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karlkovacs

How Using Illegal Practice Exams can be a Career Ending Experience [Commentary]

facepalm (blog).pngAt some point in your HPE certification journey, you will need to sit an HPE exam. To some people, exams are a terrifying experience. Brain freeze, forgetting everything, sweaty palms, and knowing that if you fail, you may be the subject of ridicule from your peers. There are also people who would rather memorize all the exam questions and answers. This leads people to cheating, such as looking for exam dumps, buying 3rd party exam preparation guides, and even asking those for questions and answers. Seems like a quick way to prepare for an exam, but the risks outweigh the benefits of these tactics.

Donโ€™t get Cheated by Cheat Sites (Websites selling exams)

You get what you pay for. In the case of cheat sites, you are buying old information or even incorrect information. Donโ€™t waste your time or money on a product Hewlett Packard Enterprise doesnโ€™t support and in fact considers cheating.

You really donโ€™t know what you are buying. You are also giving these websites your personal information. We can tell you the exams you are paying for are not legitimate study material (read your candidate agreement) <link to agreement>. At the end of the day, these sites have taken your money and youโ€™re left with content that is worthless.

Donโ€™t Use Practice Exams

People tell me they want an exam simulation to get a feel for what itโ€™s like taking the real exam. I can tell you from experience, sitting at home with all the questions and answers is not even close to the real deal. When you walk into a Pearson VUE test center, all eyes are on you. Even before you sit down for the exam, someone will have verified your identity, taken any electronics from you, and verified you are who you say you are.

You cannot simulate this at home with an exam purchased off the Internet.

How Accurate are These Exams?

We receive many complaints from candidates whoโ€™ve failed the same exam 3 or 4 times. They insist there are wrong answers in our exams and something must be wrong with the test. The reality is they have wasted a lot of time and money with nothing to show for it but wasted time and money. Each proctored exam is $200, plus the money spent on the cheat site exam and time spent memorizing it. Theyโ€™ve wasted their money, given away their personal information, and have put their career at risk.

Whatโ€™s Really at Risk?

Testing vendors, including HPE are fully aware of cheat sites. We continually and actively patrol for our stolen intellectual property. We have methods to identify candidates who rely on cheat sites. If you have used (or are thinking of using) exam cheat sites, think again. HPE can and will revoke your certifications, and ban you from our program. Donโ€™t even accept material from a friend who may have purchased one of these exams! if you lose your certifications you may jeopardize your employers partner compliance. This could be devastating to the partner as well as to them personally.

Cheating is also a violation of the HPE Certification and Learning terms and conditions.. HPE has revoked partnersโ€™ status as a certified learner for violating our terms and conditions.

Why Risk Losing Your Personal Reputation?

I can tell you from personal experience what itโ€™s like working with someone who used practice exams to achieve a certification. They memorized all the questions and answers, passed the exams (after several attempts), and are now out working for a partner. They have no practical knowledge or skills. Co-workers, employers, and customers will see this in the quality of their work. Losing your job, personal reputation, and a career in IT isnโ€™t worth the price of taking a short-cut to certification.

The Right Way to Study

HPE exams test skills and competency, not memorization. If you canโ€™t afford formal training, ask if someone in your company has taken the training. Mentorship is a fantastic way to expand skills and competencies. This is how I achieved several certifications. I borrowed courseware, studied, and shadowed my mentor.

Today, HPE provides learning plans, online training, self-study guides (HPE Press), and EPGs (exam preparation guides). Both HPE Press self-study guides and EPGs have sample questions and answers. Download an EPG to see practice questions.

โ€œDownload and read the entire EPG before planning a study strategyโ€

HPE exams are designed to assess whether you can successfully perform the tasks required in the identified job role. A certification exam tests both the knowledge developed from your past practical experience, and topics covered by multiple training courses.

EPGs are available for every certification exam. These guides describe the content, type of exam, required experience, exam topics, number of questions, and list the score you must achieve to pass. Many guides specify recommended HPE training, references, and additional study materials. HPE highly recommends that you use these additional materials to prepare, since the content they include may be covered on the exam.

All questions and comments are welcome below. Exam specific questions are forwarded to the exam team.

Do you have any comments or suggestions you give to people preparing for exams? We would appreciate your feedback!

 

 

 


Thank you,

Karl Kovacs
About the Author

karlkovacs

20+ years in IT, including data center architect, pre-sales engineer, certification development, and management. Currently working as a Product Marketing Manager with HPE Storage Networking. Passion for technology, gadgets, and the outdoors. Always looking for ways to blend them together in one big adventure.

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