Jeff Kish on LinkedIn: Did you know we can use failure to help us obtain certifications? My… (2024)

The "grass is greener" mentality is a sure-fire way to sabotage our own studying efforts.I've heard from many learners, especially those who have recently failed an exam, who doubt their approach to studying. It goes something like this - "I adopted XYZ study method/vendor/content, but I failed the exam so now I'm going to completely change strategies."Rather than abandon course, evaluate what went wrong and identify specific ways to correct it:1) What technologies and topics do I need to improve upon?2) Is my current strategy sufficient for this?3) If not, what do I need to do to get there?Failing an exam means one thing - we weren't ready to pass it. Pretending that a different approach would magically give me a pass (grass is greener mindset) ignores the key issue, which is that I have room for improvement. Perhaps it's easier to blame the process than to critically evaluate my own progress?Don't get me wrong, there's a place for re-evaluating your approach to studying after failing an exam. But this should be the exception and not the rule. In most cases, we just need to dig a little deeper on specific topics.Have you ever failed an exam and been tempted to start over with a new process? Let me know your thoughts!

24

8 Comments

Happy Friday everyone! Let's finish the week on a strong note 💪

55

2 Comments

CCNP-DC: DCIT (Data Center Troubleshooting) training is live! If you want to dive DEEP into data center technology, this course is for you.Between DCCOR, DCID, and now DCIT courses - CBT Nuggets is the absolute best resource for data center video training content on the web. Go check it out!

28

3 Comments

Spine-leaf data center architectures in 5 minutes? Let's do some Thursday chalkboarding!I've been recording Cisco ACI content this week and so I've had spine-leaf on the brain. Spine-leaf is the modern architecture for medium/large-scale data centers, with the goal of eliminating STP and increasing our ability to scale.Click the video to learn more!

266

26 Comments

Study rhythms are a crucial part of moving forward in IT.For those who want to push forward to higher roles, higher responsibilities, and higher salaries, then study time is always going to be a part of our lives 📖 But we aren't machines, and we can't study all the time - both for our own mental sanity and also for those in our lives (or spouses, significant others, kids, and friends would like us to show our faces still!) 👨👩👧👦 There are a few aspects to this:1) When actively studying for a certification, we need to find times of the week to take a break. For example, make Friday nights or Sunday mornings off limits - that kind of schedule is important to keep us and our loved ones going strong.2) When passing a cert, it's tempting to jump right into the next one. Don't do it! Take an intentional break, be it for a week or month, to give yourself time to absorb the knowledge you just studied and refresh.3) Likewise, it's important to keep moving forward. If it's been a while since passing a cert, why not look around and see what's available?I personally aim to pass 2-3 certs a year. When I pass a test I aim to take at least a month off. If I haven't passed a cert in a year, I start looking around! It's a rhythm that has worked well for me, but everyone needs to find their own. 🕗 What study rhythm works for you?

464

36 Comments

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm recording some ThousandEyes content today 💪 Let me know what you're up to, and have a great start to your weekend!

160

13 Comments

There can be a real "chicken and egg" problem in the IT industry. I just attended Cisco Live, and the number of new technologies is mind blowing! 🤯 But how do I get experience with new tech when I can't get a role that has access to it, especially when job listings require experience with it in order to access it?This is a question I regularly get from learners, and the scenario seems grim. Fortunately, there are some real solutions that we can consider.1) Get certified! Yes, it's possible to get certified in a technology even if we lack access to it. Use as many learning resources as possible to become proficient enough to pass an exam that shows you know the technology at a fundamental level.2) Network! With people! The "people" kind of networking can go a long way to providing opportunities. Join LinkedIn groups and Discord servers to chat with others in the industry, both to learn from them and to demonstrate a desire for growth. You never know what opportunities may arise - I've seen many get hired into big roles this way.3) Apply anyway! I've been responsible for technical hires, and one thing I can guarantee is that there is never a perfect candidate. In fact, businesses must often hire someone who isn't completely qualified for a role. During the interview, emphasize your desire to learn and grow in the new technology. I loved hiring candidates with a growth-mindset, even if their current skills weren't up to the desired level.Whether it's HyperFabric, SDA, SD-WAN, ACI, DevNet, ThousandEyes, or any number of other technologies - if you want to grow in that direction, there's almost always a path to get there.Have you experienced a road block like this? Let me know what you did!#ThursdayThoughts

265

13 Comments