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The reason that most people fail on certification and licensing tests is, they really do not understand the subject and should not be trying to do a job for a customer/client as they are not really good at the thing they cannot pass a test on. If they really do not know the subject, they will do a lousy job of taking tests.
The test is for their future clients or employers benefit, as it eliminates the wanna bees, from the ones that are qualified.
If you can't pass tests, then you should not be working in the industry you are taking the test to enter.
Would tend to agree with the above. Most, though not quite all, of the heavy-duty certs in IT I've run across weed out the unqualified. I'm sure there are exceptions, but the rule stands.
Working in Microsoft's labs with a couple other close peers, we all decided to pass six Microsoft Cetified Systems Engineer (MCSE) exams some years ago. We formed a study group, and passed them one at a time by playing off one another's specific expertise for coaching. Then a fourth peer, smart as the three of us duct taped together, passed three in one day. That was amusing. Great guy, and one of the best SE's I ever met. MCSE was actually pretty tough, and impressed employers back then. These days, who knows.
Point being, I've never passed an exam (cert) or gotten a degree (BS, MBA) in a subject I hadn't literally mastered. The tests were thus a dawdle in each case, though did require significant prep work. Project Management Professional (PMP), for example, requires three years experience and a Bachelor's degree, or five years and an Associate's (HS may be acceptable too). I bet few people fail PMP, though I suppose it's possible and I'm guessing. If you're taking the test, you are pretty much bound to pass *if* you prep carefully and conscientiously. It isn't the Bar Exam, to be sure, but isn't trivial either. I recall putting in about 70 hours of specific study for PMP, and I'd been a PM about six years at the time.
I've used memorization, flashcards, group study, individual study, tutoring, and asking specific questions of subject matter experts. Each person needs to understand how they study best, and practice, practice, practice!
Limits are on how many can work directly under the pharmacists' supervision, not how many can be working in the store at one time.
We try to get at least a few sales clerks licensed after they are hired, so that they are able to step back to help as needed in RX to cover for breaks, call outs, etc. If a licensed or certified applicant comes to us willing to hire in as a sales clerk all the better for us, they'll be hired before the applicant without a license, so it's definitely not a deterrent to getting hired. Not like there are many certified techs who apply for typical sales clerk job with the lower rate of pay though, lol
I do not know how your state's board of pharmacy addresses pharmacy staffing. In my state, all pharmacy technicians working behind the pharmacy counter and on the sales floor are under the direct supervision of the pharmacist on duty. If the pharmacy location is excessively staffed at the time of a random routine inspection, the permit holder, the pharmacy manager, the pharmacist on duty, and each excessive pharmacy technician not working in pharmacy get dinged by the board of pharmacy. If it is a chain, verbal and written performance consultations and disciplinary action could follow.
In my field the only thing that matters is NICET certification and it isn't easy.
It isn't just a test but experience as well with a minimum five years experience for Level III and ten years minimum (not kidding) experience for Level IV. No fudging on the experience because every applicant must be signed off and verified by either a licensed professional engineer, NICET is a Division of the National Society for Professional Engineers, or the holder of a senior level certificate holder. I have to verify the applicant has so many years and months experience, provide details of his experience and certify that in my opinion the applicant is prepared to take the test. Under penalty of losing certification people like me don't take our duties as verifier lightly.
There are actually four tests; Level I, Level II, Level III and Level IV and for all four levels I would estimate maybe 12 to 16 test hours is involved so it isn't lightweight. Level I is entry Level while Level IV notes senior level skills.
Found on the web where a young man wrote of his first NICET test taking experience. MY NICET EXAM EXPERIENCE
Quote:
After 3 years of working in the fire sprinkler industry, I finally took my very first NICET exam in April of this year. What an eye-opener! Going into the exam, I would say I was just like every other 21 year-old I know. I was cocky. I was ignorant. Not understanding the importance of the task I was about to undertake. Sure, this is about my career. What does that matter? It’s like the Vikings having to play the entire season just to choke in the play-offs. It was just a formality. I would pass with flying colors and be Level 1 certified. Like I said, I was ignorant. I thought there was no way I would take 6 hours to complete the test. Boy was I wrong! My attitude was wrong. My method of preparation was wrong. And, most of all, my answers were wrong.
snip
I am sure our applicant did much better the second time he took the test. It isn't the worlds hardest test to take but the worst thing you can do is underestimate that turkey because you will fail if you don't know the material. No guessing.
The good part of all this is certification is valuable especially Level IV. What you see here is a section out of a set of federal specifications for the design and installation of a double interlock pre-action type system:
Pretty typical of most federal projects.
The designer has to be either a professional engineer licensed in fire protection or a Level IV certified technician. Last time I checked the registry there were a total of 27 Level IV technicians in the state of New York and less than 1,200 nationwide with a lot of them in Texas due to chemical plants and refineries.
The reason that most people fail on certification and licensing tests is, they really do not understand the subject and should not be trying to do a job for a customer/client as they are not really good at the thing they cannot pass a test on. If they really do not know the subject, they will do a lousy job of taking tests.
The test is for their future clients or employers benefit, as it eliminates the wanna bees, from the ones that are qualified.
If you can't pass tests, then you should not be working in the industry you are taking the test to enter.
True most of the time. It has become quite vogue to blame poor preparation on "test anxiety". I'd be anxious too if I had to take a test and wasn't properly prepared. A lot of it now is due to tech age and the lack of students' ability to maintain focus.
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