Overview
There are millions (don’t quote me on that) of courses and certifications available within he IT and Cyber Security realm with new ones popping up just as frequently as the sun rises. No matter the certification, applying a study methodology I find is an essential piece in not only successfully obtaining the titled certification, but actually understanding the material and being able to practically apply it and build on the information that you learn. Some may have a tried and true method for approaching certification exams and some may still be searching for guidance on how to proceed, which is why I’ve dropped this post. This is how I personally approach exams and if it can help just a single person, im over the deathstar!
Routine
Routine is essential to effectively learn and study, until such time that we can all download the course material directly into our built-in brain SD cards (please Elon Musk). This is how I break it down.
Daily
Schedule: Schedule yourself time throughout the day that is dedicated solely to study! I sectioned my learning plan into chapters and topics, scheduling 1-2hrs per day, Monday-Friday, to cover that said chapter/topic. It doesn’t have to be in full blocks, 20mins here and 30mins there until you can get that section complete.
Isolation: Be in the ZONE! Headphones on, noise cancelling to max and let your partner know that this time is dedicated to study and focus. Set your calendar to remind you 15mins prior to your scheduled study allotment to prepare yourself and others around you. It’s not an excuse to get out of housework, believe me i’ve tried.
Method: The method in which I prefer is to firstly read the topic material from the physical book or transcript if the course is delivered through video. Have a notebook or live document (I use Atlassian Confluence which has a free hosted tier. Having it in the cloud allows you to access it via you phone when away from the computer!) at the ready and bullet point notes of interest, nothing extreme and write them in your own understanding. The day after covering a topic is the day you get into the video material, watch the corresponding sections for the material you read, return to the notes to add any additional context or diagrams. Rinse and repeat for things that you cannot confidently describe in your own way.
Weekly
Monday: I hate them, I use Mondays to schedule my week, add calendar entries for the specific topics/chapters you aim to cover throughout the week ahead. Review the previous weeks learning outcomes. If the material your studying has practice quizzes or knowledge assessments this is the day to attempt them.
Rest of the Week: See Daily, and repeat.
Exam Week (7 days out)
- Planning: You should not be finishing a first pass of reading 7 days prior to sitting the exam. Plan your schedule to give yourself a spare week before the exam date. During this spare week, don’t over-do it! Have some time off, drown your partner or pet or parents or friends with the topics you’ve learnt and how it can benefit them in everyday situations, they’ll love it!
- Practice Exams: My strategy has always been to conduct a practice exam the day after finishing the course material, learn from your failings the during this initial attempt and put in some additional research (by research I mean consult Mr. Google). As for a second practice exam, do it the day before your exam, works a charm!
- Stress: Honestly, stress will be your downfall. It’s only a certification exam, take a breath! if you’re unsuccessful, you re-sit it… Nothing is stopping you!