How To Easily Pass Microsoft Certification Exams (Fundamentals Level)

Something I've gotten acquainted to working at Sulava is Microsoft certifications. I've banged out a few of the easy Fundamentals-level certificates and am now looking forward to the harder Associate-level ones. But I think I have found some great resources and study methods to get you to pass these certification exams quite easily. So be your exam any of the Fundamentals level ones (AZ-900, MS-900, SC-900, AI-900, PL-900 or DP-900), listen up!

1. Don't take too much time to study

My first try to study for the Azure Fundamentals certification (AZ-900) was to take a course at my school. However, I quickly learned that if you're aiming for a certification, a long course might not be the best idea. The thing is that the Fundamental-level exams put an emphasis on the ability to define features or tools found in the services, not really on how to do things. This means that you have to remember a lot of names by heart.

I found that cramming all of the information required for the exam in 1 to 2 days is actually quite a good idea, so you get all of the information in your head fresh, after which just take the exam as quickly as possible. Intensive learning, studying and practice during these few days gets those facts in your head really reliably!

2. Utilize online material, especially YouTube

I'm a person who learns best when someone teaches me things by saying them out loud. That's why I enjoyed watching YouTube-videos going through the topics of the certification exams. For my certifications (AZ-900 & SC-900), I used the courses and exam cram videos of John Savill, who is an awesome guy for providing hours of video content for free. To be completely honest, it's leagues better than even some paid Udemy courses.

I know that everyone learns in different ways, so if reading suits you better than watching videos and listening, Microsoft's own material is great and very thorough. It has dedicated module-based learning paths for every certification, so you can easily pace your studying.

Microsoft also provides free practice exams on the site's for the different exams (AZ-900 for example). Along with these, the Internet is full of free practice exams that you can have a look at to grasp what kind of question the exams have.

3. Trust your gut, but be careful!

I've always been a really fast test taker. I finished both of my Fundamentals exams in about 15 minutes, and that it because I trust my gut. Here's how you do it:

Read the question. Choose the answer that feels right to you. TRUST. YOUR. GUT. Don't start second guessing yourself, because most of the time that will be bad for you.

With Microsoft certifications there is a catch though. Sometimes the questions are designed to trick you, having you checking if something is written with a capital letter or not etc. This is why you need to always read the question carefully and think if they are trying to trick you. But in the end, trusting your gut most likely lands you at the right answer.

Following these instructions, you can ace your Fundamentals exams quickly and move on to the more challenging Associate certifications. Be it AZ-500, AZ-104 or in my case SC-200.