How to Pass the CCNA Certification Exam the First Time

Working within I.T. for most companies today almost always means at some point you will have to take a certification exam. If you're a network engineer this means you will need to take a Cisco CCNA Certification exam. To take and pass a CCNA exam is not an easy thing. In this article I will layout some tips and suggestions on how you can pass your Cisco CCNA certification exam the first time.

There is usually three reasons why you would need to take a certification exam.

1. Your Employer requires you to take it - this is often need to justify the salary they are paying you and for managers to gauge your expertise level.

2. You want a new job - Many times having a CCNA certification on your resume will help get your foot in the door to a new company and new opportunities.

3. New career choice - You are wanting to start a new career and a certification is a great way to allow you to enter in to a new job field.

Most seasoned I.T. professional are well versed at certification exams. For Cisco there is the CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, and CCIE, plus numerous other exams including Security, Voice and Storage. Other vendors have certification tests as well. These companies include Microsoft, sun, Oracle, Linux, and Novell.

All of these tests are given at a special facility that is designed to administer the tests in a controlled environment. Nothing can be taken into the testing room while you take your test with the exception of two pieces of paper and a pencil provided by the testing center. Tests are delivered to workstations in the testing room that have been downloaded over the internet to the testing center.

Taking these tests can be very unnerving. However, passing these tests can be done by anyone.  You simply need to invest in the study materials and time to get the job down.

The sure fire way to pass these test:

To prepare for a CCNA Certification Exam you should do the following.

Get a Good Study Book

Visit your local bookstore and look through the CCNA study guides. Find a book that is easy for you to read and makes sense. Every author writes differently and can convey technical details differently. You need to find an author that writes in a way that allow you to absorb the material.

Get Practice Exam Software

Next, you need to get a hold of a practice exam. There are many companies today that sell practice exams that will help you prepare for these difficult test. You need to buy a practice test that is focused on your particular exam, for example the CCNA Certification Exam.

Finally, read the book that you purchased once through, highlighting along the way key areas that you may want to come back to later to review.

Then, install your practice test software and take your first practice test. Don't worry you will most likely fail your first time through. Don't get discouraged, everybody does. Most practice test software will come will a bank of about 400 questions or more, each divided in to 4 practice tests. You need to take each practice test 4 times! After the 4th time (you should be passing by now- if now take them again until you do pass) Lastly, take the final practice exam which will be the entire bank of 400 questions.

After this point you are ready to take the real exam. Your head has swollen to a point you didn't believe it could swell to. Pick up the phone and call your local testing center to schedule your exam. Take it as soon as possible.