CCIE Routing & Switching: Pain and gain

Certification: Cisco CCIE Routing and Switching - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Routing and Switching

Achieving a professional certification is never an easy process. CCIE R & S is one of the toughest of all certifications in the information technology. Some people are discouraged along the way and quit altogether. Others sit for the exam, and the fail several times before finally passing. The CCIE Routing and Switching certification has a number of challenges that may be painful to the candidates but once an individual achieves the certification, he or she identifies the benefits of the certification.

The Pain of CCIE Routing and Switching

You will be surprised to realize the number of individuals who come close to giving up on their journey to achieving the CCIE R & S certification. For one, the content that you have to cover before sitting for the exam is huge. You have to sacrifice your time into your studies. You will realize that you change your schedule to study. You might cut off family and friends or neglect your passions just to study.

How would you feel after all this sacrifice and yet you fail the exam? It is painful especially if you had given your best. How about the finances spent on the exam? You lose the money paid for the exam because you end up gaining nothing.

Suppose you sit for the same exam several times and repeatedly fail? Some people sit for the exam and keep on failing for up to eight times. If it happens to you, you might end up with strained relationships between you and your family as well as between you and your friends. In addition, you will have spent a fortune on the exam yet gain nothing. It would be more painful if you travel long distances to sit for the exam. The money you spent travelling may add up to astronomical figures that direly affect your financial status.

Another issue that hurts those who struggle to gain the certification is that they might not end up working with Cisco. For some professionals who hold the CCIE R & S certificate, they initially worked with Cisco network but in recent times, they are working with other networks such as Juniper and Arista. It therefore implies that although they had to study a wealth of information under the CCIE R & S program, they no longer apply this knowledge. It is painful to dedicate so many hours studying and never having the opportunity to utilize the knowledge you have gathered by making huge sacrifices.

The Gain of CCIE Routing and Switching

Although you will encounter some challenges in your quest for the CCIE R & S certification, you will have attained something worth of pride. Attaining the certification requires perseverance and long hours of study. While studying for the exam, you will learn more than what the exams test. You will learn skills such as planning skills, time management and problem-solving skills. Those who have successfully attained the certification claim that the experience changed their lives. They claim that the experience is more valuable that the certification itself. In the process of achieving the certification, an individual has to understand many concepts in depth. They also gain so much hands-on experience through the practice lab sessions they undertake in preparation for the CCIE R & S lab exam.

Other than gaining the above skills, an individual stands a better chance in securing employment with huge enterprises not only in his or her region, but also in other parts of the world. The holder of the certificate gains recognition among his peers and is in a position to pocket a lucrative salary accompanied by several other benefits.

The certification also enables an individual to work and interact with expert professional in the field. One gets exposure to a network of professionals, which is a gain for his profile and influence in his company. Furthermore, the certification is the golden standard in the field because it is only achievable through perseverance and hard work. It not only says how knowledgeable you are in the field but also how committed and dedicated you are to your work.

What should you do to increase the gains and reduce the pain?

You reduce the pain by proper preparation for the exam. Other than studying all the time, you should make a study plan that is convenient for you. You should consider other aspects of your life such as relationship with family and friends. In addition, you should have all the material required for the program. Follow an exam guide or blueprint. Also, do a lot of practice questions and lab sessions to sharpen your skills and build confidence in your capability.

If you sit for the exam and fail, do not panic! Take the opportunity to note your weak areas and your strong areas. Pay particular attention to your weak areas by reading material covering the areas as well as doing more practice questions covering your weak areas.

Remember that in spite of passing the CCIE R & S written exam, you will never acquire certification until you pass the CCIE R & S lab exam. When you pass the written paper, do not relax and assume that you will pass the lab exam as well. The lab exam is tricky because you have to manage your time. Therefore, practice the lab sessions by placing strict time limits that you strive to maintain. It will increase your speed in troubleshooting and configuration—the two main sections of the lab exam.

With the tips above, you stand to pass the exam at the fewest possible attempts. You are therefore less likely to suffer frustrations of failing the exam. If you do pass the exam after the fewest possible attempts, you have more to celebrate about than hurt!

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