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Recent Articles |
Exam Day Tips
As you get ready to pass the CCNA or CCNP exams, you can feel quite a bit of stress
as you enter your last week of study. Let's take a look at a few ways to reduce
that stress.
Passing The CCNA and CCNP Exams: Cisco Home Lab FAQ
There is a real revolution today among CCNA and CCNP candidates. More and more
of you are turning your back on "router simulators" and putting your
own CCNA and/or CCNP Home Lab together, which is the best way to totally prepare
to pass these tough Cisco exams.
Keeping Calm On Exam Day
When you wake up on exam day, one of two things is going to happen. Well, yes,
you're going to pass or fail. But what I'm thinking of comes before that, and
has a lot to do with how you perform on exam day.
The Future Of IT Certification Exams
The format and difficulty of computer certification exams is constantly changing.
When I took my first certification exam (Novell NetWare 3.1x CNA, January 1997),
there was no such thing as a simulator question, and my practical skills really
were not tested. The exams then were much heavier on memorization.
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11.04.05
Certification Vs. Experience
 By Chris Bryant
Whether you're just starting your Information Technology career,
or wanting to get further ahead in your current IT career, you have probably thought
about earning one of the many popular computer certifications such as the Cisco
Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification, or the MCSE (Microsoft Certified
Systems Engineer) cert.
A major point of frustration for individuals pursuing one of these certifications
is a possible lack of experience with these technologies. Many future CCNAs or
MCSEs simply stop trying to earn their certification, feeling that their lack
of experience will hold them back.
Adding to this are those in IT who will stop everything they're doing at the drop
of a hat to stomp on the dreams of others. I recently saw a post by an IT newcomer
on a popular website where he declared his intention of earning his CCNA. Within
minutes, several naysayers popped up and told him that he shouldn't bother, it
wouldn't do any good due to his lack of experience, etc. (Did you ever notice
that people who bash certifications generally don't have any themselves?)
I am in no way discounting the importance of experience. What I am saying is that
every single one of us was a beginner at one point, and a lot of IT professionals
forget this. None of us was born knowing everything we know today, and we shouldn't
spend any time dismissing the goals of others in the IT field, or those just breaking
in.
I am speaking from experience on this point. I had a tough time breaking into
the IT field, and made a lot of calls and knocked on a lot of doors before I got
in. I found out later that the reason I got that entry-level job is that I had
a professional certification where the other candidates did not.
The pursuit of certification is the pursuit of knowledge, and in our field, you
can never have too much knowledge. If your work is strictly on the Local Area
Network side, don't let that stop you from pursuing a CCNA. If you work exclusively
on the WAN side, don't let that stop you from going after your MCSE. If you're
just breaking into Information Technology, don't let a lack of experience prevent
you from studying for your A+, Network+, or even your MCSE or CCNA.
Because one day, opportunity is going to knock - and the more you know, the readier
you'll be to answer that knock! Use your long-range vision to envision the day
when you will have both experience and certification - an unbeatable combination.
Whether you're starting or jumpstarting your IT career, the "certification vs.
experience" question is going to come up. Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, tells you
how to get the best of both worlds.
About the Author:
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (www.thebryantadvantage.com),
home of FREE CCNA and CCNP tutorials and The Ultimate CCNA Study Package. (CCNP
Study Packages are on the way!) Video courses and training, binary and subnetting
help, FREE tutorials, and corporate training are also available.
For a FREE copy of my latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" or "How To Pass The
CCNP", send a request to chris@thebryantadvantage.com
today ! |
