Preparing for Your Certification Exam: Force Yourself to Practice

If you're preparing for a IT certification exam, force yourself to practice, practice, and practice some more! It may be tedious but your time spent practicing will help you retain what you've learned and will prepare you for the exam. Force alone isn't enough, though. You need the right tools. Invest in a solid certification training course and invest in practice exams. This two-pronged approach will help ensure that you are ready for success.

The course that you choose should be tailored to your upcoming certification exam. Force yourself to carefully research training options and select a course that covers the exam objectives as well as addresses your learning requirements. For example, you might find a terrific local class that is led by a well-respected IT pro, but if you can't attend regularly because the class interferes with your work schedule, it won't be the right choice for you. A self-paced course or an online class might be a better choice. Once you find the perfect class, start your studies and practice all tasks as you prepare for your exam.

Force yourself to practice, even if you think you don't need additional practice. Practice pays off: Even martial artists who've earned their black belts continue to practice basic strikes and kicks; opera singers practice their scales; and successful certification exam candidates practice their exam-related tasks. Practice using the tools that came with your class as well as practice exams. For example, if you are using a computer based training course, use the hands-on labs and simulations to practice the tasks. If you're taking an instructor-led IT training class, do the exercises in the workbook or practice on your computer.

Using a practice exam forces you to pay attention to time limits which is just as important as having the skills measured by the exam. After all, if you run out of time and haven't answered a large chunk of questions, you won't likely pass the exam. Force yourself to budget your time by practicing with time limits. Practice exams also help you get comfortable with the types and formats of questions that you will encounter. In addition, practice exam software is a powerful training force in its own right. When you answer a question incorrectly, exam prep software explains why your answer was wrong so that you understand your error and will be better prepared to answer correctly next time. Assessments show you which areas you need to study further before taking the exam. Force yourself once again to practice these areas over and over.

While practicing for your certification exam may be tedious, perhaps even boring, remember the old adage: Practice makes perfect.