I’m excited about sharing my experience with the Oracle 1z0-809 certification exam. Let me start by saying that I didn’t have any past experience working with Java but I worked in Eiffel OOPL, C, and C++. Before writing the exam, I was terrified about the idea of failing it because earlier I was told by some of my colleagues who work on Java that this certification exam is difficult and without ample hands-on experience, it will be extremely difficult to pass it. To gain insight into Java operations, I went online, used search engine to learn about programming and I started writing a couple of sample programs.
When I made up my mind to earn the Java certification, the first thing I discovered was that there are different versions of the credential with the latest one being 1.8. To earn the certificate, you will be required to write two exams: 1z0-808 and 1z0-809. So, the first step I took was to prepare for the first exam which is 1z0-808, and within ten weeks, I was able to cover the scope of the test and got ready for the certification exam. I went through various resources, including Study Guide – Exam 1z0-808, written by Scott Selikoff, and Jeanne Boyarsky. I took a lot of practice questions and invested enough time to cover the topics under the exam objectives. One good thing about the extensive study I did while preparing for 1z0-808 was that it helped me build skills and competence in Java and this was a great help to me during my 1z0-809 certification exam. Well, I wrote 1z0-808 and passed it with 80%. I was over the moon with joy because I really doubted my competence during my preparation. Well, one down, and one more to go in order to earn my certification. I gave myself two weeks to relish my success before gearing for the preparation for the next exam.
How I prepared for Oracle 1z0-809 exam
The first step I took while preparing for the exam was to do a bit of research. I was very sceptical about choosing resources to avoid wasting my time on irrelevant study tools. In my search however on Conderanch website I discovered the e-book on Java Programming that was very helpful. The e-book detailed the approach to preparing for the test and how to work around Java programming. I also went further to search for some resource books and got settled for some serious study. One important thing that I think helped my success during the exam was that I didn’t take anything for granted. Due to the fact that I had no experience with Java, I went the extra mile to ensure that I studied all that there is to study. I was dedicated to the exam preparation for about three months going over the available resources. In addition to the e-book, I also went through the OCP7 study guide, as well as Java SE-8 for the Impatient (I can’t really remember how I got this book and who is its author). I also got involved in Online Java Docs and did a comprehensive study on other resources through the online platform too. I took some free classes online through Exam-Labs and PrepAway because I didn’t have budget for expensive training courses. Note that I am not saying taking expensive classes is bad but really if you don’t have the budget for it, you can take some free ones for your exam preparation. Then I found the ExamSnap website, which became a real treasure for me. Here I also took the training course, and used the latest exam dumps for 1z0-809 certification exam Visit ExamSnap Here .
Lastly, I took plenty of practice tests. I also found them on ExamSnap website, as it offers both free and paid versions. I didn’t take a practice test just once; at least, for each of the practice exam I took, I went through them like three times each. I ensured that I worked on each of the questions over and over until I got familiar with the questions and answers without having to memorize them. So, at first, I went through Free 1z0-809 Exam Questions that are available at ExamSnap. After feeling myself confident in the studied information, I purchased 1z0-809 premium bundle for about $44. For that some of money I received the most updated premium file with questions and answers checked by the IT professionals, and a training course with 57 lectures. The material I found on ExamSnap website covered the 1z0-809 exam topics and objectives, so I was sure about its quality. While going through a set of practice test, I tried to work on it as if I’m coming across the questions for the first time, even though I might have taken the practice test before. This helps to understand the questions and the specific answers to them instead of just memorizing the questions and answers. I became confident in my capacity to pass the exam and I started looking forward to my scheduled exam date. Interestingly, I was no longer anxious or nervous about the test at this stage and I think it must be because of my preparation or if you like, you might call it over confidence. Well, the fact was that it paid off at the end of the day.
It took me about 12 weeks to prepare for the 1z0-809 exam and on the scheduled date, I wrote the exam at the pre-booked Pearson VUE testing center. At the end of the test, I saw my result and I scored 90%!
Summary of resources I used
Truly, 1z0-809 is tasking but with enough preparation, you can scale through without much issue. For me, I went all out to challenge myself for success. I didn’t study with anyone and my preparation was more of self-study. Along with ExamSnap website, some resource materials that helped me with my preparation include the following:
- OCA Guide – Scott Selikoff, Jeanne Boyarsky
- Java SE-8 for the Impatient
- OCA/OCP Guide – Bert Bates and Kathy Sierra
- Exam-Labs Practice Test
You can also join some forums on Quora.com website to find more information about the preparation tools.
Conclusion
So, to sum up, when you prepare for your certification exam, what you need to have is a plan. I hope that my preparation shows you the steps to follow and the reliable resources to use. If you are not experienced in Java programming, it is better to go through the whole study process and learn instead of focusing singularly on passing the exam. Check your budget and get the most updated prep materials for 1z0-809 and other IT exams by visiting ExamSnap and Exam-Labs websites. Wish you luck!
