Dirty, rotten cheaters

So, what do you do when you suspect someone of dumping? Part of me feels that it's really none of my business - I'm not their boss, after all. But for what it does to the industry, and having sunk quite a bit of time over the years of studying and labbing to earn certs, and still coming up short on occasion, it annoys me that people stoop to such a thing.

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Tackle

I didn't use ****, but I doubt I could pass the test I took a year ago without studying or refreshing at all. Too many specific terms/commands that I never used except in the lab and when studying.

I'm sure that's the same way it is for a lot of people. Doesn't mean I'm dumb or cheated, means I don't use all the features in my day to day job, and don't have enough expirience with them to remember the specifics. Probably could tell you what it is and function, but not how to set it up without actually looking at the server.

jmritenour

it_consultant wrote: »

I don't see this as evidence of dumping then. You have a person with a near photographic memory, which is great. I know people who have gotten certifications and I know they didn't **** to get them and they still had minimal real knowledge of what is truly happening in a system. A cert is a base of knowledge.

I'm doubting that for some reason. Again, this person does NOT seem capable of applying context to anything he does memorize - ie, he knows what DNS is, he knows what active directory is, but he has no idea how the two work together. Knowing that most MS and Cisco exams have very little "what is X" type questions, and require the ability use reasoning, apply knowledge, and in some cases, figure out which answer is "most appropriate" from a list of viable ones, I just don't believe this individual could do it. And that's not even getting into the simulation questions.

It is much more likely to me that he applied that photographic memory to a brain ****, having seen what I've seen.

xirtlook

best to not let it get to you, because at the end of it all you will excel further than that person will.
you worked hard to earn your certification, you can demonstrate the knowledge and talk fluently in what you studied for.

I will admit that I braindumped for MCSE Security. Now I don't even list it or bring up that I have it. Simply because I dont know it!
I even went and took classes for it, and still dont know enough to even add it to my qualifications. I took a new turn and now study for everything.

I think there is a fine line between braindumps and using practice exams to help prepare for an exam.

If someone never studied the material, watch the videos, took the classes, read the books, did the labs, and just did practice exams, shame on them.

but if you did all that, and wanted to be prepared and time yourself and test yourself and judging where you stand, then I don't see any harm.

am I correct in understanding that practice exams is a form of braindumping? or is braindumping just looking at Q&A's and studying the answers?

xirtlook

BTW- it blows my mind that someone can braindump CCNP or even CCIE!! There are simulations, simlets, and so much information to know.

Hypntick

xirtlook wrote: »

am I correct in understanding that practice exams is a form of braindumping? or is braindumping just looking at Q&A's and studying the answers?

There is a difference between somewhere like the Kaplan, Trancender, or ucertify practice tests and ****. Those practice tests do not have the actual test questions and answers, they have questions in a similar style with comparable subject matter and answers.

xirtlook

thanks for clarifying that for me. Yeah I've only braindumped one time, and that was the MCSE Security (70-299).
I only passed it with a 700. I went back and took the course at college and only earned a C.

I don't even put that on my resume anymore. If someone was to call me out on that or ask me a question, I'd be screwed.

I switched tracks anyway from Microsoft to Cisco/Linux/Security.

why waste the time in a braindump when you can earn your time in studying. Why risk the embarrassment of not knowing what youre doing or losing your job because you dont know what youre doing?