Cybersecurity Certification Exam Strategies

I've aced over 13 SANS cyber security certification exams. Here's how you can too. Admittedly, I'm a pretty good test taker. I realize that I've been very fortunate to take so many SANS courses. And not everyone can. But these tips should be able to help anyone pass their next SANS exam! And apply whether you are able to take a SANS course or not. Most of these tips should seem straightforward. But when I talk to someone who has failed an exam, they typically haven't done one or more of these things. 1. Realize that SANS instructors aren't teaching to the exam If you are taking a SANS course, realize that the instructors (mostly) aren't teaching you to pass the exam. The instructors are teaching you the real world content to better protect your environment. 2. Pay attention in class Just because the instructors aren't teaching you to pass the exam, it doesn't mean not to pay attention. Remember - you're taking a SANS course to learn as much information about an area of cyber security in the shortest amount of time. Soak it all in while you can, even if it does feel like drinking from a firehose at times. Use that knowledge to become the best cyber defender you can be. 3. Don't be afraid to ask questions If something doesn't make sense, don't suffer in silence and start to get lost. Ask questions. This is the time to take advantage of being with a SANS instructor whether online and in person. Besides, if you have a questions, chance are someone in the course has the same one too! 4. Read (and re-read) the book The book is the lifeblood of the certification exam. A different group outside of SANS writes the exams so it makes sense that the book is HEAVILY leveraged to do so. Make sure to not only read the book during the course, but go back and read it again. If you haven't taken the SANS course but want to take the exam, study the course syllabus and find books that cover the course topics (as much as possible). 5. Do the labs For the most part these days, you cannot pass a SANS exam without being able to perform the virtual simulations. As long as you do the labs, understand how to perform specific tasks and add relevant commands to your index, you should be good! I haven't had a simulated lab where they tried to trick you. 6. Prepare Your Index Everyone has a different methodology to create an index for the books. And this includes for non-SANS books. If you do not take an official SANS course, make sure to leverage books out there that can help. For example, if taking the GICSP, 'Practical Industrial Cyber Security' by Brooks and Craig Jr. was designed as a study guide for passing the GICSP. I hope these help & good luck on your next SANS exam! P.S. Admittedly, I did get "B's" on three other exams. But who's counting? P.S.S. Have you taken a SANS exam? 🔔 Follow Mike Holcomb for more OT/ICS cybersecurity ♻️ Useful? Share to help others! 📩 Join 5,500+ others on my newsletter - https://lnkd.in/ePTx-Rfw

CISSP Tip 010: these tips apply to any certification exam, not just the CISSP; recognize the physical, not just mental, components to studying and test taking. Here are some suggestions: 1. Don't continue to study when you're struggling, because you're not going to remember much. Stop and take a break, or call it a night, otherwise there's a good chance you're wasting your time. 2. Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam. 3. Spread your studying out, don't try to cram it into the last few days. 4. Review the material for a couple of hours before the exam. A few right answers picked up during this refresh period can put you over the top. 5. It's no joke, make sure you're well hydrated to help your brain work better. 6. If you have a back problem or need to stand up during the exam, the Pearson-Vue site I was at had two single person rooms to stand up without disturbing others. They even had an adjustable stand-up desk! 7. Use the restroom right before taking the exam; the timer doesn't stop for a break, so don't lose time that can be the difference between a pass or fail. 8. Find your peak hours to easily answer questions. I try to book my exam time at 3pm. 8am felt too early, and after 5pm, it felt too late. 9. I stop at Starbucks for a coffee before the exam, it seems to work for me! 10. Try the free ear plugs, they'll help block out exam room distractions. 11. Studying for any certification is a long haul, and can drain your confidence. Watch videos on YouTube from Motivation2Study and Motiversity, they help! Best of luck, you can do it! #CISSP #certification

7 Lessons from Failing a Cybersecurity Certification Exam Some time ago, I took a certification exam, and as you’ve guessed from the title, I failed! But that’s not even the most interesting part. I had prepared extensively: • Watched countless YouTube videos • Used proprietary study materials • Practiced with ChatGPT • Completed tons of practice questions I was ready. Or so I thought. After clicking the final submit button on the exam, I was shocked when I saw the result. I needed just 50 more marks to meet the cut-off. Confused, I went online to dig deeper - and that’s when I realized: The exam had different sections… and I completely missed the final section. I had spent too much time on the earlier parts, thinking I was almost done. I wasn’t. That mistake cost me the pass. I had to shell out another $$, paid for another, wrote it in a week and passed. Here are the lessons I learned the hard way: 🔹 Research the exam format beforehand Know how many sections there are, how questions are distributed, and any time allocations. 🔹 Read the instructions carefully Don’t assume. Read every instruction, even if you’re excited to start. 🔹 Manage your time wisely Watch the clock. Pace yourself through each section, don’t get stuck too early. 🔹 Use elimination techniques If you’re unsure about a question, eliminate wrong options, make your best guess, and move on. 🔹 Mark and review If you’re not sure about an answer, flag it and come back if you have time. 🔹 Stay calm when you see difficult questions Panicking burns time and energy. Stay composed, breathe, and tackle it methodically. 🔹 Remember: exams are strategy + knowledge It’s not just what you know—it’s also how you navigate the test. Failing taught me more about exam strategy than any study material ever could. And if you’re preparing for any cybersecurity exam right now, learn from my mistakes. Share with your network ♻️ Follow me Jonathan Ayodele for more Cybersecurity Career Growth content. I have tons on my profile. #CyberSecurity #CybersecurityCertifications #CybersecurityCareerGrowth

Studying for the Security+ certification can feel like learning a new language. When I started, I knew it wouldn’t be easy—but I set a plan and stuck to it. Here are the steps I took that helped me pass the exam and break into the cybersecurity field: ✅ Step 1: Set the date. I picked an exam date early on to create a sense of urgency. I bought my exam voucher using my .edu email to get the student discount—once that was locked in, there was no turning back. 📚 Step 2: Get the right study materials. I used Get Certified Get Ahead by Darril Gibson as my main resource. I mapped out the chapters and quizzes, then built a study schedule leading up to my test date. 📝 Step 3: Active recall with flashcards. For every chapter I finished, I created flashcards in Anki for key terms, acronyms, and concepts. I reviewed them daily to reinforce what I was learning. 🎧 Step 4: Make use of downtime. I listened to Professor Messer’s videos every morning on my way to work. Repetition and consistent exposure helped everything stick. 🧠 Step 5: Practice, practice, practice. Once I finished the book, I switched to test mode. I took as many practice tests as I could find. Jason Dion’s practice exams on Udemy were a game-changer. I took them daily and reviewed every wrong answer to understand the concepts. 🏁 Step 6: Know when you're ready. Once I consistently scored 80% or higher on practice tests, I knew I was ready. I got a good night’s sleep, ate a solid breakfast, took the exam—and passed! Now I’m in the cybersecurity field, and I just want to say: if I can do it, you can too. 💪 If you’re currently studying for Security+, feel free to reach out or drop a question in the comments. I’m happy to help however I can. #cybersecurity #Tech #certs

🚀 Why I Pursued the CISSP & How I Passed It When I was looking to level up in cybersecurity, one certification kept showing up on every job I wanted: CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and it currently has 11k jobs on Indeed requesting it. At the time, I wasn’t sure if I was ready. But I knew one thing for sure—if I wanted to move into more senior cybersecurity roles, this was the certification that would get me there. 💡 Here’s How I Passed the Exam: 1️⃣ I Used the CCCure Test Engine ran by Rebecca Dupuis – This helped me get familiar with the CISSP exam format and reinforce weak areas. You can check it out here: 🔗 https://cccure.education/ 2️⃣ I Studied My Weak Areas with the Sybex Book – Reading and deep-diving into concepts rather than just memorizing answers was a game-changer. This book was my go-to resource: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gR8GmNzH 3️⃣ I Had the Right People in My Corner – Shoutout to Craig Cunningham, one of the best cybersecurity trainers in the world, for helping me push through the final stretch. (If you're looking for training, he's the real deal.) Also huge shout out to Derrich Phillips, Lead CMMC Certified Assessor (CCA) and Stan Phillips Sr. for the inspiration to study. 4️⃣ Understanding the Exam Format is Key – The test is 50% understanding what the questions are actually asking you and 50% figuring out the best answer out of multiple "correct" answers. CISSP is not just about technical knowledge—it’s about applying security principles in real-world scenarios. ✅ Was It Worth It? Absolutely. The CISSP is still one of the most in-demand certifications in cybersecurity, and it has opened doors I never imagined. It proved that I had both the knowledge and the mindset to operate at a higher level in security. 💡 I can’t reiterate this enough: PRACTICE QUESTIONS ARE THE BEST WAY TO PREPARE. The more questions you work through, the better you'll get at identifying patterns in how the exam is structured. 🗝️ Major Key: The job market is highly competitive right now. If you want to break into cybersecurity or advance your career, certifications like CISSP, CISM, and Security+ can help you stand out. But at the end of the day, your experience and ability to problem-solve are what truly matter. 🔥 Thinking about going for your CISSP? Already certified? Let’s talk—drop your experiences or questions in the comments! #CISSP #CyberSecurity #CareerGrowth #Certification #InfoSec