My Certification Journey started with this Certification, fresh out of college working in "The GIS" Company and mostly doing analysis of the data. There was an opportunity to get a marginal increment out of our Fresher Salary, we three Classmates turned colleagues pursued this Journey in 2015. Good Thing, We had a guide, which helped to cover a lot of our basic.

When a lot of our experienced colleagues were planning tactfully for the freshly introduced certifications, we 3 prepared by using only two weapons old but best:

1. ArcGIS Desktop Help Documentation (which you get by pressing F1)

2. ArcGIS Desktop Associate Exam guide

We set a date after 3 months and started preparing, another group study as students. We had prepared a list of questions that can come based on the sample examination and drilled each other with quizzes. After 2 months we felt comfortable but feared to pay and book a date. Because $250 + taxes for an exam is more than our final year college fee.

At last, we came to a strategy, at first one person will appear for the exam every consecutive weekend, The duty of the first person is to:

• Prepare harder than everyone, with 2 hours of practice every day for last week

• Try to remember and note down all the questions when getting out of the exam

• If failed, the fee will be covered by all three together

Since my friends thought I am the most prepared of the team and willing to gamble for $250, I appeared first as a 9-month experienced GIS Analyst with 3 months of preparation. With fear, I went to the Pearson Vue exam centre and did my examination. The exam was:

1. Difficult - the most difficult I appeared till today, next to my Engineering MAthametics

2. Confusing - all answers looked alike and seemed correct

3. Less Timed - I needed at least 10 more minutes to close the Questions I marked as later

Once I got out of the hall as promised to my friends I took a notes, but mostly couln't recall. And I thought I would definetly won't clear.

We are supposed to get the result three days later, so didn't worried and slept. But arount 2:00 AM in the morning I got the result and once I opened the web page I had passed. A miracle..

But we kept it as a secret and didn't conveyed to our office, Next week another friend did and he also cleared. 3rd week the remaining person attended but failed and cleared in next attempt.

When we disclosed the certification success on the same day to all of our office, we were helmed like heroes, who achieved what a seasoned proffessional couln't. Miraculasouly everyone was able to clear the exam in coming months because if 1 year experienced Trainee can do it, they can alsot do it.

We broke the fear.

That is what this exam is all about. Having a plan (maybe stupid) and proceeding without showing fear has helped to gave a boost to my carrier.

Note: I didn't want to make us look like heros, but a set of simpletens who were able to crack a simple exam with plan. As we can anyone can..