With an increasing number of businesses and organization moving their IT operations to the cloud, it is natural that it has sparked off a good demand for technically qualified cloud professionals. With Amazon Web Services being the undisputed leader of the pack of cloud services companies, there is a lot of interest in acquiring one of the several AWS certifications. According to Statista, the global cloud computing services market in 2019 was 253 billion U.S. dollars.
Is AWS Certification Worth It?
An AWS certification requires hard work and dedication to acquire but offers many benefits. The first and foremost is that you can use it not only to expand your skill-set to cover something that is in demand but also to leverage it to differentiate your resume from others applying for the same position. Also, with an AWS certification, you can expect a significant salary bump and open up many opportunities of pursuing a fulfilling and lucrative IT career. An increasing number of businesses and organization moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud is also looking for professionals with AWS certifications. The certification also makes networking with the cloud fraternity easier and because of the need for periodic recertification; you also tend to be more aware of the latest trends and development in the industry.
Preparing For the AWS Certification
Regardless of whether you are giving the exam for the first time or seeking recertification, you need to be work hard and systematically to ace the test. Some of the top things you can do include:
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Review the AWS exam guide
The exam guides will give you an idea of what the exam covers, the type of questions, and the kind of experience you should have. By reading the exam guide, you will be able to know which AWS certification is best aligned to your profile and experience.
Undergo AWS training
There are many options for both in-person and online training for learning AWS concepts. These range from simple overviews held over a day to more advanced courses over multiple days. In addition to domain knowledge, you will also know how to interpret the questions, apply the learned concepts, and allocate the available study time properly. It is more of exam readiness training, not in-depth exam preparation.
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Enroll for an AWS Get Certified Virtual Exam Readiness course
AWS offers several free webinars covering exam readiness, including content in the form of walk-through of typical questions for specific AWS certification exams. These will enable you to understand why certain answers are correct or incorrect. You also have the opportunity to ask questions to an instructor.
Take a practice exam
AWS offers practice tests for almost all certifications. By undertaking them, you can find out how you perform in an environment similar to the actual test conditions. You also get a report that you can use to prepare to cover your gaps.
Conclusion
There is little doubt that acquiring an AWS certification can do wonders for your IT career. By preparing well, you will be better placed to succeed in the certification exam that validates your domain expertise.