source: westfloridaisaca.org

Halo semuanya. Saya berharap teman-teman semua sehat dan bahagia selalu ya. Dengan rendah hati saya sampaikan bahwa mulai bulan ini saya mendapatkan gelar CGEIT (Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT). Saya berkomitmen untuk selalu menuliskan tips lulus setiap ujian sertifikasi yang saya ikuti sebagai ungkapan kesyukuran dan juga untuk membantu setiap kandidat ujian sertifikasi di luar sana. Jadi, inilah tips lulus ujian CGEIT versi saya :

(P.S.: beberapa di antaranya mirip dengan tips untuk lulus ujian CISA yang diposting sebelumnya karena saya yakin keduanya memerlukan persiapan yang serupa)

1. Kalibrasi Ulang Pola Pikir

Satu hal yang paling saya sadari dari materi CGEIT adalah sudut pandang dan cara berpikirnya sedikit berbeda dari yang saya miliki. Sementara sebagai praktisi terkadang saya harus berpikir praktis, ujian CGEIT mengharuskan kita untuk berpikir secara strategis dan ideal. Jadi sebelum memulai perjalanan belajar, saya mengkalibrasi ulang pola pikir. Saya juga mempersiapkan diri untuk berpikir berdasarkan peran yang diberikan misalnya komite audit, CIO, CEO, dll, serta memahami jargon/istilah yang digunakan oleh mereka.

2. Pelajari CGEIT Review Manual dan CGEIT Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual (QAE)

Seperti yang saya sebutkan dalam post tentang tips ujian CISA, review manual dan QAE adalah dua referensi sakral untuk semua orang yang ingin meraih sertifikasi ISACA. Luangkan waktu untuk membaca kedua buku ini dari sampul ke sampul terutama QAE karena memperkenalkan kita pada jenis pertanyaan yang akan kita hadapi. Pahami penjelasan dari jawaban-jawaban yang disarankan buku tersebut untuk mendapatkan logika, perspektif, dan kearifan yang ditetapkan ISACA. Saya juga mengidentifikasi kesenjangan pengetahuan saya dan membuatnya menjadi catatan. Saya membacanya lagi saat waktu luang.

Oh ya, pastikan mempelajari versi terbaru dari buku-buku ini ya. Aaat ini, CGEIT Review Manual terbaru adalah edisi ke-8 dan QAE Review edisi ke-5.

Saya membuat catatan hal-hal yang belum saya ketahui

3. Peroleh Pengetahuan dan Pengalaman di Bidang Tata Kelola TI

Memiliki pengetahuan dan pengalaman di bidang tata kelola TI tentu sangat penting dalam menyelesaikan soal-soal ujian CGEIT. Untuk mendapatkan pengetahuan yang dibutuhkan, saran saya banyaklah membaca referensi terkait tata kelola TI, mendiskusikannya dengan orang lain, atau bergabung dengan komunitas (atau apa pun. Pilih cara favorit teman-teman untuk menyerap pengetahuan). Sementara itu, menjawab beberapa pertanyaan ujian CGEIT mengharuskan kandidat untuk tidak hanya dibekali dengan pengetahuan tetapi juga pengalaman sehingga paparan di kehidupan nyata pasti akan bermanfaat. Pengalaman membentuk logika, perspektif, dan kebijaksanaan yang akan memudahkan kita menemukan jawabannya.

Selain itu, menurut saya, penting untuk meningkatkan eksposur terhadap istilah TI dan bahasa Inggris (terutama ketika TI bukan jurusan dan bahasa Inggris bukan bahasa pertama kita).  Familiarity with IT terms and English is advantageous!

4. Paparan terhadap COBIT itu Membantu

Jika saya harus menyebutkan satu hal yang paling membantu saya mempelajari materi CGEIT adalah bahwa saya sebelumnya telah terpapar ke kerangka kerja COBIT 5 dan COBIT 201. Pemahaman terhadap kerangka kerja tersebut mempercepat proses pembelajaran saya karena CGEIT dan COBIT memiliki logika, prinsip, dan cara berpikir yang serupa. Keduanya sangat terkait jadi saya menyarankan semua orang yang ingin mengikuti ujian CGEIT untuk juga membaca kerangka kerja COBIT (terutama yang terbaru yaitu COBIT 2019).

5. Menghadiri Pelatihan CGEIT Review

Jika teman-teman ingin memiliki persiapan yang lebih matang, saya sarankan mengikuti pelatihan persiapan ujian (terutama yang diadakan oleh pusat pelatihan yang terafiliasi dengan ISACA). Namun, sekalipun tidak dapat mengikuti pelatihan, jangan khawatir. Dengan atau tanpa mengikuti pelatihan, teman-teman tetap dapat memiliki persiapan yang cukup kok.

6. Berlatih Melalui Mock Exams

Mengikuti mock exams sangat penting agar kita terbiasa duduk dan berpikir tanpa gangguan selama berjam-jam. Kerjakan pertanyaan sampai teman-teman mendapatkan setidaknya 80 (semakin tinggi semakin baik). Saya sendiri mencoba menyelesaikan setiap mock exam dalam 2 jam untuk melatih kemampuan berpikir cepat dan menyelesaikan ujian di bawah tekanan.

7. Perhatikan Kondisi Fisik dan Mental Kita

Menjaga kesehatan dan kebugaran untuk ujian sangat penting. Pastikan teman-teman tidur cukup agar keesokan paginya fit untuk mengerjakan 150 soal dalam 4 jam. Pastikan juga kita sarapan pagi, tiba di tempat ujian lebih awal, dan yang tak kalah pentingnya adalah mengelola kondisi emosi dan mental kita. Tenang. kita sudah cukup mempersiapkan diri dan siap menghadapi ujian ini.

8. Berdoa

Tips ini akan selalu saya ulangi di setiap post tips ujian karena memang sepenting itu. berdoalah agar kita diberi kemudahan dalam mengerjakan soal-soal. Berdoalah agar soal-soalnya berpihak dengan pengetahuan dan persiapan kita 😊

9.  Tips Lainnya

a. Baca silabus untuk memahami apa yang perlu dipahami dan porsinya masing-masing dibandingkan dengan keseluruhan materi ujian.

B. Menjadwalkan ujian adalah salah satu cara terbaik untuk mulai belajar. Ketika saya belum memesan tanggal ujian, rasanya masih ada waktu lama untuk mempersiapkannya. Namun, ketika sudah terjadwal, tiba-tiba saya merasa harus segera belajar :)

C. Pengetahuan yang kita peroleh dari pengalaman adalah sesuatu yang harus disikapi dengan bijak: terkadang membantu, terkadang tidak. Terdapat kemungkinan pengetahuan yang kita peroleh tidak sesuai dengan standar/kerangka kerja yang ditetapkan oleh ISACA. Oleh karena itu, kita harus mengidentifikasi keselarasan pengetahuan kita dengan body of knowledge ISACA.

10. Tips Selama Ujian

a. Jika teman-teman mengikuti ujian di pusat ujian, perhatikan suhu ruang ujian. Apabila terlalu dingin untuk didiami selama 4 jam, kenakan jaket. Selain itu, duduklah senyaman mungkin. Empat jam bukanlah waktu yang singkat. 😊

B. Kerjakan dengan tenang. Kita memiliki waktu yang relatif lama untuk melakukannya. Jika kita tenang, kita akan lebih teliti. Pada ujian di mana ada banyak pertanyaan dan jawaban yang rumit (dan akurasi menjadi kuncinya), mengelola ketenangan adalah suatu keharusan.

C. Hati-hati dengan jawaban "hampir benar". Secara umum, pertanyaan CGEIT memberi kita 2 alternatif jawaban yang keduanya tampak benar. Hehe. Pastikan memilih yang benar, bukan yang terlihat benar.

D. Fokus pada pertanyaan yang mudah terlebih dahulu. Kita bisa melewatkan pertanyaan yang sulit/panjang (jangan lupa untuk menandainya). Nantinya kita bisa kembali kepada soal-soal yang kita lewati.

e. Durasi ujian memungkinkan kami untuk meninjau ulang jawaban. Tinjau jawaban seolah-olah kita mengerjakannya lagi dari awal. Jangan bosan dulu meski stamina dan konsentrasi sudah menurun. Inilah saran pribadi saya: kecuali teman-teman begitu yakin dengan hasilnya, gunakan 4 jam sepenuhnya.

F. Jika teman-teman mengambil pilihan proctored exam (seperti yang dipilih teman saya), peserta ujian memiliki waktu istirahat ke toilet dua kali (masing-masing 10 menit). Istirahat ini juga diberikan jika teman-teman mengikuti tes di test center. Teman saya menyarankan untuk menggunakan waktu istirahat untuk mendapatkan kembali keseimbangan setelah mengerjakan soal. (bagi saya, saya mengambil istirahat di tengah waktu ujian.)

G. Jangan lupa untuk mengisi kuesioner post-test.

Itulah tips yang bisa saya bagikan kepada teman-teman yang ingin mengikuti ujian CGEIT. Semoga sukses teman-teman semuanya. Jika teman-teman memiliki pertanyaann, jangan ragu untuk menghubungi saya ya. Dengan senang hati saya membantu Anda. Semangat!

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English version: My Tips to Pass CGEIT Exam

source: westfloridaisaca.org

Hello, everyone. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. I’m humbled to share that starting this month, I officially got a CGEIT (Certified in Governance of Enterprise IT) designation. I’ve committed to always write down the tips to pass every certification exam I take as my token of gratitude and also to help every aspirant out there. So here is my version of how to pass the CGEIT exam:

(P.S.: some of them are similar to the tips to pass a CISA exam I posted previously as I believed both shared the similar kind of necessary preparations)

1. Recalibrate My Mindset

The one thing I realized the most from CGEIT material is that its point of view and way of thinking slightly differ from what I have. While as a practitioner I sometimes have to think practically, the CGEIT exam requires us to think strategically and ideally. So before embarking on the learning journey, I recalibrate my mindset. Besides, I prepared myself to think based on the roles given e.g. audit committee, CIO, CEO, etc, and understand the buzzwords/terms used by them.

2. Study the CGEIT Review Manual and the CGEIT Review Questions, Answers & Explanations (QAE) Manual 

As I mentioned in my post about CISA exam tips, the review and QAE manuals are two sacred references for everyone pursuing ISACA certifications. Take your time to read the books cover to cover especially the QAE Manual since it introduces us to the kinds of questions we will face. Learn the explanation of the answers suggested by the book to get the logic, perspective, and wisdom that ISACA sets out. I also identified my knowledge gaps and wrote down a note containing them. I reread it again whenever I could.

Anyway, please do make sure you study the latest version of these books. For now, the latest CGEIT Review Manual is the 8^th edition and the QAE Manual is the 5^th edition. 

I took note of everything I'm confused/didn't know about

3. Obtain Knowledge and Experience in the IT Governance Field

Having knowledge and experience in the IT governance field is certainly substantial in solving CGEIT exam questions. Regarding acquiring the needed knowledge, my advice is to read lots of references related to IT governance, discuss them with others, or join a community (or anything. Pick your favorite way of absorbing knowledge). Meanwhile, answering some CGEIT exam questions requires the candidate to be equipped with not only knowledge but also experience so real-life exposure will surely be beneficial. Experience shapes our logic, perspective, and wisdom which will make it easier for us to figure the answers out.

Besides, in my opinion, it's important to increase your exposure to IT terms and English (especially when IT isn't your major and English is not your first language). Familiarity with IT terms and English is advantageous!

4. Exposure to COBIT is Beneficial

If I have to point out one thing that helped me the most when learning the CGEIT material is that I’ve exposed myself to COBIT 5 and COBIT 2019 framework previously. The familiarity with the frameworks accelerated my learning process as CGEIT and COBIT shared the same underlying logic, principles, and way of thinking. They are heavily linked so I recommend everyone who wants to take a CGEIT exam to also read COBIT frameworks (especially the newest one i.e. COBIT 2019).

5. Attend CGEIT Review Training

If you want to have a more solid preparation, I suggest you attend the exam preparation training (especially the one held by a training center affiliated with ISACA). However, even if you can't sit in on the training, don’t worry. With or without training, you can still have sufficient preparation.

6. Practice Through the Mock Exams

Having a mock exam is essential so that we get used to sitting and thinking without interruption and distraction for hours. Work on the questions until you scored at least 80 out of 100 (the higher, the better). I tried to complete each mock exam in 2 hours to train my quick thinking and ability to finish the exam under pressure. 

7. Mind Our Physical and Mental State

Maintaining health and fitness for an exam is vital. Make sure you get enough sleep so that the next morning we are fit to do 150 questions in 4 hours. Also make sure we take our breakfast, arrive at the test center early, and last but not least manage our emotional and mental state. Be calm. You have prepared enough and are ready to face this test. 

8. Pray

9. Miscellaneous Tips

a. First things first, read the syllabus to understand what needs to be understood and the portion of each compared to the whole exam material.

b. Scheduling the exam is one of the best ways to start studying. When I haven't booked an exam date, it feels like there is still a long time to prepare for it. However, when it is already scheduled, I suddenly felt that I had to study immediately :)

c. The knowledge we gained from experience is something to be treated wisely: sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. The knowledge that we have gained may not be in line with the standards/frameworks set by the ISACA, so we must identify the alignment of our knowledge with the ISACA's body of knowledge.

10. Tips During the Exam:

a. If you take the exam at the test center, pay attention to the temperature of the test room. If it is too cold to stay inside for 4 hours, wear a jacket. Also, sit as comfortable as possible. Four hours is not a short time, sweetie. 😊

b. Do it serenely. We have a relatively long time to do it. If we are calm, we’ll be more careful. On exams where there are many tricky questions and answers (and accuracy becomes the key), managing our tranquillity is a must.

c. Be careful with the “almost correct” answers. In general, CGEIT questions leave us with 2 alternative answers that both seem true. Hehe. Make sure you choose the right one, not one which looks like it.

d. Focus on the easy questions first. We can skip the difficult/long questions (don't forget to flag them). We can always come back to them later.

e. The duration of the exam allows us to review the answers. Review the answers as if we do it again from the beginning. Don't get bored just yet even though your stamina and concentration have decreased. Here’s my personal advice: if you haven't so sure about the results, use the 4 hours fully.

f. If you take the option of a proctored exam (like what a friend of mine chose), you have toilet breaks twice (10 minutes each). These breaks are also provided if you take the test in the test center. My friend suggested using the break to regain your balance after working on the questions. (for me, I took a break in the middle of the exam duration.)

g. Don't forget to fill out the post-test questionnaire.

Those are the tips I can share with everyone who wants to take the CGEIT exam. Good luck, everyone. If you have anything to ask, feel free to reach out. It's my pleasure to help you. Cheers!

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Indonesian version: Tips Ujian CGEIT

image source: greepx.com

Some months ago, a close friend of mine, Iis Setiani, promoted SK II Facial Treatment Essence (FTE) to me. Actually, she had done it many times but only this time did she succeed (talking about persistence, SK II Indonesia should hire her as their influencer *wink 😊). When I argued that the low-priced skincare products are enough for me (and deep down assumed that the effect on my skin isn't significantly inferior to the expensive ones), she convincingly said that the reason she loves this essence dearly was no other than it has improved her skin condition greatly. 

image source: Maxwell Nelson in unsplash.com

When I was a senior high schooler, I remember almost every cool kid in the school wore Piero shoes (please don’t judge us. In Purworejo at that time, the shoes were a subtle sign you are well off. Hihi). So like every other kid, I asked my parents to buy me one. I mean the pair wasn’t that expensive so it wasn’t too much to ask, right?

However, my parents were against the notion. I couldn’t own the shoes since we didn’t have the luxury to afford them while projecting our future where the children could live well. Coming from a modest background, we needed to do frugal living and save money so that both my brother and I could attend colleges, secure good jobs, and live better than my family did. Because of that long-term mission, we didn’t have the privilege to possess the things we wanted, even the seemingly inexpensive ones. It was frustrating that even the relatively cheap stuff for other people wasn’t affordable for us. Was I finally okay with that? Of course not. For kids at that age, it was totally disappointing. 

For years, I brought the disappointment of not being able to own the “cool” stuff along with my life as I can’t wear beautiful clothes, stylish shoes, bags from popular brands, etc. I basically have to wear the cheaper everything so that the family’s dreams were achievable. What happened next was that I promised myself to live a comfortable life where I can acquire the items I want to have in the future. I worked hard to ensure that I could succeed so the money problem won’t bother me anymore. 

However, when the time has finally come, for example, now that I can purchase the shoes with my own money, surprisingly, I didn’t buy one. Even when I could afford the goods from the more expensive brands, I was still the person who wore relatively cheaper things than what people around me did. Not that I am not interested in the luxurious stuff. Of course, as a human, I like to be clad in branded items. However, the experience of not having the things I wanted has put me into this perspective: I need to be aware of whether I need something or just want it. That the hard-earned money should be spent wisely as I am also grateful for the life I have today. That I need to be patient because, in life,  my dreams may or may not come true.

Seeing it from my current standpoint, the experience I had in the past was what grounded and humbled me. I had walked so far to be here so all I have is to be thankful for the life I have today.  Whenever I feel that my day sucks, I remember all those days when everything seemed so far away. It was such a humbling reminder. 

However, if I have to mention one precious lesson that I learned from that experience is to not judge everything harshly. My past self was upset with my parents even though maybe it was already the best they could do for me. Maybe they already did all they could to support me yet for me it wasn’t enough. Perhaps it was the best experience for the young me to embrace the future yet I was ridiculously ungrateful. So I beg myself to not be too hard on anyone (including me) since maybe they already provided/did the best they could.

If I could go back to the 16 years old self of mine, I would just hug her and tell her not to be upset over this matter. (Hey I can’t stop crying typing this part). The old me who was sad over the trivial things, look at you now. You are fine. You are completely fine. You walked properly in the right direction even without the dream Piero shoes.

So my dear self, even when you couldn’t have something, please remember that everything is still okay. You’ll be fine, as always. 

Love, 

iim