Obtaining my CCNA and CCNA Security certifications were pivotal highlights in my IT career. The CCNA, which I obtained in November of 2010, thrust me into a contractor position with a significant pay raise after a six-month career hiatus. I obtained the CCNA Security certification shortly thereafter. That career move helped justify a $3/hr pay raise a couple months later and showed the company that I was serious about my position at the time. However, one of the more amazing things I learned while getting that CCNA Security certification is that it could be done in 30 days or less, even while working full-time and having ADHD.
Before I continue, let me clarify that some exams in the IT world require multiple exams before obtaining certification. For example, the CCNA certification can be achieved with either one exam or two (CCENT/ICND1 and ICND2), which is easier for some people. In situations like these, I think it’s more accurate to allocate thirty days per exam, not per certification. Not that you couldn’t study and take two or four exams within the same month, but it’s incredibly unrealistic for most professionals in the field. You’d have to either possess a lot of free time or really leverage some accelerated learning techniques, which I’ll briefly cover later.
“So, how’d I do it?” you’re wondering. How’d I manage to stay focused with ADHD (before I was diagnosed, mind you), a full-time job, and the demands of a serious relationship with my girlfriend (at the time)? Well, I did some research, collecting from some of the top learning experts out there, and came up with a general pre-exam strategy that saves time, keeps you on track, and basically streamlines the process. It goes something like this:
Step 1 – Figure out your Mission
What’s your reason for wanting this certification? Is it for a promotion or new job? Would that promotion or new job benefit you personally or your family? Is it out of pure interest? What is your ultimate outcome?
Step 2 – Get the Goods
When collecting materials for your exam, look for condensed exam-specific material that matches your learning style. There are three traditional learning styles: visual, auditory, and tactile, which you can learn more about here. This will ensure you get the minimum effective information while utilizing a delivery mechanism that will sustain your interest. If you have ADHD, try using multiple learning styles to keep things interesting. I’m primarily a visual-tactile learner, so I use a combination of reading, videos, and hands-on simulation (GNS3) to study.
Find out your learning style here: http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm
Step 3 – Plan your Time
Once you have your materials, take an inventory of your free time each week and allocate study time where you can, working backward from your exam date. For example: If you have an exam prep book that’s twenty chapters long, you could allocate an hour each day to read one chapter for the next twenty days. Make sure to leave some buffer time in your schedule to account for the unknown. Also, make sure to reflect these chunks of time in a calendar, whether it’s a physical desk calendar or your Google one.
Step 4 – Book the Exam
This is a very important step. Once you book the exam, it’s set in stone. You now have a deadline and can feel the pressure as each day passes. This will help to prevent slacking off and keep you focused on the goal ahead. Now’s also a good time to tell your buddies to establish a bit of accountability. ADHDers often need that external pressure to ensure they’ll follow-through.
Step 5 – Study using the Minimum Effective Dose (MED)
After everything is scheduled and your exam is booked, it’s time to start studying. Start and end your sessions as planned. Take 10-minute breaks for every 50 minutes you study to prevent burnout. Put yourself in a study-conducive environment with minimal distractions and make sure you’re in a positive mindset before each session. While studying, focus only on the information you need to know (MED) and take advantage of accelerated learning techniques like mnemonics, spacial repetition systems, and encoding. This will speed up the learning process.
For more information about accelerated learning, watch Tim Ferriss’ awesome video on accelerated learning techniques.
Step 6 – Take the Exam
Make sure your twenty four hours prior to exam day is spent only on review. If you’re still trying to learn new material at this point, you’re probably not ready and should definitely consider rescheduling if the test center permits. Other than that, make sure you eat light and stay hydrated with the hours leading up to the exam. Go in with a positive mindset for success.
Once you pass the exam, take some time to reward yourself, and then follow through with your “why.” If you needed it for a job promotion, request one. If you needed it for new job, apply for one. Post-exam is also a good time to go back and dig into any sub-topics of your exam, review your knowledge, and put it all to good use.
There are a number of ways to enhance the learning process, especially if you have ADD or ADHD. They include moderate exercise, proper nutrition and sufficient sleep, vitamins/supplements, a good nootropic, and total immersion (like a boot camp), just to name a few.
Today, I have a beautiful baby daughter, a house to maintain, a fantastic blog, and an awesome full-time work-from-home job making over six-figures. All that makes time management for certifications much more difficult. However, most entry and mid-level certs can still be obtained with minimal time investment over the course of a month. Expert-level certs, like the CCIE, will obviously take a little longer, but still significantly less time than blindly going for them without a strategy. In fact, I’ve noticed that, without a strategy, many professionals won’t even make it to exam day.
Do you have a certification in mind or an exam coming up soon? Do you have a major “why” for wanting it? If you answered “yes” to both of those, make it your New Year’s resolution to complete it in the next 30 days. Let us know what you’re striving for and tell us how you did!
