“It ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”
This is one of my favorite movie quotes by Rocky in the movie “Rocky Balboa” when his son admonished him about getting back into the ring to fight Dixon. It echoes in my head, usually when I find myself in difficult situations. Although we would agree that movies aren’t exactly real life, this quote reinforces our call to resilience and fortitude, especially during this period of COVID. For me, one of the difficult things I have been faced with is working a full-time job while continuing my studies.
Completing an undergraduate or master’s studies is a great feat. However, obtaining certifications is an important further sign that one has marketable skills and has demonstrated knowledge of a particular skillset.
Faced with my own personal struggles of preparing for certifications, I did some introspection and outlined some of the root causes of my problems and workarounds. In some cases, I was postponing because I didn’t feel ready enough; in other cases, I was in my comfort zone and was worried about putting in so much effort and failing. Also, it was very easy to blame personal issues – my “workload” or COVID – who hasn’t? So, I decided to write this post for people who have thought of pursuing various certifications, but like me, have not quite stuck to their schedule or goals.
I noted a few pointers that hopefully will offer people like me some respite.
We all know planning is good; but acting on a plan is better
Facta non verba. This Latin phrase which means “actions, not words” is my high school’s motto. Back in high school, I would chant this phrase because it sounded cool. I knew what it meant superficially, but I soon realized how saying “I need to do xyz” wasn’t exactly making me do xyz.
On some occasions, I’ve spoken to colleagues about obtaining additional certifications such as CISM, CISSP or CEH. I have even written these down as part of yearly goals in previous years, only to reach the end of the year and not have achieved any certifications as I had imagined. I realized my problem was that I was not properly breaking down the material I needed to study into a schedule over a reasonable period and consistently acting on it, given that I worked a full-time job. My goals sounded SMART on paper, except that I had not made them attainable. I wanted the certification immediately but undermined the power of little, consistent efforts. Planning can be easy, until you have to consider acting on the plan.
Lessons learned: Break down your study material or schedule into smaller parts with specific tasks highlighted, and earmark desired milestones. Set developmental goals as part of your goal-setting process for the year. Communicate your plans to sit for exams to employers well ahead to ensure that you can get time off work to prepare adequately for your exam.
Find a certification that amplifies your skillset, and pursue it
From my experience as a young professional and from discussions with others who may just be joining the workforce or who might just be finishing their undergraduate studies, there is sometimes a hint of uncertainty about certifications to pursue to help with career advancement.
There are myriad certifications to pursue in various fields, including ISACA’s new Information Technology Certified Associate™ (ITCA™) credential, targeted for rising IT professionals early in their careers. Researching and staying informed on certifications that suit your skillsets or what you envision for yourself is one of the best ways to steer clear of uncertainty. For individuals who may be switching careers or just joining a field and may therefore not have existing skillsets, gathering the insights of more experienced colleagues can be a great start.
Joining professional organizations and networking has also proven to be helpful in my case. Of course ISACA offers what I term as the ‘4 Cs’ – CISA, CISM, CGEIT and CRISC. Newer credentials have added to this group along the years, including CSX-P, CDPSE and the latest ITCA, which helps build one’s foundational IT knowledge and skills. Other organizations such as the EC-Council and (ISC)2 offer a wide range of well-known certifications that equip individuals with e-business and information security skills. CISSP, CEH, CCISO, CHFI are solid options, while organizations like Microsoft and AWS offer specialized cloud platform certifications.
The cost of earning and maintaining such certifications could deter you at the onset, but making the investment now could be worth so much more in the future as we see high-paying roles continuing to open in areas such as information security, data privacy, digital transformation, cloud implementation, and so on.
Lessons learned: Don’t feel overwhelmed by uncertainty. That’s why the knowledge is out there. Seek it, be informed, understand the requirements, the commitments and the long-term benefits of the certifications. Meet with or speak to people who have achieved certifications for courses you are pursuing or have thought of pursuing and ask all the questions you need to ask. Just ensure you do your best to be informed.
Learn from others; don’t compare yourself to them
Comparison is the thief of joy. I recall feeling like I wasn’t doing well enough when I compared myself to friends and colleagues while I overlooked some successes I had achieved. I realized that I failed to consider what I was doing wrong that wasn’t leading me where I wanted to go. For example, I noticed I had some self-discipline, but it wasn’t enough to blur the lines between study time and responding to messages or hopping from one YouTube video to another watching music videos and TED talks. These aren’t bad things to do, but they were taking part of my study time. I needed more discipline.
We all have different experiences in this life continuum. No one has the same life experience regardless of how similar your work schedules or lives may be. The thing about time is that it goes on whether you’re having a busy day or not. So, getting started with your certification is what you need to keep in focus. It’s not about the speed with which you get certifications, it’s about moving forward.
Instead of drawing comparisons, seek healthier options such as learning from colleagues’ certification experiences or finding a stickler. A stickler is someone who can hold you accountable to your study plan and overall goals. This could be someone who is pursuing the same certification as you or a mentor.
Lessons learned: Take some time for introspection and identify what your distractions are. Make a list of your distractions and be conscious about avoiding them. Don’t compare; instead engage and seek accountability.
Study, practice and play
In a TED talk given by Douglas Barton, founder of Elevate Education, Barton mentions that research conducted by his organization revealed that people who achieved success in examinations or top-scoring students weren’t just aiming to work hard. They also made sure they had the right technique. Although this research used students as the population, in my opinion, the results of the research run in parallel with any kind of study situation – even if you’re working full time.
His research pointed out that IQ wasn’t the main determinant for acing examinations. In fact, IQ played a less important role when compared to qualities such as self-discipline, self-motivation and resilience. Also, top performers weren’t just people with high IQs, they were people who had dedicated time to solving practice questions because examiners are not testing how much you can remember, but how you can use what you remember. So, you don’t need to worry about having a high enough IQ to pursue certifications. Also, don’t get complacent if you feel you’re smart enough because multiple-choice questions can humble you.
For young professionals who may be working full-time jobs, we often get so consumed by work that we forget what play feels like. Preparing a study schedule that revolves around play is more serious than it sounds. The pressures of work can put us in serious mode 24/7, and having a study schedule that includes non-study or non-work activities can enliven you and provide the refresh you need to revisit your studies. After all, like the genius Albert Einstein said, play is the highest form of research. I would gladly follow the advice of a genius.
Lessons learned: Don’t overestimate the importance of IQ. Making time to study, practicing questions and including play/non-study activities in your schedule is a great combination that can help you achieve success as you pursue certifications.
Celebrate progress; but don’t get comfortable
Coming to terms with the reality that you could flunk a paper can be discouraging. So, some celebration while preparing and after you’ve achieved success is in order.
Landing a job is one of the best feelings after you’ve completed undergraduate or master’s studies. But, completing certifications tells a story about your desire to continually improve yourself and not remain complacent. Your certification badges are the easiest way to tell employers that you’re someone that is dedicated to expanding your knowledge and skillset without saying too much about it (facta non verba).
Believing that you can achieve is the most important thing in the pursuit of certifications, especially when it starts to get tough. For me, believing means acting on your plan, pursuing a certification that amplifies your skills, learning from others, studying, practicing and playing.
