The PRINCE2® and ITIL® 4 Foundation exams are very important, often considered a must have rather than just a nice to have and essential in many organisations. In this article you will find some tips to help you prepare for these two exams.
Take a training course and book the exam with an accredited body
The training courses provided by an ATO – Accredited Training Organisation are officially recognized by PeopleCert on behalf of Axelos. This guarantees you will be supervised by an accredited trainer and study from approved, high quality preparation material. Having the confidence to prepare with the full, official syllabus and take tests that reflect what the exam questions will be, is a great advantage.
It is equally important to ensure that you book your examination with an ATO – only then will you be assured of the validity and international recognition of your certification.
Inform yourself before taking the course
Familiarizing yourself with the terminology and topics before starting the course can help you understand and memorize concepts more quickly and effectively. For this reason, reading articles and background information prior to the course is highly recommended for all professionals. Being familiar with practical activities does not always mean that you have a solid theoretical knowledge, so starting to familiarize yourself with the concepts prior to the course can be helpful.
Take notes
Although this may seem like excessive advice, notes will be of great help when you study to clarify the key concepts and to break down the trainer’s explanation.
Obviously, the more detailed your notes are, the more room there will be for in-depth study. This will help you answer even the most difficult questions during the exam.
Think of real examples
During the course the trainer will use some real-life examples to explain the concepts in a practical way. However, it is essential that you also try to relate the topics to some real situations that are part of your daily life.
Doing so will help you memorize and understand the concepts faster and more effectively, and will be especially useful after having obtained the certification to apply the framework in your day-to-day tasks.
Pay attention to all participants’ questions
Whether you participate in a course with colleagues from your company (and therefore work in the same environment) or with professionals from different organisations, all questions and answers from the trainer can help you to understand and better memorize the concepts or take away possible doubts and misunderstandings.
Take mock exams
All comprehensive tests and mock exams are essential tools to help you assess your knowledge and become familiar with the exam format.
Time yourself when you take a mock exam: this is very important as it helps you understand how to manage your time and will prove vital on exam day.
Do not wait too long to take the exam
It’s normal that you may feel nervous, but it is advisable to take the exam within two weeks after completing the course, as the success rate decreases gradually.
Take a few days to study and assimilate the concepts, but try to give yourself a deadline to book your exam session and stick to it.
If you don’t know how the exams are structured, we have gathered all the key features and information in two articles:
All training courses provided by QRP International are accredited by PeopleCert on behalf of Axelos. If you would like to attend an accredited training course, please see our PRINCE2 Foundation and ITIL 4 Foundation course calendar or write us!