8 Battle-tested tactics to prepare for resitting a Salesforce Examination
5 min
You studied for weeks, if not months. You scheduled the exam and paid the fee. You crammed extra hard the last 24 hours before the exam. Then you sat through 90 minutes in solitude thinking to yourself, “these are nothing like the questions on Trailhead!” When the clock struck zero and the exam was submitted, there was the dreadful message staring you in the face...
Unfortunately, we regret to inform you...
No need to even finish the rest. There’s no question it can be a deflating moment, but keep your head up! Many of the best in the Salesforce world have failed one, if not multiple, certification exams. The difficulty level of the certification is what makes it so valuable to employers and clients across the planet. This article is for the multitude of Trailblazers, veterans, and Salesforce newbies who have failed an exam, but want to change things the second time around.
1. Welcome to the Club!
In case you haven’t heard, failing an exam is nothing to be ashamed off. As you advance throughout the Salesforce ecosystem, you’ll find that a failed certification exam is practically a badge of honor. While it may not be humorous at the time, looking back we can all get a laugh out of the missed opportunity. And it can be a great source of common ground with fellow admins, developers, and even architects. So dust yourself off, get those motivational juices flowing, and get back to work.
2. Exam Lessons – Part 1
As quickly as you can after the exam, capture a few questions and topics that stumped you the first time through. Of course, it is against the exam rules and bad form to post questions anywhere, so only use this information for your own study. 60 questions are too many to memorize, so focus on 5-10 that got you thinking. You may have gotten some correct, while others were incorrect. Focus on understanding the key principles that were being tested on the question, what the answer should be, and why. Salesforce doesn’t provide results to individual questions, so focus on capturing the important piece of information that was central to the problem.
Salesforce exams legendarily have plenty of questions with two answers that both seem like they could be correct. The best answer may even be a little bit subjective. Try to capture one or two of these type of questions, and discuss the concept with fellow Salesforce vets. They might have experience that sheds light on how to think of the problem. Most admins are not shy about sharing their knowledge and opinions on the topic.
3. Exam Lessons – Part 2
While Salesforce does not provide question-by-question outcomes, they do provide results by section. This can be very useful in focusing on preparing to the second go-around.
There are two factors to look at when breaking down the score by section – the percent correct and the weight of the section to the overall exam. 33% in a section that is only 3 questions won’t provide much opportunity to gain points back, whereas a 50% in 8-question section could swing things quite a bit. Recommend that you still cover all topics, but put more time into larger sections and all sections with lower scores. Just because you scored well in a section, don’t assume you’ll repeat without staying fresh on the topic.
4. Pick a date to re-take the exam and get it on the Calendar!
This is a critical step. Maybe the most important. It is hard to force yourself to sign up again if you’re feeling deflated but there is good news. You don’t have to wait – the first time you fail an exam you can take it again as soon as the next day (assuming availability at the testing center). Even if you’ve failed multiple times, you can take it as soon as 14 days later. Also, as of this writing, the re-take only costs 50% of the original price (normally $200 for the first exam, $100 for the re-take).
Setting a firm date and committing to the payment is an amazing way to instill your resolve that you will pass this time. Plus, once it is booked you are committed to make a study plan and get started. Speaking of which . . .
5. Modify Your Study Plan
Emphasis on “modify”. Not “abandon”. In all likelihood, the preparation for the first attempt included some strong work. As you get ready for the follow-up, it is important to take a different approach. People tend to learn different way. Some prefer to read. Others to like to listen to others present the material. There are visual learners who prefer videos. Of course, hands-on experience. Many individuals focus heavily in the area where they are most comfortable. Now is the time to force yourself to take a different approach.
- In a perfect world, the lead-up to a certification exam would include a mix of the following:
- Trailhead Modules
- Superbadges
- Practice Exams
- Study Group
- Paid Study Prep
- Youtube Videos
- Hands-on Application
- Flash Cards/Quizlets
It may not be realistic to incorporate all of these, especially if you are going to schedule the next attempt sooner rather than later. However, find areas where change it up. If you focused heavily on Trailhead, try to get some hands on in a personal org or developer org (free!). If you studied as a group, try and tackle a Superbadge or two. If you’re no normally a passive learner listening or watching Youtube or other videos, then switch up to Trailhead.
6. Additional Resources (a.k.a. the secret sauce)
All of the aforementioned studying techniques contribute to being well-prepared for the exam. Those items are well known and often used by admins to succeed in getting certified. Some things receive a little less focus than the primary options like Trailhead, Study Groups, and Practice Exams. If there is one under-the-radar option that contributes to success on the exams – especially earlier exams like Platform App Builder or Admin Certification – it is the additional resources linked at the bottom of Trailhead modules.
These links take you out of the Trailhead module and over to Salesforce Help articles. You may also find links to videos, and occasionally third-party articles. Unlike Trailhead, the material is not jazzed up with “real-world” scenarios around Cloud 9 and Ursa Solar. There are no imaginary heroic admins or ever-smiling VP’s. Just cold, hard facts. Unfortunately, that means it’s also a little bland to read through. However, if you can force yourself to go down this rabbit hole, you’ll gain valuable insight.
For all of the benefits of Trailhead, it can be easy to zone out. Following the paint-by-numbers steps is a great way to learn a single topic, but easy to forget when you plow through 37 modules. Multiple choice questions are great to complete the unit, but rarely match the complexity of certification exam questions. The additional resources provide facts, limitations, and other critical details. Capturing these specifics is useful in applying the knowledge to exam scenarios.
Just like Trailhead, videos, and practice questions, this can become cumbersome and counter-productive if done too much. For this reason, mix it up. Complete a Trailhead module, and check out the additional resources right away. Or do a few practice problems, and then go to Salesforce Help to get definitive answers.
7. Build Confidence through Practice Problems
This can be full practice exams, quizzes, quizlets, flashcards (old school!), and even module questions. Expose yourself to as many practice questions as you can. Be careful about the source – everyone has a Certified Salesforce Administrator practice exam now – because they are not all good. Sites like Focus on Force, Terry’s Tidbits, and SalesforceBen are reliable.
Mix up where you are finding the questions, to avoid the trap of memorizing questions rather than understanding the principles behind it. Once you can answer questions and explain why they are the right answers, you’ll build your own confidence to success on game day.
8. Go Earn your Certification
Salesforce Certifications are not easy to achieve. When you think about the time and effort you’ve put in and the vast knowledge you’ve built, passing that exam is a true accomplishment. Aspiring admins often possess a lot more information than they realize. So don’t second-guess yourself when it’s time to take the test.
As you read through each question, first identify what they are really asking. Make sure that your selection directly answers that question. Look at all aspects of the scenario, and weigh how each impacts the potential solution. For those that appear to have two good answers, look back at those little details in the question/scenario that would make one the right . . . or at least the better answer. When you’ve decided on your choice, answer the question and move on, with amnesia about previous questions. Don’t let a lingering doubt about one problem bleed into the next. Answer and move on. There will be time at the end to re-visit the ones that were not slam dunks.
When you’re done, submit the exam with your head held high. If you’ve done the work, eventually the results will follow. Hopefully re-taking the exam ends with the other message from Salesforce, congratulating you for passing the exam. And be proud of that certification . . . because you earned it.
