Failing on Your First Exam Attempt? What To Do Next?

You realized how beneficial it would be for you to own a certificate for your skills, and decided to go for it!
However, for what ever reason – you failed the exam.

So, what do you do at this point? Feel sorry for yourself – right? No.
This is what you do.

Get Motivated

Failing the exam is mostly due to these two things. You weren't prepared well enough. You didn't study as much as you should, or you just lacked concentration needed to get the right answers.

This happens often, skilled individuals will go in for a certification expecting they'll run through it with easily. However, they just fail to either study enough, or prepare for the exam the right way.

Concentration is key, as well your knowledge

After failing the exam, you've had tested out the waters, so to speak. Now, you know what the exam process looks like first hand. This is in fact a great practice to check out your study and concentration habits. Especially because there are no consequences for failing the exam.

For many, this is a great motivator! Think about it this way: There's a certificate ready for you to grab it, and you've just enrolled to go for it!

You study on your certain subject, clear your schedule, get ready and you go in.

This is the key here: Whatever happens you can take the exam again. This means that you can only come out with more experience and knowledge than before! There's no way you lose!
Isn't this great?

Why CancanIT is different

As we mentioned before, it is often that people will fail at their first exam attempt.
Many certification issuers use this in a way that they'll put a price tag on each exam attempt. This means that exam-goers would have to pay again after failing the exam.

We think this approach only creates anxiety for the test takers, and therefore people will end up thinking more about whether or not they'll have to pay again than concentrate on the exam itself.
However, with CancanIT – this is not the case.

CancanIT offers you unlimited attempts at any exam certification program you choose to go with. We've found that this actually helps people get in a more relaxed state. This translates to doing better on the exam because they know they can retake it later with no consequences.

Taking the exam again

You failed the exam, and after 24 hours – you're allowed to try again. However, you need to note that the questions might differ this time. However, the main topics focused trough the questions will remain.

Use this time, or more if need be, to think about where you could have been wrong, and then study more on that topic.

You already have an advantage. You've been through the whole process and know what it looks like, so there's nothing to fear or stress about. Simply take your time, freshen up on your knowledge and get ready to go in again.

Stay Positive

Acing the exam the first time and getting your certificate is of course your priority and best case scenario.
However, let's look at some facts and recap what we've learned here today, in case you that doesn't happen:

Failing to pass the exam, translated to facts, is this:

• You will end up knowing more

• – You will naturally study more for the 2nd exam attempt (or 3rd, 4th, etc...). You will get more familiar with the whole process, and end up coming out way more experienced and work-ready than you would have if you passed it the first time!

• You will master your field of study

• – Failing the exam means going back and studying more. Being that the questions may slightly differ the next time you try, this means you'll also broaden up your studying field. You will learn more!

• Job interviews will come in much easier

• – Having that you've had to go back and study more, and then take the exam again, you'll get used to answering questions about your field. You will freshen up your memory about doing some tasks in your field. This will make it much easier to talk with the potential employer as well!

Now, I bet your opinion on failing the exam changed.

I wouldn't be surprised if it did. Thinking about it this way, it almost looks better to fail than pass the exam the first time!

But, to put it objectively:
If you're well prepared to work in your field, you will ace the exam the first time.
And if you're not, it will serve as a testing-ground until you are ready. You will be satisfied with everything you've learned, that you might forget about the best thing for a second:

You will be a certified professional.

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