside holidays. I relax when I know the place, where to park and such. So I always go to the same test center, if possible.

But obviously - you should do what you feel most comfortable with. If that happens to be a remote exam in comfort of your home - go for that. I have just read too many stories about proctors for the online/remote exams and technical issues to relax in that situation.

The exam

Regardless if you write the exam at home or at a test center, at the very least - be early! If you have to rush to get there in time, you might get stressed out.

All Pearson Vue test centers that I have visited have had a locker for you personal items, as you can't bring them to the exam. I've only ever used Pearson Vue test centers, so that's the only test centers I can talk about. I usually start with a bio-break to make sure I don't have to run to the toilet during the exam (some providers allows this, others don't). Then I check in (remember ID for identification prior to starting the exam), put my stuff in the locker - and then it is off to the races.

Question types:

Most exams primarily consists of multiple choice questions. But besides that there can be case studies and questions where you would have to arrange tasks in the right order. In some scenarios there can be a range of questions where you are not allowed to go back once you have answered - that can be from 2-5 consecutive identical questions with different answers. Some exams might even have labs where you would have to perform/solve one or more tasks in a live environment. I haven't encountered them that often - only once for a Microsoft exam.

For Microsoft exams, you can read (and see) additional info here.

Time:

I usually take note of how much time I have to answer the questions when I start, and then calculate a rough average time pr. question, so that I can keep track of the time vs. how many questions I have left at a given time.

Flagging questions for review:

Many vendors allows you to flag questions you would like to revisit and review later on. I use this feature a lot. I answer all questions from A -> Z. But in case I doubt my own answer, I flag it for later review. That way I don't dwell too long on a single question. When all questions have been answered (or before if you like), you can revisit and review the flagged questions and really think through the answer without being too afraid of running out of time. So far, this have worked very well for me.

Finding the right answer:

Then "just" pick the right answer. For me, it is obviously about knowing enough about the exam topic to be able to answer the questions and thinking logically to iron out the wrong answers. But often, you can rule out half the options rather quick, and then only have 2 options left. If you don't know the answer at this point - make an educated guess, and flag the question for later review.

Microsoft learn:

It has come to my attention that as of 2023-08-22 you can now access Microsoft Learn (not profiles or Q&A though!) during the exam in split screen mode. But from what I've read so far, it is only for role-based exams and not fundamentals (ie. XX-900 exams). I haven't tried it myself - but for those odd questions where you are completely blank or know the answer is in a Learn article, this might make a difference. You will not have additional time, so you won't be able to utilize it for every question. But I can certainly think a couple of questions from my exams, where I would have been able to double check the answer, if I had access to Learn.

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Post exam

Many passed exams yields:

• Online verification in some form, credly.com for example (Microsoft just started rolling their own online verification system in the summer of 2023)
• Exam diploma
• Badges

I usually post a link on LinkedIn for the online verification to "promote" myself and my accomplishment (often that includes the badge too). The diplomas I just keep to myself, or download on demand - nobody ever asked for them.

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So, there you have it - my tips and tricks for passing the exams I've been through in the past 10 years.

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?Good luck on your own certification endeavors?:)