Everything you need to know before you start studying.
An IT certification is a vendor-issued credential that validates your ability to work with a specific technology platform. Candidates choose a target certification, study the required material, pay the exam fee, and, once they pass, hold a credential that is recognised across the industry. Certifications exist at every level, from entry-level cloud fundamentals to expert-level networking and security designations, and they represent a practical, cost-effective alternative to a traditional four-year degree for building a high-value technical career.
The tech industry has a persistent skills gap: there are far more open roles than there are qualified candidates, and employers need a reliable signal that a candidate can actually perform on the job. A vendor certification solves that problem precisely: it is a standardised, proctored test of real-world skills, administered by the same company whose technology your future employer runs. Unlike a degree, certifications can be completed in weeks or months, cost a fraction of tuition, and carry salary premiums that are immediate and measurable. The path also scales: each certification you add increases your market value and opens new career tracks.
A certification is objective, third-party evidence that you can apply a specific set of skills under exam conditions. For an employer, this removes the guesswork from the hiring process: they do not need to take your word for your ability levels. The credential is also specific: an AWS Solutions Architect Associate, for example, tells a hiring manager exactly which services, architectures, and best practices you understand, and at which depth. That precision is what makes certified candidates far easier to evaluate and onboard than uncertified ones, regardless of how talented they may otherwise be.
Vendor certification programs are designed by the engineers who build and maintain the platforms that power modern businesses: meaning the content is directly tied to real production scenarios, not generic theory. Employers who run a particular vendor's platform specifically seek candidates with that vendor's credentials because they trust the rigor of those exams. The investment also translates directly: every hour you put into preparing for a vendor certification is an hour spent learning skills you will use immediately in the job. Whether you are targeting cloud platforms, networking infrastructure, cybersecurity tools, or enterprise software, a vendor program gives you the most relevant and employer-recognised path to your goal.
Practice exams are the most efficient study method available, and the research consistently backs this up. Active recall (being forced to retrieve information rather than re-read it) builds significantly stronger and longer-lasting memory than passive review. Beyond memory consolidation, practice exams show you exactly where your knowledge gaps are, so you can direct your remaining study time to the topics that will most affect your score. They also reduce exam-day anxiety by making you comfortable with the question format, the phrasing style, and the time pressure. Candidates who practice regularly and review their wrong answers are far more likely to pass on their first attempt than those who study exclusively from textbooks or video courses.
Many exam prep sites bury their content behind subscriptions, CAPTCHA walls, or low-quality material that is rarely updated. MockingOwl was built out of a genuine love for the certification community. Our content is reviewed by IT professionals with hands-on experience, kept up to date with the latest exam versions, and offered free of charge: no barriers, no recurring fees. We cover over 780 exams across 69+ vendors so you can move through your entire certification journey in one place. Whether you are starting with a foundational exam or working toward an advanced specialty, we want to help you get the score you are aiming for.
Start typing to search exams
Access practice tests for AWS, Microsoft, Cisco and more.