In the last article, we explained why it is good to get certified and also introduced how you can start. In this article, we will introduce a few good tips and tricks.
Important at the beginning to identify the right certification for you depending on a few things. First thing is to review what is the right certification for your role or what you currently need to learn. Also, the question is what is industry-recognized certification in your field of expertise? You can find some good articles describing which certs are in high demand.
From a cloud and data perspective, I would recommend you pursue Azure, AWS, Snowflake, ITIL, and TOGAF certifications. You can check my LinkedIn profile if you need some inspiration.
Here are some good websites I can recommend to start:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/azure/ – Azure cloud labs
https://www.microsoft.com/cs-cz/trainingdays – Azure training days
https://www.examtopics.com/ – exam topics and expert discussion to those topics
https://www.snowflake.com/about/events/ – Snowflake events
https://www.wherescape.com/events/ – WhereScape events, labs training
https://www.bettercallgeorge.eu/blog/ – my blog
If you are considering getting to know Microsoft Azure, I would recommend attending Azure training days. If you register and attend, you can then take the Microsoft Azure certification exam at no cost. Check the event description to find more information about this option.
If your employer is using some technology such as Azure or AWS for example, you might be eligible to get a free exam voucher as well. It is definitely worth asking your manager.
Entry-level certifications are good and useful for two reasons. The first reason is to get foundations on how technology works which can be good for less technical roles or for technical roles which are starting to migrate to that technology. The second reason is to get to know how certification exam works so you are then ready for more advanced exams. This foundational knowledge will then help you as well.
To get ready for advanced certification, I recommend getting a video course to understand the basics and then learn documentation and questions. Ideally, it is good to combine this effort with practice either on the project or using labs.