Are You Certified Yet? Why Not?

What's holding you back from earning that certification? Identify and overcome common hurdles to becoming certified.

By Anne Martinez

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Excuse: I don't know where to get training.
Reality: With just a few minutes of research, you can wipe this particular stumbling block right off the map. Thanks to the Internet, you can find study options for any available certification virtually instantly. Start at the certification vendor's Web site (if they don't have one or it looks terrible, pick a different certification, this is IT after all). There will likely be suggested training there, but don't limit yourself to that; go to an online bookstore and look for self study guides. Buy them new or buy them used (only the most current editions) and save a bundle. Check with your local community colleges for courses, or try our online computer training school finder. In very short order you will see that there are plenty of study options available to you.

Excuse: The study materials are too expensive.
Reality: Basic study materials for an entry level certification are not going to set you back very much, but the higher level or more involved your chosen certification is, or the farther it reaches from your current skill set, the more you can expect to lay out to get the necessary materials. This is an investment in your future that with careful planning will pay off handsomely in the end.

When Peter Gregory, CISA, CISSP, and certification study guide author, hears this concern from his students, he advises them to find a colleague and split the costs of the needed materials and then share the materials back and forth. You can buy a set of official study materials from the organization that offers the certification or purchase new or used books about the certification from online sites such as Amazon.com or Ebay. If you are studying with one other person, you can buy two different books and trade back and forth. You can gradually build up a library of study books that you can use to study for your own exam, and then loan your books to others who want to study for the same certifications later on. Be certain not to make unauthorized copies of materials for sharing though, because that constitutes copyright violation and will disqualify you from the certification before you get a chance to earn it.

You don't have to go it alone. A study group is a great way to stay motivated and keep on track.

Excuse: It's too hard to study by myself.
Reality: You don't have to go it alone. According to Gregory, a study group is a great way to stay motivated and keep on track. Many larger metropolitan areas have study groups that are either independent or associated with a local user group or chapter. He suggests that you contact the organization that sponsors your certification to see if your community has a local chapter that may be sponsoring or know about a study group. If you can't find a study group, consider starting one or asking one of the local chapters to help you start one. You should be able to find an organization that will let a study group meet on their premises, and a local user group or chapter of a larger organization should be able to promote the study group by sending out e-mail announcements about the study group. If you can't find a study group to join live and in person, there may be an online group you can turn up thorough search engines or through a certification Web site.

Remember, you don't have to do the whole thing with self study! Many local community colleges and technical schools offer certification related training that is very affordable and will provide you with structure, hands on access to equipment, and the opportunity to connect with others with the same goal.

Excuse: I'm afraid I will fail the tests.
Reality: For many would be certified pros, this is their biggest fear, that they will invest time, money, and effort to prepare a certification exam and then… fail it. And then the boss gives their job to the intern, colleagues fall on the floor laughing, and the dog moves in with the neighbors. But if you prepare diligently for your exam, the chances are very high you will pass it on the first try and forgo these humiliations. You don't even have to be perfect on many certification tests, you can get quite a few questions wrong and still demonstrate enough expertise to get a passing score. If the worst comes to be and you fail a test, it is really not that big of a deal unless you let it stop you in your tracks. Just regroup, reschedule, and retest, and know that you are far from the first to experience this. Your dog won't really go live with the neighbors, unless they server better dog treats.

If you should fail to achieve a passing score, as soon as you leave the testing center, immediately sit down and create a list of the subjects that gave you difficulty (it's amazing how quickly the details will slip from your mind if you wait until later). Then take a day or three off to relax, reschedule your exam, and have at it again. The most you will be out is the exam fee, and you may not even lose that. Some certification vendors, such as Microsoft, periodically run promotions that allow you to retake the same exam without spending an extra nickel, giving you a free second shot. Even though you probably won't need the do over, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for such promotions when they arise and take advantage of them just in case.

The Time is Now
Whatever has kept you from earning that certification is most likely, well let's face it, an excuse. Earning a certification does take time, effort, and expense, but those are all resources demands that can be met with a little planning. Nobody is suggesting that you rush out and select the most advanced certification out there, lock yourself in the wiring closet and study for the next two years, and emerge as an IT superstar (although you could if you wanted to), but why not take that logical next step? Why not pick an appropriate certification and go for it? Your career is waiting.

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