This article is a part of my DevNet Expert Journey blog series
- Part 1: Decision
- Part 2: Intensive Study Period - Part 1
- Part 3: Intensive Study Period - Part 2
- Part 4: 1st Exam Attempt
- Part 5: This post
- Part 6: 3rd Exam Attempt
Intro #
My first attempt didn’t go as planned. I truly believed I could pass, but my strategy didn’t hold up well under different circumstances. Not everything goes as expected, but that’s no reason to stop. I was mentally prepared for the possibility of failing the first time, and from the beginning, I accepted that I might be visiting Brussels at least twice.
In this article I’ll walk you through my second DevNet Expert Lab Exam attempt.
Without any further due - let’s divev right into the topic!
Conclusions from the first attempt #
There were multiple factors that contributed to my failure.
I was unfamiliar with the exam system: It took me some time to get comfortable with it. Initially, I was jumping around multiple windows, switching between them chaotically. This poor strategy definitely cost me a few valuable minutes.
Stress overwhelmed me because I didn’t know what to expect: I felt uncertain, like I had no solid ground under my feet. This significantly decreased my performance. There were moments when I had to read the same question three, four, or even five times, and still didn’t fully understand it. It felt like the text was just slipping through my eyes without actually reaching my mind for analysis.
- Solution: These two issues were addressed by simply taking the first step. After my first attempt, I had seen the beast and knew what to expect. I identified what needed improvement, including how to navigate the exam system more efficiently.
No breakfast: I usually don’t eat breakfast, but my first attempt made it clear how crucial it is to start with full energy - you begin losing it very quickly as the exam progresses. During the 8-hour exam, I only had one sandwich and a small can of Coca-Cola. It wasn’t enough for me.
Insufficient hydration and no snacks: I didn’t bring anything with me because I wasn’t aware it was allowed.
- Solution: For my second attempt, I made sure to have breakfast included at the hotel where I was staying. I also bought a bottle of water and a few snacks (chocolate bars, peanuts) to bring to the exam.
Forgotten painkillers: I realized I could have performed better without the extreme headache I experienced last time.
- Solution: I created a to-do list of essential items to pack before departing for Brussels, with painkillers at the top of the list. This ensured I wouldn’t forget them and would be better prepared to manage any headaches during the exam.
Poor time management: I spent too much time on the first two tasks and lost additional minutes when my workstation froze.
- Solution: Since I now knew how to navigate the exam environment, I abandoned the idea of opening multiple tabs for documentation. I knew where to find the information I needed, so there was no benefit in opening most of them again, which reduced the risk of my workstation freezing. As for spending too much time on a task, I decided to leave tasks related to the technology or areas I struggled with last time and return to them at the end to ensure I wouldn’t get stuck. If I encountered a task that blocked me, I would skip it after 5 minutes, no matter how close I felt I was to the solution. No mercy - even if I thought I could solve it with just one more minute, I’d fix it later. My strategy was to complete the first task to feel motivated. A small success would fuel me to perform at my best and help me forget about self-doubt and fear.
Preparations #
I’m not great at memorizing things, especially when I’m under pressure and exhausted. Last time, my brain just melted, and I couldn’t think clearly.
Fortunately, I remembered specific issues from Module 2 that didn’t work out or that I didn’t know how to solve. I was able to catch up and fill those gaps in my lab environment.
For Module 1, I focused more on the books recommended in the learning matrix. I went through multiple books again with more attention to details, and it really made a difference.
Day before the exam #
I woke up at 3:30 and planned to leave the flat and be at the airport by 4:10. I ended up arriving around 4:30, which was still more than enough time. I considered going through my notes to recall important points, but since I hadn’t slept well the night before, I decided against it. Even though I didn’t feel great about skipping the review, I didn’t want to exhaust my brain any further the day before the exam.
It felt like I had been to Charleroi at least 10 times, but this was actually only my second visit. I knew exactly where the bus to Brussels stops, where to get coffee, and where to pick up some small groceries.
Once I arrived at the hotel, I felt a bit exhausted. I tried to open my notes to read at least a few paragraphs, just so I wouldn’t feel guilty about not doing anything, but I quickly gave up. At that point, I realized that it probably wouldn’t make a difference. I had done everything I could; it was too late to cram any more information. It was time to take a rest.
Initially, I didn’t plan to check the Cisco office entrance, but around 10:00 PM, I started to worry. What if there was unexpected construction, and the route was completely different, causing me to be late for the exam? To ease my mind, I grabbed Devvie and headed to De Kleetlaan 6 to make sure everything would go smoothly the next day. Thankfully, there were no surprises and no sudden construction zones.
Exam day #
I woke up at 6:15, went through my daily routine, and had breakfast at 6:45. I left the hotel at 7:40 and met a candidate who was on his second attempt for the CCIE Security exam. (Hey buddy, if you’re reading this, I hope you’re doing well and that you passed this time!) We had a good conversation, and then, just a few minutes later, the proctor suddenly opened the door and invited us in a bit before 8:00. This time, there were no delays, and we went directly to the exam room. It turned out there were only two of us, and we started almost right on time.
Exam experience #
I paid more attention to the details this time to improve my overall experience. I brought some snacks and a bottle of water to ensure I stayed well-hydrated, and I also had painkillers on hand, just in case.
Module 1 presented no surprises - it was still demanding and difficult. I started out taking notes on a paper sheet, but I soon realized that memorizing details under pressure is nearly impossible for me. After a few questions, I gave up on taking notes because it wasn’t working for me, and I noticed I was falling behind on time. I decided to speed up a bit while maintaining my reading comprehension. I felt a bit guilty for not taking notes, so I wrote down a few key points - only the essential keywords or things I truly didn’t know.
When I finished Module 1, I had 3 minutes left, just enough time to take a short break. I started to feel a headache coming on, but thankfully, I had my painkillers with me this time, and they saved me.
A few minutes later, I began Module 2. I felt confident about this part since I had worked on the areas I struggled with during my first attempt and understood the issues. My strategy was simple: start with the first task that seemed easy to achieve a quick success. Last time, I got stuck on the first task, spending way too much time on it, only to leave it unfinished and without enough time to return to it. This time, I immediately skipped tasks that looked difficult to avoid getting stuck like I did before.
I successfully solved the first task, and right after that, I verified that my solution worked. There we go - first success! git add . && git commit -m "task finished" && git push. Give me the next one!
I applied the same approach to the subsequent tasks, and everything went much smoother than before. Whenever I encountered something difficult that required more time to think, I immediately skipped that task.
Occasionally, I took sips of water and nibbled on snacks, which was exactly what I needed to stay hydrated and keep my energy levels up. The sugar boosts from the chocolate bars helped me slow down the energy drain.
I went through the entire task list, leaving four tasks skipped. The timer indicated that I had 1 hour and 40 minutes left. I felt comfortable and I was proud of myself because of significant improvement comparing to the previous attempt. When I started working on the last task, I had 50 minutes remaining, and I knew I was going to make it.
With 30 minutes left on the timer, I finished the task! That gave me half an hour to review all the tasks and ensure everything was pushed to the remote repository.
After leaving the Cisco office, I felt satisfied because everything had gone as expected. No headache, I felt good - just a little tired, but overall, I was fine. I believe this was due to being less stressed, eating more, and staying well-hydrated throughout the day.
I was confident about my performance in Module 2, but I still had some doubts about Module 1.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Module 1 for the next hour while I was at the hotel. To clear my head, I decided to take a stroll.
I was hoping to receive the results that evening, but unfortunately, I wasn’t that lucky.
Results #
The next day, I headed to the airport in Zaventem to catch a bus back to Charleroi. During the journey, I received a notification on my mobile phone: “Your Cisco Expert Level Certification exam score report is now available.” While I had been quite relaxed during the trip, my heart suddenly started racing. “Please, let me see the number” - I thought. I finally logged in, and then… “FAIL.”
Nooo! Damn it!
It’s hard to put into words what I felt at that moment. I wouldn’t describe it as anger or disappointment. “Sadness” is the only word that comes to mind. I was so close, and I had the feeling that I might pass, but it just wasn’t meant to be this time.
When I got back home, I reviewed my score report again, and realized that I significantly improved compared to my previous attempt. With that in mind, I immediately booked another attempt - this time for August 8th.
Summary #
Not everything goes as expected, and that’s okay as long as you learn from your mistakes. Whatever goal you’re pursuing, don’t be discouraged and don’t give up if you fail on the 1st, 2nd, or even the 10th try. Take a deep breath, calm down, go back to your desk, draw your conclusions, identify what didn’t work last time, and… do it again. If you keep your goal in mind every day, there’s nothing that can stop you from reaching it eventually. Subsequent attempts will be much better - it’s just the experience you were lacking before. Each try builds on the last, helping you improve and get closer to your goal.
One important conclusion from my second experience is this: don’t be afraid to take a second attempt, even if your first attempt was extremely difficult or discouraging.
Thank you for being with me during this difficult moment. I hope to see you in my next episode, where I’ll share my experience with my 3rd attempt at the DevNet Expert Lab Exam.