If you are thinking of making Cisco Certification part of your resume or you already have it and want to know how to get the maximum salary when applying for Cisco certification jobs in USA, you should be aware that getting a Cisco certificate is definitely not an easy task. It is a prerequisite to have at least CCNA Foundation or CCDA written in order to get certified. But in many companies it has become a mandatory thing. So, what are the basic requirements for getting a Cisco certificate?

Get yourself prepared for the exam: The first thing you have to do is to get yourself prepared for the CCNA or Cisco exams which are offered by different universities and institutions across the country. There are three types of exams offered by Cisco Systems. These are: CompTIA A+, CCDA, and CCNP. If you are new to Cisco then the first two will be sufficient. However, if you are a veteran or are a beginner it will be better to get yourself prepared for the third one because it has more difficult topics. When you have made yourself ready for the exam, you can either take it online or go for the Cisco Institute’s site to download study materials and answer any questions that might pop up.

Practice your typing skills: Getting a Cisco certification requires great typing skill. Even though you might be able to type fast with the help of abbreviations and keywords when you first sit for the exam but after going through the typing practice course you will become very familiar with the keyboard layout. You will notice that even though you do not see your typing errors immediately you will notice that they start showing up. So, you have to keep practicing. You can take an online typing course or get yourself a book and practice your typing skills.

Set realistic expectations: It is not easy to pass the exam. Most people fail the exam even before sitting for the actual exam. If you want to succeed and pass the test you have to set realistic expectations. Know what you expect from the exam and have a plan on how to achieve your goals.

Take advantage of sample questions: You should be given sample questions during the review course. This will help you prepare yourself and will increase your chances of passing the certification exam. There are sample questions that are usually given to all candidates before they take the actual Cisco certification. It will give you an idea on how to answer the exam questions. It is also good if you have a guide book because the questions in the guide book are based from the sample questions.

Get some networking contacts: Networking is very important if you want to get the job you want. The more networking contacts you make, the better you are positioned. Your network will help you find a good job, once you do the Cisco certification exams and pass them. Networking is very important, so start looking for your networking contacts today.

Practice exam: Before sitting for the exam, practice the exam a lot. There are many sample questions that can be found online and these questions will help you get ready for the exam. Once you get the certification, you can practice more for the real exam.

Find the right schools: When you are looking for the certification jobs in USA, it is very important to go for good schools. It is easy to get a diploma from any school. You just have to pay for the classes. Some people don’t even bother to go to a school and they get a certification without paying anything. Don’t do that, just find a good school.