Passed Foundations on Dec. 2

I passed today! My score is nothing to brag about (75%) but I don't feel too bad about that because I was extremely busy lately so study time was rare, rushed to have it complete by this date because year end reviews begin tomorrow, and I have a chest cold.

Without The Art of Service book and the online material I certainly would not have passed. I will be looking at this company again when purchasing material for my next ITIL exam (after I decide which one is best for my career path).

I read the book once and watched the videos once each as well. I then went back and skimmed the book for those things that I felt were "flashcard worthy". I have an iPhone so I used a little free app called gFlash+ (not trying endorse products but I don't have any connection to the company. It just worked well for me) to quiz myself when ever I had a few minutes waiting in traffic or in lines. I also took the practice exam provided and made sure I understood every answer I got wrong (9 of them). They were mostly from the Service Operations phase so I reread that again.

During the exam that proved very helpful. If I had to guess, I would say that the Service Transition and Service Operations phases recieved the most attention with some Service Level Management thrown in for good measure. Be sure to read the questions CAREFULLY. Upon my final review (which I had plenty of time for because the exam only took me 20 minutes the first time through) I found 2 questions that I had completely misinterpretted what the questions were asking. On that note, I did find some of the wording a bit confusing but overall I think I was able to figure them out after a couple of readings. The book did do a good job of covering the material because I think there were only 2 questions that I really don't remember being covered in the book I used. They might have been there too but I at least remembered that I had read about the other questions (even the ones I couldn't remember the correct answer for. I personally wouldn't worry about those questions as there are only a couple of them AND with some commonsense you may get them right anyway.

I didn't see this information any where else so let me include a couple of other things about the test taking. If you have taking other certification tests (I have taken both Microsoft and CompTia exams) the testing situation is exactly the same. You cannot take anything in with you but you will be given a notepad of some type and something to write with. If you have something that you have a hard time remembering and think will be particluarly important, you can cram minutes before you go in and write it down right away when you enter the testing room. You will also be able to mark questions for review and go back to questions you were not sure about. I had one question that helped me answer another one. I was able to go back and change my answer.

Hope that some of this was useful for you. Good Luck

Ed Clausen

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Comments

eMeS

Congrats on the pass.

To clarify one thing, it sounds like you took your exam through Prometric. This is actually the least-used method to deliver ITIL Foundation exams. The vast majority are pencil and paper based and given at the end of a 3-day class. Foundation is the only ITIL exam delivered through Prometric, and it is the only one that can be taken without attending the associated class.

MS

Clic

Congrats on the pass

but i want ask you what the tools for study , i want start study itil

NinjaBoy

Congrats on the pass

-Ken

goforthbmerry

eMeS- You are correct. I did take the test through Prometric. For me it was the best way to get it done. I am looking at an intermediate test and my biggest problem will be actually sitting for the class. I believe you do the training in Texas. Can you recommend a good place to take it that is active in NC?

As for tools for the Foundations exam. I used The Art of Service book and web based materials (including video). I bought it on Barnes and Noble Itil V3 Foundation Complete Certification Kit - 2009 Edition, Tim Malone, Book - Barnes & Noble

It was all I needed. I got it on sale and with a member discount voucher for an additional 25% off. I am sure that had I not been so rushed I would have achieved a higher score. I will take the pass though.

eMeS

goforthbmerry wrote: »

eMeS- You are correct. I did take the test through Prometric. For me it was the best way to get it done. I am looking at an intermediate test and my biggest problem will be actually sitting for the class. I believe you do the training in Texas. Can you recommend a good place to take it that is active in NC?

I'm based in Texas, but we deliver these classes wherever the demand is. In NC I would recommend Global Knowledge...that's where they're based.

The demand is increasing for the intermediate classes, but there are still quite a few classes not making.

Which intermediate class(es) are you interested in completing?

goforthbmerry wrote: »

I am sure that had I not been so rushed I would have achieved a higher score. I will take the pass though.

I'm with you on that...a pass is a pass...

MS

goforthbmerry

thanks!.

I am really more of a Operations person so either Service Operations or Operational Support and Analysis. I haven't decided which is better for me. Can you give me a better idea of the differences. The descriptions sound very similar to me.

eMeS

goforthbmerry wrote: »

thanks!.

I am really more of a Operations person so either Service Operations or Operational Support and Analysis. I haven't decided which is better for me. Can you give me a better idea of the differences. The descriptions sound very similar to me.

The Service Operation class is directed towards management or towards those who would help the organization achieve the ITIL best practices from the Service Operation volume. It is a 3-day class.

I just delivered one last week in New Jersey....happy to say that all attendees passed the exam!

The Operational Support and Analysis is directed towards those in an organization that do more hands-on operational work. It is a 5-day class and covers information from several of the volumes.

Basically, you could say at the intermediate level the breakdown is like this:

Lifecycle - Management
Capability - Practitioner or hands-on

MS

goforthbmerry

Thanks,

that is the kind of break down I am looking for. I am going for a management track so I guess my decision is made

eMeS

goforthbmerry wrote: »

Thanks,

that is the kind of break down I am looking for. I am going for a management track so I guess my decision is made

You would likely find benefit in both, however, you will find the the Lifecycle courses and exam tend to focus on adoption of best practices.

MS

goforthbmerry

I was doing some more thinking about it and it occurs to me that I might actually get more notice doing the work as a practitioner (capability route) to get the management position if I stay with my current company yet I might get more notice for a management position with with a new company going the Lifexcycle route.

eMeS

goforthbmerry wrote: »

I was doing some more thinking about it and it occurs to me that I might actually get more notice doing the work as a practitioner (capability route) to get the management position if I stay with my current company yet I might get more notice for a management position with with a new company going the Lifexcycle route.

In my highly informed opinion the invisible hand of the market doesn't know the difference between the two at the moment.

3 years from now that will likely be a different story. At the moment we are only at the beginning of the upswing in interest in the ITIL Intermediate series.

Keep in mind, it was only this summer that I decided to undertake all 9 intermediate exams, and I am highly involved in ITIL (was one of the first to do expert when it was released). I was putting the intermediates off to see if there would be significant interest. That interest really only materialized in Q4 2009....even with that the I'd say most organizations have no idea what they are....

Since then, I've delivered 3 of the lifecycle classes (transition, design and operations...2 of those were in December). At the moment I have the release, control and validation capability class scheduled in January 2010.

MS

pdragonz

Congrat! I am scheduling to take ITEL v3 tomorrow. I have been self studied

computer800

pdragonz wrote: »

Congrat! I am scheduling to take ITEL v3 tomorrow. I have been self studied .

Good luck.
Which textbook did you use to prepare for this exam?

goforthbmerry

I used Itil V3 Foundation Complete Certification Kit - Study Guide Book And Online Course, Tim Malone, Book - Barnes & Noble

Worked great for me.