Exam dumps or “brain dumps” as it is often called are leaked actual exam questions that have already been conducted. Dumps are stolen questions from professional exams. Normally, such questions are not available to the public. People who release exam dumps do so in clear violation of the non-disclosure agreement terms they signed before sitting for such exams.
The prevalence of Exam dumps poses a real problem for many certifications as it has the potential of eroding their value. It results in producing candidates who have substandard knowledge and skills required to perform job roles. Questions are often repeated/recycled in many certification exams so some candidates basically just collect lots of exam dumps, memorize the answers, and then regurgitate them in actual exams. No actual learning of the technology takes place.
Why Is This A Problem?
Firstly, as mentioned earlier, many certifications are increasingly worthless to employers. Many candidates with such do not show impressive results in job roles. Exam dumps are dumbing down many certifications. A certification should actually mean something to a Hiring manager but that isn’t the case anymore. People can get certified by doing rote memorization of exam questions and answers. It is an industry-wide problem.
It is not uncommon to see someone with a lot of certifications, yet finding it difficult to get a job. Certs only seem to get you a meeting with a Hiring manager and nothing more. Certs aren’t just enough to get you hired. At the root of this problem is exam dumps. Now the real question you should answer is whether or not you should avoid them altogether. ? Here are 5 reasons you should avoid exam dumps.
1. They are illegal and you could get “decertified” and blacklisted if caught.
Using exam dumps is cheating and it is illegal. It is a violation of the exam policy. It is also a violation of the Privacy and Confidentiality Agreement between the candidates and the certification body. The content of exams is considered the intellectual property of the vendor, therefore, unauthorized usage (as with Exam dumps) is a violation of such rights. Cisco for example, expressly states as follows:
All content, specifically questions, answers, and diagrams of the certification exams, are the proprietary and confidential property of Cisco. They may not be copied, reproduced, modified, published, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way without the express authorization of Cisco. Candidates who sit for Cisco exams must agree they have read and will abide by the terms and conditions of the Cisco Certification and Confidentiality Agreement before beginning the certification exam.
Before you sit to write the exam, you must give consent to abide by the Exam Policies and the non-disclosure agreement. Dumps are illegal, using them constitutes an unfair advantage and as well as a crime. It is a form of cheating.
There is a penalty for those who use Exam dumps and pass. You could have your certification status and may become blacklisted from ever having a valid certification status. This can be indefinite. Certification bodies are deploying forensic methods to analyze candidates’ performance at exams with the goal of detecting cheats. The details of such methods are not available to the public. So it is best to avoid Exam dumps in your preparation..
2. Certification is Not Just About Passing the Exams, It is About Learn
Certifications are a great way to learn new technologies. They usually come with a well-structured training module that will help you gain knowledge of the technology. According to David Bombal,
certifications show you what you do not know, you do not know what you don’t know
If you use Exam Dumps, you are denying yourself an invaluable opportunity to learn and master technology, something that is core to your success in IT. You gained nothing by passing the exams and yet not knowing the technology. There is no substitute for the long hours of study and labs that ideally should accompany your certification. Exam dumps won’t cut it for you.
3. Incorrect answers and misleading explanations
There are no guarantees that the dumps you are using will provide you with the correct answers to questions. The people who prepare exam dumps often do not have insufficient knowledge of the course. Their motive is purely for financial gains, not education. They can give wrong answers or misleading information and it will be difficult for you to tell the difference as a beginner.
You will do better if you invest your time in studying course materials on your own or under the guidance of a qualified tutor. Most persons who excel as IT professionals learn to devote time to learning earlier on in their careers. You should do the same.
4. No surprises on the exam day
People who use dumps already have an expectation of the type of questions they will see on the exam day, any change in the exam will likely derail them and result in exam failure. The Exam vendor can change or modify the pattern of the exam questions, such action will adversely affect you if you use exam dumps. New questions come up or at least variations of the questions, therefore, having a good knowledge of the subject of a course is the more practical way to pass your exams.
If you know the concepts taught in a course, you will likely pass the exams, especially if you put in the work and do enough lab practice where applicable.
5. They make it difficult for you to get a Job
The goal of getting certified in any exam is ultimately for you to get a job. Exam dumps do the biggest career damage in this regard. It simply makes you unemployable. As stated earlier, a certification only does the job of securing a meeting with a Hiring manager who will then test your knowledge of technology.
Many Hiring managers can tell easily if one’s certification is a result of using Exam dumps. Those who use dumps will often be lacking in knowledge depth and understanding, poor hands-on experience, and confidence.
Can You Get Caught Using Dumps?
The simple answer is yes, You can get caught using dumps. Some exam vendors like Cisco have repeatedly mentioned that they have measures in place to fight against brain dumps and in cases where they have investigated suspected cases, they can withdraw the certification already issued.
Penalty For Using Exam Dumps
The penalty for using Exam dumps can be severe and can have an adverse effect on your career. Some of the
- Exam Disqualification: Disqualification will nullify whatever scores obtained in the exam
- Banning from Future Exams: They can ban you from taking future exams with the vendor, this can be for a specified period (maybe for a couple of years) or permanently.
- Revocation of Certifications: This happens if you have already been certified and later discovered to have used exam dumps or brain dumps. The exam body can revoke the certification.
- Legal Action: While this is not common, it is possible to face legal actions for using or distributing unauthorized materials.
- Reputational Loss: Cheating not only tarnishes your professional reputation, but it also diminishes the perceived value and reputation of the certification body.
What You Should Do Instead
Here are a few suggestions on what you can do instead of using exam dumps
a. Change Your Attitude Towards Learning and Achievements
You will need a change of attitude towards learning and achievement. It will mean you take pride in learning the right way and accepting mistakes as a part of the learning process. Being comfortable with the fact that things are never perfect and that you will have to more from errors than you would with answers handed down to you. Take pride in your little achievements and do not be ashamed if things don’t exactly go your way the first time. The more important thing is that you are learning and not cheating. And that the little sacrifice you make today can impact your career long-term and will aid you in achieving your goals.
b. Use Exam Simulations
There are Exam Simulations questions that will help you get a feel of what the real exam is like. They help test your understanding of the course topics often with a detailed explanation as to why the answers are correct (or wrong). Some official course study materials include. You may have to pay to get a good exam simulation guide. A good one should reflect the style and difficulty of the real exam.
c. Prepare Adequately for the exams
Give yourself adequate time to prepare for the exams, and Learn organically. It is an important aspect of your career development. Use multiple sources of study materials to give you a deeper understanding of the course content. Ensure you do enough lab, it is becoming a thing in many exams these days. Build personal projects; it helps reinforce your learning.
Conclusions
The decision to avoid dumps when preparing for your certification exams pays you better in your career journey. It helps you gain and develop skills that will better position you for a successful career in IT. It helps you stand out from the crowd. Invest the time and resources to achieve this.
Wishing you the best in your endeavors
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