ITIL Foundation Certification Examination Taking Tips

The EXIN or ISEB ITIL Foundation examination comprises of 40 multiple choices questions where an answer out of 4 possible answers given has to be selected. One mark is given for a correct answer and no marks are deducted for an incorrect answer. Time allocated is 1 hour and a score of at least 26 marks out of 40 is needed to pass.

Many may dread the idea of having to sit for an examination and perform below par even though they may be sufficiently prepared for the examination through self study or have attended a formal training course.

These are the tips that I typically share with the participants of the ITIL Foundation course before they sit for the ITIL Foundation certification examinations. Most have found these tips useful.

1. You have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions. This works out to 1.5 minutes per question. This is more than enough time. Therefore, no need to rush, take your time.
2. It is natural to be a little bit nervous in the beginning, therefore it is a good practice to relax a little. Attempt the easy questions first, followed by the questions that are more difficult. If you are skipping questions, make sure you mark your answers correctly next to the question number in the answer sheet or form.
3. There are always a few tricky questions within the 40 questions. Do not panic if you do not know the answers to these few questions. You can still pass the exam and get your certification.
4. Many candidates are making the wrong choice because they did not clearly understand what was asked in the question. One key tip is that you have to read the question carefully.
5. Look for the KEYWORDS in the questions and answers. Most of the time, they will lead you to the right choice. Sometimes the answer is simpler than you think!
6. It could be that you have implemented ITIL or IT Service Management different from the book. This examination is based on the ITIL books. Therefore for this one hour: forget your experience!
7. Be extra careful when the question has words like "best," "most accurate," "most closely." It indicates that multiple options in this question are (somewhat) right. There is however only one answer that is the most complete and therefore the BEST.
8. Be extra careful when the question has word "NOT" in it.
9. If you do not know what is right, it helps when you start with what is wrong. Narrow down the possibilities by eliminating some answer(s) that you know is/are wrong.
10. If you have to make a guess, it is a good practice NOT to change the answer later (unless you absolutely know the answer after some careful thought). In other words: if you need to make a guess, do not guess again! Your intuition is often right the first time.
With the above tips, hopefully you will do the best you can for your examinations.