An IT career comes with unique advantages. It has the potential for fantastic growth, it pays well, and it doesn’t require a pricey four-year degree to get started. It’s the best of all worlds.
If you’re positioning yourself for a profitable career in IT, getting specialized IT certifications will get you on the path toward the future you want. Of course, preparing for those certification exams is a challenge. A focused bootcamp is the ideal way to get the knowledge and skills you need, so get your bootcamp started and follow these tips to boost your chances for getting your certification.
Choose Your IT Networking Bootcamp Wisely
Not all IT bootcamps are created equal. Some are only designed to give you general background knowledge. If you have your sights set on a specific certification like the CompTIA Net+ for example, you want a bootcamp that is designed to help you pass that exam.
The ICOHS Net+ bootcamp, is led by instructors who know the Net+ certification exam like the backs of their hands. They’re well-versed not only in IT networking skills like network configuration, network security, and TCP/IP protocols, but also in the exam itself and the types of questions you can expect. They focus on training you for both the certification exam and for your future career in networking.
Make sure that bootcamp is also offered by a known and respected institution, ideally one that specializes in IT or has long-established IT education programs. Your knowledge will only be as strong as the instructors who are giving it to you, so you need a well-designed bootcamp with instructors who know the material well.
Do The Prep Work
You don’t have to wait for your bootcamp to start to do the work. Look up the subjects and course material and familiarize yourself with it before the program begins. That way, when those concepts come up in class, then, they’ll already ring a bell so you won’t be starting from scratch.
Choose a Lab-Focused Program
Certification exams like the CompTIA Net+ don’t just have multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge of concepts and systems. They also have performance-based questions that require you to solve a problem or complete a task during the exam itself.
For instance, you may be asked to troubleshoot a particular problem or error within a simulated network. Or, you could be asked to configure a network based on the technical needs of a hypothetical team.
The only way to prepare for these types of questions is to get plenty of hands-on experience practicing your skills. To give yourself that advantage, opt for an IT networking bootcamp that emphasizes lab work and practical experience rather than just bookwork.
Don’t Be Shy
In the field of IT, even more than in many other fields, concepts and skills will build on each other. If you’re struggling with one chapter or skill and you’re unable to master it, it could come back to bite you when you need to use that skill or knowledge in a future lesson.
For instance, perhaps you’re having a hard time understanding the essentials of how servers work and how they interact with other devices. You’ll need that knowledge to be able to troubleshoot problems and identify why a particular networking error might be happening, so if you don’t get a firm grasp on servers and their interactions the first time around, they’ll keep coming back to haunt you.
Because all these concepts are so intertwined, it’s important that if you don’t understand something during the course of your IT networking bootcamp, you ask your instructor. Don’t simply gloss over it and move on. Your instructor is there as a resource for you, so don’t pass up the opportunity and risk failing your certification exam.
Do Extra Credit
Your bootcamp is designed to teach you everything you need to know to pass your certification exam. That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to pick up on all the skills and knowledge you need during your coursework, though.
You never know for certain what questions will be on your certification exam or how they’ll be asked, so the best way to prepare is to practice as much as possible. Look up practice questions and practice scenarios for your exam online, for example. They won’t be the exact questions that are on the test, of course, but they’ll give you a feel for the phrasing, format, and material you can expect on the exam.
Preparing for Your CompTIA Net+ Certification
Choosing specialized IT networking certifications like the CompTIA Net+ over a four-year degree is a more efficient and cost-effective way to launch your new career, but those certifications still take plenty of studying, learning, and practicing before you master the skills you’ll need. An IT bootcamp is the ideal way to fast-track your career and get ready for your certification exam.
To get started, sign up for our IT networking bootcamp or learn more about what our bootcamp has to offer.
