Good news! If you hold the ITIL Practitioner Service Desk, Incident and Problem Management certificate you can use it towards 3.5 credits in the current ITIL Credit program. To get your credits you will need to register and upload your certificate in the PeopleCert system so PeopleCert can review it and apply the credit.

When it comes to the ITIL Foundation exam, students–especially those with experience–often think that they can take the sample exams and then sit for the exam and pass.  While that may be true for some, it is not true for everyone.  The ITIL Foundation course establishes the basis upon which all advanced ITIL courses and certifications are built.  It is full of facts and details which you need to master in order to pass the exam.  Sample Exams are just that, sample exams.  They are not the actual test.  They are created by AXELOS and distributed by PeopleCert for students to test their knowledge.  They do not guarantee success.  In order to guarantee success you have to study.  Master the facts.  Know them.  And be able to apply them in the exam.

While it is true that ITIL Foundation has the highest pass rate of all the ITIL Exams, in the 92 to 94% range, 6 to 8% of the people who take the exam will not pass.  While 6 to 8% seems like a small number, take a look at some eye opening statistics:

• Over 200,000 people take the exam each year
• 12,000 to 16,000 people who take the exam will fail.
• Failure costs $4 to $5.58 million dollars a year ($349/voucher)

How to Pass Your ITIL Foundation Exam the First Time

No one ever likes to hear this, but the answer is you MUST study.   For Foundation taking an accredited course is not required, but it is highly recommended.  Why?  Because you know that you are learning everything you need to know.  Accredited Training Providers cannot offer courses that have not been reviewed and approved.

If you are taking a live course, come prepared.  Do some advance study and then be ready with questions for the instructor.  Make the very best use of their time.  If you are taking a self-paced course, repeat and rewind until you master the concepts.  Do all the course exercises and take the sample exams.  Remember – Sample Exams are just that, a sample.  They were created by AXELOS and are the official exam samples.  You can search the internet for other materials to learn and test your knowledge, but ultimately, you must know the content to pass the exam.

Important Self-Paced Course Features

• Make sure the course is accredited
• Make sure you can watch the course as many times as needed
• Make sure you have access to the instructor to ask questions
• Make sure the provider includes a Training Plan
• Make sure the instructor gives you Exam Tips

If you have questions on exam prices, need to get more ITIL Training  or would like to purchase exam vouchers, contact us customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446.

Group Discounts on courses and exams are available for groups of 5 or more.  If you have a group to train, contact us at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at 877.546.4446.

Since our last update on ITIL Exam Prices PeopleCert has finalized their 2018 prices as follows:

• ITIL Foundation Exams went from $233 to $349
• ITIL Intermediate Exams and MALC went from $330 to $399
• ITIL Practitioner Exams went from $356 to $496

 How to Save on your ITIL Exam Fees

All GogoTraining Members receive 10% off their ITIL Exam Fees and exams may be purchase on the site.  In addition, larger discounts are available when exam vouchers are purchase in bulk.  If you have questions on exam prices, need to get more ITIL Training  or would like to purchase exam vouchers, contact us customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446.

Group Discounts on courses and exams are available for groups of 5 or more.  If you have a group to train, contact us at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at 877.546.4446

By Guest Author Adrian Bates

Hello, my name is Adrian Bates and I have utilized GogoTraining to acquire three ITIL certifications: ITIL Foundations; ITIL Release Control and Validation Intermediate; and Planning Process and Optimization Intermediate Certification.

Here are a couple of tips and tricks that I use to identify what information is critical to absorb during training. Additionally, I listed a couple of tips that have helped me prepare for an exam.

Tip 1:

Prior to taking the training, I briefly reviewed the “Example Exams” within the module. I tended to focus on the “Question Rationale” portion of the test exam. This explains the reasoning behind how it was determined what the best answer is for each question.  There is an area within the question and rationale titled “Bloom’s Taxonomy Testing Level”. This portion explains what the candidate is expected to understand. This tends to help me during training as key parts of the course tend to stand out as critical pieces of information when reflecting on the example exams.

Tip 2:

Another key piece of information that assists with passing the exams is understanding the functional roles and responsibilities of each process. Each scenario speaks to a specific process and generally asks that you align the process or manager role accordingly.  If you have a fundamental understanding of the Capacity, Availability, Demand, Continuity processes etc…, you will have a higher chance of answering the question correctly.

Tip 3:

The last tip I have is that you thoroughly read the question being asked. Every scenario presents a challenge or obstacle that has to be overcome. Close attention must be paid to what question is being asked. For example, the question may ask something along the lines like; what is the best “approach” to create a successful continuity plan that addresses the issues listed by the Information Security Officer. The answers will vary, some of the answers are known as “distracters”. For example, one of the answers might illustrate a plan. The plan will sound great and may be best way to solve the issue. Keep in mind, you were not asked to solve the problem.  You were asked to assess the best way to approach the problem, and to create a plan that in the end will address the issues.  Again, it is very important that you read the question being asked slowly and to answer it as direct as possible.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my tips and tricks! My goal is to achieve ITIL expert and I have found this technique to be very helpful.  I have passed every exam on the first try and I strongly recommend GogoTraining when preparing for your exams.  Their training material is a great asset. The cost, accessibility to the site, support and training, in my opinion all receive good marks. You will realize this when you take the exam.

As many of you know PEOPLECERT was chosen by AXELOS to be the only Accredited ITIL Exam Institute as of January 1, 2018.  This means that effective January 1, 2018 the only organization that is authorized to provide ITIL Exams will be PEOPLECERT.  In preparation for this changeover GogoTraining became a PEOPLECERT Accredited Training Organization earlier this year.

2018 ITIL Exam Price Increase

We were recently informed that PEOPLECERT is increasing exam prices as of January 1, 2018.  Exam vouchers purchased in 2017 will not be valid for use in 2018.

Here is what we know so far:

• The Foundations exams are going from $233 to $295
• Intermediate exams and MALC expected to go from $330 to $345
• Practitioner is expected to go from $356 to $395

If you have questions on exam prices, need to get more ITIL Training  or would like to purchase exam vouchers, contact us customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at877.546.4446.

Group Discounts on courses and exams are available for groups of 5 or more.  If you have a group to train, contact us at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at877.546.4446

By Guest Author Bassomo Romaric

Background

I am Bassomo Serge Romaric, Cameroonian, 30 years old and I am Telecommunication engineer. I started my career 8 years ago in IT mostly around Storage (EMC), Virtualization (VMware), Network (CISCO, Fortinet). Service Operation is my bread and butter everyday job.

Why I wanted to achieve ITIL Certification

I was hired one year ago, in our National Telco Company. In my previous work experience, I knew about ITIL, but I was not feeling the necessity to learn more. It is when I changed my previous company that I discovered the power of ITIL and the desire to learn more. In fact in my current company we have poor user satisfaction, bad reputation in delivering services to customer, project are delivered over-cost, over-time, quality is declining, many incidents …. Etc. We have some good guys in IT, CCIE, Oracle Expert, Microsoft expert but nothing runs as expected. We have no ITSM initiative at all, we are only focused on technology and not how IT creates value to business. This is why I decided to achieve ITIL certification.

Research of training provider

I passed my foundation exam in May 2015, I decided to look at the requirements of expert track. I have two options taking classroom exam or online class. Classroom was my preferred option because for me it is interactive. But when it comes to math :

1 – Lifecycle = 5 exams at $2000 each + 1 MALC exam at $3000 = $13 000

2 – Capability = 4 exams at $2500 each + 1 MALC exam at $3000 = $15 500

And I have to add travel fee because at the time there were no accredited training provider for intermediate courses (capability) in my country or nearby. It was too expensive for me. And my company only invests in tech certification for engineers. So my project was stalled.

At the beginning of 2016, I take my project out of the bag and I begin investigations for the online option. My first step was to have a short list of accredited training provider from EXIN. I checked the website of every training provider, also checked the background of the trainer on LinkedIn.  I choose GogoTraining because of the trainer Dr Suzanne Van Hove. I knew her ISO 20 000 with Lynda.com so I was very comfortable with the quality. And after I stay because GOGO people are very responsive.  And also very very important the price structure is very flexible you can buy access for 1 year, six months … etc depending on your time and budget. During my journey, I discover GOGO staff, they are very kind and always available.  When you send an email you have feedback immediately.

My exam technique

First of all the course is clear. Dr Suzanne is a great trainer. With GOGO you do two things at same time, you train for ITIL course and you have some great experience sharing with Dr Suzanne. She shares some tips of how to handle some cases in real life. Her Capability courses are simply excellent.

How I used the material

• First I take one day off (Sunday) to listen all the videos about 8 hours. I skipped the exercises and sample questions.
• Afterward, I read the Book in particular order (Chap 1, 9 , 2, 3, 4, 5; 6; 7 , 8). There are scenario highlights when you are reading the book that refer to some real case company. There are so helpful and increase understanding. This is the first and most helpful sample question.
• Third step use this process model to verify if I have the understanding of a particular process.

• After my reading,  I did the exercises.
• Next, I viewed videos for the second time.
• I read ITIL pocket book
• 1 days before the exam I do sample exam question and I review the topics where I was weak.
• The day of the exam I read the enlarged slide and the video 01 Exams tips.

My scores

I passed all my exams the first time!!!

Foundation: 100%

Capability: SOA 90% , PPO 78%, RCV 95%

Lifecycle: SS 75%, SD 85% , ST 75%

Editor’s Note: We congratulate and thank Bossomo & all of our students who have learned so much and brought their skills to the ITIL Community! Well done!!

Despite innovations, disruptions, and rapid changes, IT is one industry that continues to survive and thrive

Contrary to popular misconceptions, the information technology sector is flourishing and will continue to employ skilled workers in large numbers. Factors like automation and new technologies only open new opportunities for your IT career path.

Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics, scientific advancements like space exploration and medical procedures, provide tremendous opportunities for IT experts.

For IT professionals in the US who are scared of outsourcing, fear not! Most of the outsourced jobs are mundane, repetitive jobs which will be automated sooner or later.

However, the innovative IT jobs are on the rise. In addition, there are numerous opportunities for someone who is a tech wizard.

If you’re interested in knowing what an IT professional’s career path looks like, keep reading….

It’s difficult but interesting

Working in the IT industry is not a cakewalk. But then, nor is it in any other industry!

If you have an affinity for technology and enjoy working on new complex challenges, the IT industry is for you.

You might have heard numerous stories of IT professionals who work day and night in their offices without even the time to go home just for a few hours.

It’s true. There are times when they have to slog and stretch. However, what most of the people ignore is the fact that a large number of people in this industry are highly passionate about their job. They enjoy their work more than anything else, which is the reason for their sustainability and growth despite the work pressure.

Working in the IT industry lets you apply your analytical mind, logic, and creativity.

If you want to become a successful IT professional, you must have passion, persistence and stamina.  If you do, success will be yours.

Career paths in the IT industry

Information technology is a vast industry with 100s of specialties. Some are discussed here:

Database Administrator

Big Data’s a revolution. Every enterprise generates massive volumes of data through its customer interactions, which is needed for analytics. This is where a DBA plays a key role.

Graphic Design

It’s where the creativity meets technology. If you’re a skilled artist, becoming a graphic designer is the right career for you.

Video Game Developer and Tester

Advancements in technology and graphic designing have made video games more sophisticated than ever. There’s tremendous scope as a games developer or tester.

Animator

Animators get to show their skills to a far greater extent now than ever. From animated movies to live action films, and advertisements and games, animation offers tremendous scope.

IT Security

The advancements in IT have also increased the threats. Viruses and malware are pretty common, and there’s always a requirement for more skilled IT security professionals to deal with the threats.

Programming and Coding

Coding shall never be out of the fashion. Most of the top entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg started out as coders. There’s immense scope in this field.

Project Manager

This comes as an advanced career path once you’ve moved up the ladder in the IT industry. As a project manager, you get to manage people and entire projects.

Conclusion

IT industry continues to offer significant scope for those who are willing to work hard and smart. Learn IT courses and programming languages online to move one step ahead towards building an exciting career in the IT industry.  If you’re looking to begin a new career, browse our course catalog and see how easy it is to get started in an IT career.

GogoTraining conducted a webinar on Mar 15, where Dr. Suzanne Van Hove discussed several nuances of ITIL Practitioner. She explained in detail about the ITIL Practitioner course, the concepts of IT Service Management, and why you need the Practitioner. She also answered some frequently asked questions related to ITIL Practitioner.

Key takeaways from the seminar:

1. Students will need to understand the following terms & concepts:
   1. What is Adopt & Adapt
   2. Service Value,
   3. Who is or can be the Customer
   4. What is Effective vs. Efficient,
   5. VOCR (Value, Outcome, Costs, Risks)
2. The importance of Communication, Metrics and Organizational Change Management to the Service Management consultant
3. The need for and use of an improvement framework

A Peek Inside the ITIL Practitioner Exam

Passing the ITIL Practitioner exam is all about applying the concepts. 70-80% of the questions in the ITIL exam are application-based while remaining are based on theories. Thus, you should spend a majority of your preparation time (70-80%) on doing exercises to strengthen your ability to apply theoretical knowledge.

Most of the exercises in ITIL Practitioner training are based on case studies. There will be a fictitious company and a hypothetical situation. You need to apply the ITIL concepts and identify key elements in order to implement the proper solution within the given situational context.   Only through the proper implementation of the concepts can you solve the problems correctly.

The ITIL Practitioner course has several advantages such as helping you gain practical skills, boosting your self-confidence and teaching you about the environment in which Service Management decisions are made within an organization. The course also helps you become an internal or external specialist and utilize the skills learned to provide expert professional advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Are exam questions similar to the exercises in the course?

Answer: No. The exercises are designed to reinforce the principles. Since the exam questions are based on a particular case, you need to have a tremendous understanding of the concepts and their applications to answer them. However, practicing the exercises will help you do better in the final exam.

Question:  When can I take the ITIL Practitioner

Answer:  ITIL Foundation is mandatory for taking ITIL Practitioner exam. Also, it is recommended that you should take at least take one or two intermediate classes before attempting ITIL Practitioner so that you develop the understanding of the context and critical ITSM concepts.

Question:  How difficult would it be for experienced ITSM professionals if they take the Practitioner exam without undergoing a training program?

Answer: It will be difficult as it uses a specific language and you need to write ITIL Practitioner exam in a particular atmosphere. So, you will need to study the course extensively and familiarize yourself with all the core concepts before taking the exam.

Question: How much studying do I need to pass the exam?

Answer: It depends on the individual. There are many concepts which are subtle while others are quite dynamic. You need to read the course text thoroughly and practice the activities given in the book.  If you have done the ITIL CSI intermediate course, it will help you in the Practitioner exam preparation. You may also highlight the key concepts in the book so that you can refer to them quickly during the exam.

Question: Should I take any particular Intermediate Class before attempting the ITIL Practitioner exam?

Answer: It would be good to take one or two intermediate courses before you take ITIL Practitioner.  If you have not taken any we recommend CSI or Service Strategy.

Question: How is ITIL Practitioner different from ITIL Expert?

Answer: ITIL Expert is very different from ITIL Practitioner regarding content as well the context. The Expert doesn’t deal with the soft skills and still requires you to memorize the concepts even though it is more practical than the Intermediates. ITIL Practitioner is more hands-on and based on your application of concepts in different contexts.

Conclusion

You need ITIL Practitioner so that you learn the skills necessary to lead an Adopt & Adapt initiative within your organization. ITIL Practitioner is significantly different from the other ITIL courses as in the Practitioner your focus is not on memorizing new knowledge but, synthesizing what you already have and applying it to real-life situations.  Active participation in course exercises, as well as focused study, will be critical to pass this difficult exam.

If you have any questions to Dr. Van Hove, please send them to customerservice@gogotraining.com.

Average annual compensation for software developers and system engineers in the USA is around $104,500. A career in the IT sector not only offers a handsome salary and tremendous learning opportunities but it also provides a global exposure. The demand for digital tools and services is growing across all industries in the USA which is driving the growth in employment in Information Technology sector.  There is no better time than today to build a sound career in the IT industry!

Here are your 5 Steps to Landing a Job in the IT Industry

1.) Learn a Programming Language

To develop a career in the IT sector, you need to learn a programming language or a particular IT skill. Join an online course and gain mastery over any programming language or related skill set. Check out the applications and specialized software programs that are powered by the language you are learning. Try to work on as many real word projects as possible.  Practice rigorously, and build a robust portfolio. The portfolio will be extremely useful in showing your skills to potential employers.

2.) Get Certified

Not all programming languages have official certification exams. However, for some languages such as Java SE 8 programming, etc. you have the option to get certified by an authorized body. Taking advantage of certifications to advance your career in the IT sector is a smart move. Get certified by the appropriate widely recognized body. While the certification may not be entirely necessary, it will help you gain more credibility in your area of expertise and set you apart from other similarly qualified applicants.

3.) Write a Focused Resume

You need to invest significant time in developing a resume that represents your skills and accomplishments. Don’t copy the buzzwords from the internet. Prepare a short resume (1-2 pages) with all relevant details. It must be tailor-made for the job you are applying. This means it should have only the pertinent information related to the position you are applying for. By creating job customized resumes, you will increase your chances of getting that all important first interview.

4.) Expand your Network

Make an impressive LinkedIn profile and add relevant connections on a regular basis. Use a professional profile photo and complete the employment section with updated information. Use the right keywords that reflect your personality traits and professional skill sets. Engage with industry professionals and develop genuine relationships on the platform. Ask your classmates, current and former colleagues for a recommendation on LinkedIn. Remember that a majority of recruiters go through candidates’ LinkedIn profiles before calling them for the interview. Thus, an excellent LinkedIn profile can contribute significantly to your career’s success.

5.) Prepare for the Interview

An interview may last for 30 minutes or more. However, almost a third of interviewers know within the first 90 seconds whether they are going to hire you or not. That means, your first impression not only counts but impacts the selection process significantly. Thus, work on your personality and do everything that boosts your confidence. Pay close attention to your  outfit and personal hygiene. If the interview is on the phone, be aware of background noise and any speaking habits that hurt your credibility (“uhhh…”, “like…like…like”, speaking too fast, etc.)

Before appearing for the interview, brush-up your knowledge about the company and make sure to have a list of relevant questions pertaining to the job in question. During the interview, maintain a direct eye contact with the interviewer. Crack a smile when you are feeling less confident and speak assertively. Recruiters don’t hire people who are not sure about their expertise. Thus, stay positive and be confident during the entire interview process.

The Bottom Line…

Being prepared for the role you want and the company you’re interviewing for is crucial.   Be ready to work hard and become an expert in your field. Enroll for advanced online IT courses to keep your knowledge updated. Remember that to be successful in the technology industry, you need to learn new things continuously so that you can add value to the business from the start and all the way through your career.

Yes, you do!  Why? Because ITIL® Practitioner is the Certification that brings ITIL to life.   It will give you the practical skill-set to successfully adopt and adapt ITIL.  In short, you will take your “Book Knowledge” and turn into “Street Smarts”.

Without the skills to support your Adopt and Adapt initiative, you cannot put ITIL to work.  Bottom Line – if you want to bring ITIL to life, and take advantage of all of the benefits it has to offer, then you need to know how to adopt and adapt the ITIL Framework and ITIL Practitioner will give you the tools.

ITIL Practitioner’s Place in the ITIL Framework

In the diagram above you can see that ITIL Practitioner sits right in the middle of the Lifecycle and the Capability track of courses.  The Practitioner Certification is worth 3 credits towards ITIL Expert and may be taken any time after you achieve the Foundation Certificate.  However, it is a certification exam unlike any of the other ITIL Certification exams and we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that in addition to the ITIL Foundation Certificate that you have 2 years of experience working in IT Service Management and that you have taken at least 1 ITIL Intermediate course.

The ITIL Practitioner Certification Exam

The ITIL Practitioner Certification exam expects that you will have taken the time to read “AXELOS ITIL Practitioner Guidance” and really understand the material.  Success depends on knowing how to apply what you have learned.  It is NOT, I repeat, NOT like any other ITIL Exam.  It requires you to take your time and to study.

GogoTraining ITIL and Industry Expert Dr. Suzanne Van Hove designed a class with 8 practical exercises.  These exercises utilize the exam case studies and give you the opportunity to apply key course concepts, which will assist you when you take the ITIL Practitioner exam.

While taking a course is not required to sit for the ITIL Practitioner Exam, the exam is $356 and that is a lot of money to pay and not pass the exam.  After Dr. Van Hove (with 18 years of experience) took the ITIL Practitioner exam she decided to put a class together which focuses on the skill sets that a student needs to have in order to successfully take and pass.  Each of the eight exercises Dr. Van Hove has prepared will take students 2.5 to 3 hours each to complete. That is 24 hours of study on the practical skills of the ITIL Practitioner.

ITIL Practitioner is a ‘Must-Have’ Certification

When it comes to Practitioner, we believe it is a must-have Certification because it stresses the skill-set you need to successfully adopt and adapt ITIL.  That said, remember, you need to prepare thoroughly before you take the exam.  ITIL Practitioner is heavily focused on application of concepts and as such, completing all exercises and spending time with the course materials will only increase your success rate. Additionally, having a background within Service Management, beyond the Foundation exam, is another important criterion. Focusing on both of the above aspects provides a level of confidence not only for the exam but, to participate and lead ITIL Adopt and Adapt initiatives.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about the ITIL Practitioner Certification, please contact us at, customerservice@gogotraining.com or visit the course page here.