Ask HN: Failing Certifications
4 years ago I failed the Comptia Network+ twice, then gave up. Now, this past two months I've failed the AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals twice. I feel I study alot and really understand the material. I just cant pass these certifications. It really gets me down and demotivates me from studying more. Anyone else stuggle with these and how did you overcome this?
4 comments
I am not sure if I am weird or not, but I study for these rote learning (Where you learn and just remember, no research allowed, no referring official documentation, nothing, just learn and answer) certifications a little differently than for the practical ones.
-- I find reputed practice exams, for AWS TutorialsDojo is reputed on, similarly there would be something for Azure, I am sure.
-- Try 1-2 practice exams after my initial study, and see where I stand. Go through all the answers and their explanations and understand if my understanding of the concept is right or not. If not, take quick-short-to-the-point-notes about that one particular thing and move on.
-- Study notes, and fill the gaps, and give tests again. Repeat
After a certain iterations of this, you'll see pattern emerging in at least practice tests. These certifications rely on you knowing "A VERY PARTICULAR THING ABOUT X TECH, WHICH THEY MADE". So study the exams in this fashion, and once you are prepared with all the key-notes, sit for a final test exam and see where you stand.
At least this works for me, I am not sure how you actually learn you content, but a suggestion.
-- I find reputed practice exams, for AWS TutorialsDojo is reputed on, similarly there would be something for Azure, I am sure.
-- Try 1-2 practice exams after my initial study, and see where I stand. Go through all the answers and their explanations and understand if my understanding of the concept is right or not. If not, take quick-short-to-the-point-notes about that one particular thing and move on.
-- Study notes, and fill the gaps, and give tests again. Repeat
After a certain iterations of this, you'll see pattern emerging in at least practice tests. These certifications rely on you knowing "A VERY PARTICULAR THING ABOUT X TECH, WHICH THEY MADE". So study the exams in this fashion, and once you are prepared with all the key-notes, sit for a final test exam and see where you stand.
At least this works for me, I am not sure how you actually learn you content, but a suggestion.
Are you using any kind of practice exams? If so, how are you doing on those ahead of the actual exam? In my experience with certification tests (and I have a few, including A+, Network+, Security+, SCJP, AWS Certified Solution Architect, etc.) the practice questions are usually easier than the real exam. I like to study and practice until I can basically score 100% (or very close) on the practice exams, multiple times. Only then will I go sit for the real exam.
Just to illustrate, when I took that AWS exam about 2 years ago, even studying to that level, the actual exam felt hard. I was honestly unsure if I'd passed or not, right up until the moment I clicked the "submit" button. It turns out I did pass comfortably, but if I'd slacked off on my studying at all, compared to what I actually did, I would likely have failed.
So yeah... my take is, make sure you have access to some quality practice tests (lots of certifications have plenty of practice exams on Udemy), take them over and over again, and don't go for the real test until the practice tests are downright easy. If you do that and still fail... erm, I dunno. Maybe visit a doctor and see if you have an underlying medical condition like ADHD or something else that could affect your test taking?
Just to illustrate, when I took that AWS exam about 2 years ago, even studying to that level, the actual exam felt hard. I was honestly unsure if I'd passed or not, right up until the moment I clicked the "submit" button. It turns out I did pass comfortably, but if I'd slacked off on my studying at all, compared to what I actually did, I would likely have failed.
So yeah... my take is, make sure you have access to some quality practice tests (lots of certifications have plenty of practice exams on Udemy), take them over and over again, and don't go for the real test until the practice tests are downright easy. If you do that and still fail... erm, I dunno. Maybe visit a doctor and see if you have an underlying medical condition like ADHD or something else that could affect your test taking?
I took the PMI PMP cert about 15 yrs ago. Cert tests are so hard for me. I zero in on the wrong answers. Meanwhile, my wife can do much as walk by me when I have the book open and she has the page memorized A WEEK LATER.
But my wife forced me to take the many PMI PMP flow charts and make copies of them. Then whiteout the text and make thirty copies of them. Then I had to wirk at filling in the blank flowcharts with the material I had to memorize.
It worked great.
How are you studying? I ask in good faith.