First up, the basics. What does Amazon AWS Certification mean? AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. With this certification, you will be able to open up doors in careers related to cloud computing.
Introduction
As the leading service provider for cloud computing, AWS is highly sought after and is highly respected by many organizations. With its expanding customer base, AWS hosts a vast variety of products and services. In this article, we will only be covering the broad uses of AWS, so click the following link for more in-depth information about what it takes to get an AWS cert.
So, why should you try to get certification under AWS? Well, there are a lot of ways your certification will come in handy and you will open many doors for yourself in lucrative jobs in the best companies anywhere in the world. This certification is the first essential step to unlocking more options in your career.
By the time you obtain your AWS certificate, you will be equipped with the knowledge of a cloud engineer or a cloud architect. Your newfound expertise will be applicable in various sectors where you may even find yourself working at Amazon Web Services. This addition to your portfolio will definitely make you seem like an asset to many companies.
There is a plethora of information regarding this certification process online. Some websites will say that it is easy to get certified while others are more pessimistic as they might portray the certification process as something that is incredibly hard. We will not sugarcoat it and say that it’s a walk in the park but it sure is not rocket science either. With proper techniques and approaches, you will be able to do well. All you have to do is trust!
With this, let us explore the ways you can achieve your AWS certification!
Plan Your Journey
As mentioned, there is so much information on the internet regarding AWS certification. You need to cut through the clutter and come up with a clear and concrete plan that works for you. Charting out your journey will make things much easier for you and will reduce your likelihood of making mistakes that could prove costly. Your plan should begin at your starting point and end with your end goal in mind. You can also choose to write down your end goal first and work backwards to where you currently are at. The only thing you have to do is to make sure you do not cut any corners.
One AWS certification may not be enough given that this certification process is readily available for everyone. You have to work to prove that your skills are different and will be valuable to a company. Hence, be prepared to invest your time into at least two different certifications.
So what do we recommend? If you already have the experience you can skip right ahead to the Associate Level certification if not, we recommend you start with the AWS Cloud Practitioner. You might also have to support your AWS certification skills with other skills such as skills in Linux, management tools, or other programming languages.
Sourcing For Your Training
As mentioned, there is a lot of clutter. To streamline your process of choosing an AWS training course provider there are a few things you should look out for to avoid wasting your time. Firstly, you would want to do research on what exactly a particular course will be touching. Examine the depth and breadth of the content that will be covered.
You would definitely want a course that strikes a balance. Reading reviews will increase your probability of choosing the right course and you’ll be able to get first-hand feedback on whether the course sufficiently prepares candidates for the certification tests.
Another thing is also making sure that your course is the latest one available. The AWS tests are constantly changing due to the rapid changes in AWS. Again, read student reviews to make sure you are signing up for courses that are still relevant to your examination needs.
While it is important to choose a course that actually covers the content you will be tested on, it is equally important to finding one that is compatible with your learning style.
This will provide you with an added advantage as you’ll be able to learn quickly and understand concepts better. Try to find courses that allow you to have hands-on practice while also providing you with comprehensive notes.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
After understanding everything you need to know, all you have to do is keep practising. The practice tests are well formulated to prepare you for what’s to come on the actual test day. In your plan, make sure to map out sufficient time to practice. Once you set out enough time and stick to your regiment of practising, the real tests will be a breeze for you.
With so many practice tests available out there you might fall into a trap of choosing ones that are not actually helpful. Hence, we recommend looking out for tests that are the same style and tests that pose the same challenge as the real tests. Look out for courses that provide explanations for why you got things wrong or correct and this will help you deepen your understanding.
Once you feel you are ready to book a test, go ahead a book one. It is essential to remember to only go ahead and book a test when you feel like you are ready. Do not rush the process as each test does not come cheap. You do not want to be spending unnecessary money on retests.
Conclusion
While the journey of getting certified might seem daunting, we hope that these tips and tricks help you and give you hope that it is possible to get through this process.
With proper planning and research together with hard work and discipline, you will be able to ace the tests in no time. Remember, there may be a lot of information on the internet but not all of it is what you need or relevant to you.
This is why it is important to break your tasks into smaller ones and do proper research on every aspect to ensure that you pick the right courses and practice tests.
With a certification in cloud services, you will be able to open up so many opportunities for yourself. These skills are the future of many jobs and with these certificates, you are signing yourself up for the future.
Preparing well and doing well in the AWS exams will set you up for advancements in your career and the financial freedom that you aspire for.
