Certification testing happens all the time in our industry. Certifications come and go and technology changes. There are two things that remain constant. The pursuit of knowledge and higher learning, and passing/not passing. The pursuit of knowledge is what differentiates you from others in your field. The constant drive to know why and to do your job to the best of your ability. The passing/not passing simply means if you know enough required for a vendor to lend their authority to certify a knowledge set.
Today I sat my JNCIS-ENT exam ( my review of the exam itself will follow) and unfortunately I did not pass. It was a rather silly event that changed my studies to ENT. I got my course codes mixed up and booked ENT instead of SEC. I gave it a red-hot go and had 12 days to learn a new field in which I had spent 6 weeks on SEC alone.
I do not like to use the word fail too much. I like to determine an unsuccessful attempt as NOT PASS. If you look at fail or failure in the dictionary this is what it states.
fail /fāl/ Verb Be unsuccessful in achieving one's goal: "he failed in his attempt to secure election"
To be unsuccessful in achieving ones goal. My goal is to acquire certifications on the path to becoming a network architect. Along the way, it is the journey that defines me. If I do not pass an exam, I believe I only fail by not attempting it again. If I let it defeat me, I avoid it, put it off, it is then I fail.
When I walk into an exam room I generally break out in sweats, my heart races, and I get the shakes. No matter the exam, place, time, or knowledge level. That will never change. My attitude towards exams will never change. The only thing that will change is that next time, it will not be a NOT PASS on my screen, but a PASS.
Good Luck next time bud 🙂
Well said!