0
0
Are you preparing to take the Salesforce Admin 201 exam in the near future?
Do you have your exam booked and now worrying if you will be ready?
Are you googling “how to pass the Salesforce Admin exam” and finding forums where others are counting their unsuccessful attempts and commenting on how hard it is?
If your answers are Yes, Yes and Yes, then you are in the right place, because I was there myself too.
I was seeking comfort from blogs that I searched for, however I found the majority of them came to the same conclusion that its a pretty tough exam and it was commonly known for test takers to experience an unsuccessful attempt. In some ways the conclusion is accurate. It is a tough exam in one sense but also easy in another, although I would prefer to describe it as a well written exam that seeks to test your comprehension of the materials covered.
What’s so hard about it?
Its hard because its not your traditional abstract multiple choice exam assessing only your ability to recall information. It is clear that Salesforce invested a lot of thought into developing the assessment and formulated questions that were scenario based that would test your understanding of various platform concepts in combination with your problem solving and decision making skills. Furthermore, as we all know, problems tend to have more than one solution and the exam will likewise present you with more than one correct solution, and this is how the exam can become challenging because you will be required to determine which solution is best practice to score for each question. We’ll talk a little more about this in Part 2 of this series.
What’s so easy about it?
From another perspective the exam is fairly easy (& enjoyable) if you know a little more than just the fact that certain platform products or tools exist, and you understand:
- What it does?
- How to use it?
- Why you would use it?
- When you would use it?
- and importantly knowing its limitations as well as its impact(s)
What better way to know this than getting your hands dirty by signing up for a free Developers org and putting theory into practice.
How to prepare like a boss!
Despite already working as a Salesforce Administrator, I still experienced some mild anxieties about taking the exam. Having a clear strategy was what made a difference. Following through with my plan lead to me feeling completely ready and in fact eager to take the exam. Test day I showed up early and went for it…then I did it…I passed…first time!!!
Here’s how I did it?
3’s the magic number
The three resources below served as a powerful combination that boosted my confidence and lead to my enthusiasm for taking the exam:
1. Certification Guide & Certification Trail Mix
Read the certification guide several times as this sets the expectations for the exam and will help you determine the best way for you to prepare. From the guide you will understand the exam format, what you will be expected to know and see examples of how the questions will be phrased. You will also find a link to the official Certification Trailmix covering the essentials.
2. Take the Official Salesforce Admin Practice Exam
Most test takers already use Trailhead as the go to place to prepare, but most don’t consider or are perhaps not aware of the official Salesforce Practice exam.
Unlike many of the unofficial mock exams that are available online for free, the official practice exam does carry a fee of $20 USD. However its the most representative of the actual exam than the vast number of practice questions available online. Who else can simulate the exam better than its very own provider!
Just like the real exam there are 60 questions and it is time based at 105 minutes. What better way to get an indication of how you will perform under exam conditions!
At the end of the exam you will be presented with a break down of your performance from which you can identify areas for improvement and focus more on those areas leading up to the big day. This was my practice exam:
Womp Womp!!
Best to get the failure out the way now in the practice exam now than on the exam day. This failed attempt only cost me $20 instead of $200. From here I could use my time wisely concentrating on my less knowledgable areas.
Preparation tip: Already know an admin expert? Why not discuss your practice exam questions with others within your network and as always in the success community.
3. Certified on Demand course
Last but certainly not least, I used the Certified on Demand Admin course to supplement my learning from the Trailheads and to encourage my hands on practice. For me it was a major contributor towards my success in passing first time due to the following reasons:
The materials are closely aligned with the Official Certification Study Guide, it literally addresses each objective listed in the Exam guide.
The content is well articulated and structured – each section adheres to the following structure
- Learning objectives
- Training videos – here the author starts with demonstrating a specific use case from a users perspective, followed by delving deeper into how the solution was developed step by step and discussing any considerations.
- Exam style questions – the sections are wrapped up with practice exam questions along with explanations for each answer as to why they are either correct, incorrect or correct but not the best solution. Very useful for those tricky questions.
Finally the content is up to date as the author makes frequent updates, and is very responsive to feedback given by students and implements those changes. He is also active in the comment sections, so you could reach out to him if you have any further questions.
Now, the course does come with a price tag of $50 USD (lifetime access) but a worthwhile investment. Enrolling on the course and taking the practice exam may set you back $70 USD, however its cheaper than the exam retake fee and saves you the heart aches that many have experience failing first attempt.
I promise you working through this simple strategy will dissolve any anxieties and transform them into eagerness for sitting the exam. I hope this will help you just the way it had helped me. Now go and get what’s yours!
I’d love to hear from you. Connect with me & tell me how well your preparation is going
In part 2 of this series I will talk about the strategy I used on the exam day.
Awesome post..looking forward for part 2. Thanks in advance.