Professional Certification – Going Further-2
If you have diligently worked through this book, I suggest starting with the Associate Cloud Engineer exam, progressing to the Professional Cloud Architect, and thereafter, tailoring your certification journey based on your interests and career aspirations. Although there is no rigid sequence for taking the exams, there is some overlap between them, and the more you undertake, the easier they become. For instance, once you’ve prepared for the Professional Architect exam, the Professional Developer exam does not require a great deal of additional preparation. Following is the full list of certifications available at the time of writing:
Cloud Digital Leader
Focuses on a foundational understanding of Google Cloud’s capabilities and their benefits to organizations
Associate Cloud Engineer
Highlights the hands-on skills needed for managing operations within Google Cloud
Professional Cloud Architect
Concentrates on the design, management, and orchestration of solutions using a comprehensive range of Google Cloud products and services
Professional Cloud Database Engineer
Addresses the design, management, and troubleshooting of Google Cloud databases, with an emphasis on data migrations
Professional Cloud Developer
Emphasizes the design, build, test, and deployment cycle of applications operating on Google Cloud
Professional Data Engineer
Designed for professionals constructing and securing data processing systems
Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
Covers DevOps, SRE, CI/CD, and observability aspects within Google Cloud
Professional Cloud Security Engineer
Prioritizes the security of Google Cloud, its applications, data, and users
Professional Cloud Network Engineer
Concentrates on the design, planning, and implementation of Google Cloud networks, having significant overlap with security concepts
Professional Google Workspace Administrator
Targets professionals managing and securing Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite
Professional Machine Learning Engineer
Serves those involved in the design, construction, and operationalization of machine learning models on Google Cloud
The exams are not easy—that is what makes them valuable—but they are not impossible either. Different people will have different preferences for how to prepare. When I have prepared for exams, I prefer to do a little, often: an hour of reading or watching a video in the morning followed by an hour of hands-on experimentation in the evening. I find that this helps me to retain the information and to build up my knowledge over time. As I get closer to the exam, I do more practice exams; Google provides example questions for each in the exam guide, to get used to the style of questions and identify any gaps in knowledge to work on.
I have a ritual of booking my exam for 10 AM and having Starbucks tea and fruit toast followed by a walk before the exam. I arrive or set up in plenty of time, so I am relaxed. When the exam starts, I recommend reading questions very carefully, as there is often a small detail that makes all the difference to the answer.
Sometimes a difficult question can use up time; in this case, I flag it and move on. I also flag any questions I am not completely sure about and come back later. At the end of the exam, I am usually much more confident about my answers.
Often, there will be a piece of information in one question that may unlock a difficult question earlier on. Most importantly, if you are not sure, make a guess. You will not be penalized for a wrong answer, but you will be penalized for not answering a question.
When you finish and submit your exam, you will get a provisional pass or fail. Google does not give you a score or a breakdown to tell you which questions you got wrong (like AWS, for example). You will get an email a few days later with your final result. You may also receive a code to redeem for a gift from Google (at the time of writing and depending on the exam), which is a nice touch. You can also list your certification in the Google Cloud Certified Directory. For example, you can see my profile in the Directory site.
Tip
Resist the temptation to use exam dumps for preparation. These question compilations are often shared in violation of the exam’s confidentiality agreement and tend to be outdated and misleading. The optimal way to prepare is to tap into the vast amount of learning material available, get hands-on experience, and take the official practice exams.
I’ve interviewed candidates who relied on exam dumps, and it’s usually clear: they struggle with basic questions. These exams are meant to gauge your understanding and proficiency with the platform, not rote memorization of facts. Encountering a familiar question in the exam is not as gratifying as being able to answer based on a solid understanding and practical experience.
It is a great feeling when you pass, and if you find the experience useful, there are many other specialties. One thing to note is that certification expires after two years, so if you do many exams at once, you will need to do them all again in two years to stay certified. The exception is that the Cloud Digital Leader and Associate Cloud Engineer certifications are valid for three years. Good luck on your certification journey!