Blog :: IT Certification as a Shared Vocabulary
I taught a student in class recently who had some interesting thoughts on certification that I wanted to share with you.
View ArticleBlog :: Microsoft Candidates: Please take Exam 70-620 ASAP
I have spoken elsewhere in this space about my firm conviction that Microsoft Exam 70-620, TS: Windows Vista, Configuring, is an embarrassingly easy test. Allow me to make a case for your taking this...
View ArticleBlog :: On Becoming a VMware Certified Professional (VCP)
Server virtualization is an extremely hot technology nowadays. From a business analyst’s perspective, virtualization by using a product such as VMware ESX Server is a no-brainer: "You mean that we can...
View ArticleBlog :: The Elevator Pitch and the T-Letter
Fortunately, I have done well historically in handling job interviews, from initial inquiry through responding to a job offer. However, many of my industry friends and associates...shall we...
View ArticleBlog :: IT Certification, the Chicken, and the Egg
Here is the scenario: you are new to IT, and by virtue of your aptitude, passion, and hard work, you have earned some IT certification credentials and have begun the process of finding a job. However,...
View ArticleBlog :: CISSP Certification Overview
Among vendor-neutral IT security certifications, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) program represents a gold standard in the field, even earning the ANSI ISO/IEC Standard...
View ArticleBlog :: How to Find the Right Training Center for You
Instructor-led training (ILT) is no small investment. A typical five-day technical training course can run upwards of $3,000 or more. If you are searching for a computer training center to help you...
View ArticleBlog :: Certification Options for SharePoint Professionals
Have any of you noticed how hot SharePoint products and technologies have become over the past year or so. According to industry sources, sales of SharePoint will top $1 billion this year alone. For...
View ArticleBlog :: Yeah, But Do You Actually ENJOY Doing IT?
I have known many men and women over my 11 years in IT who decided, either by choice or by force of circumstance, to change from their existing career field to information technology (IT). Some of...
View ArticleBlog :: On the New Cisco CCNA Concentrations
This is hot off the proverbial presses: in keeping with recent industry trends among IT certification vendors to offer specializations for their mainline credentials, Cisco announced three new...
View ArticleBlog :: The TIA Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP) Certification
Have you ever terminated a Category 5e or Category 6 Ethernet cable? If so, then you are doubtless familiar with the TIA/EIA-568B telecommunications cabling standard. The TIA in the aforementioned...
View ArticleBlog :: An Introduction to Safari Books Online
Full disclosure: although I am an employee of Pearson Technology Group, I was a paid subscriber of Safari Books Online for a number of years prior to my full-time appointment with PTG. Therefore, the...
View ArticleBlog :: On Becoming a VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX)
You might remember my May 2008 InformIT blog post entitled "On Becoming a VMware Certified Professional (VCP)." In that essay I described why I think that VMware certification is important and how you...
View ArticleBlog :: Test-Taking Skills 101: Time Management
Hello there. This is the first of a multi-part series in which I share with you practical test-taking strategies that you can leverage to great effect in your pursuit of your next IT certification goal.
View ArticleBlog :: Test-Taking Skills 101: Case Study Items
In my experience as a technical trainer and IT certification coach, case study items tend to strike fear into the hearts of most test-takers. In this essay I will explain why I think this is the case,...
View ArticleBlog :: Test-Taking Skills 101: Interactive Items
Hello there. Many IT certification vendors sprinkle interactive items in addition to conventional multiple-choice items in their exams. In this essay I will provide you with targeted advice on how to...
View ArticleBlog :: Test-Taking Skills 101: Global Strategies
In this post we will consider some 'meta' exam strategies that are not tied to any particular item type.
View ArticleBlog :: Real-World Experience: Another Chicken or the Egg Question
Newcomers to IT generally face a daunting "chicken or the egg" question: in order to get hired for your first IT position, you must possess a predetermined amount of industry experience. However, in...
View ArticleBlog :: Test-Taking Skills 101: Multiple-Choice Item Strategies
Because Single Answer Multiple Choice (SAMC) and Multiple Answer Multiple Choice (MAMC) items comprise the vast majority of IT certification exams available nowadays, it makes sense for us to address...
View ArticleBlog :: Test-Taking Skills 101: Multiple-Choice Item Strategies, Part 2
In my last installment of this series, I shared with you some general tactics for approaching multiple-choice items in IT certification exams. In this essay I will provide you with some more specific...
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