Those who are about to or who’ve already started CISSP training might be overwhelmed by the amount of information there is to take in.

In the end, your knowledge of this material will be put to the test, and if you pass, you’ll be able to consider yourself one of the cybersecurity’s elite troopers.

In case you’re having a hard time calming down before the exam or just want to prepare as much as you can, here are a few actionable tips on how to pass the CISSP test on your first shot.

Tips for Passing the CISSP test

1. Thoroughly study the domains that the training covers

It’s never a good idea to be overconfident, and this is especially true in the case of CISSP. No matter how experienced or good you are at your job, make sure to prepare and study all domains that the test will contain.

Some of these include security and risk management, asset security, communications, and network security, and so on.

It is crucial that you understand the contents of the questions and the concepts that CISSP is looking for because in this way you will be able to give clear and concise answers.

A true expert will always try to connect the material they’re learning to real-world situations, which is what you could do too.

2. Connect with peers who are taking the course

Two heads are always smarter than one, and this is precisely the reason why you should reach out to other people who are preparing for the exam too.

An ideal, although expensive, way to do that would be a boot camp, hopefully in a remote location without many distractions.

This will give you the opportunity to work on things you don’t understand well, get valuable guidelines and advice from professionals, and connect with like-minded individuals. What’s not to like?

3. Don’t get stuck on specific questions

The CISSP contains 250 questions, and you have six hours to answer them. This should be more than enough time unless you spend too many minutes thinking and too little writing which often happens once you hit a question that you don’t know how to answer very well.

So, a good idea would be first to answer only the questions that you’re 100% sure about, and then move on to the more troublesome ones.

By doing this, you will use your time efficiently, and having already answered (hopefully!) plenty of questions, you’ll be able to relax a bit and do the rest of the exam with more confidence.

4. Don’t limit yourself to only one study source

There are plenty of different materials you can use to prepare for the test, and while it’s important to identify the best ones, it is not advisable to just stick to a single source.

Find a good study guide, go through it from start to finish, then find another one and do the same. Repeat the process until you feel like you’ve got a firm grip on the matter. After that, find some sample tests online and try to do several to see how it goes.

This is a technique that rarely fails, and if you prepare in this way, you’ll have solid chances of passing.

Conclusion

Preparing for an exam as challenging as CISSP requires a strong work ethic and a mind that’s open to suggestions. This experience will not only get you a valuable credential but will also make you hone your skills, as well as increase and solidify your knowledge of the cybersecurity world.

However, Human Element Security offers exclusive Shon Harris CISSP training online with a guarantee that you’ll pass or they will personally work one on one.