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Tips to Kick Start Your AWS Solutions Architect Associate Career

Amazon has made a name for itself globally with its eCommerce platform. AWS was their entry into the cloud computing market in 2006. Businesses and organizations prefer AWS for cloud services related to business. Its success is attributed to ease of use, scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness. Per reports, 31% of the cloud market share lies with AWS, making it the highest holder.

With an increasing number of businesses relying on AWS services, there is a high demand for AWS professionals. One of the most promising AWS careers is the AWS Solutions Architect Associate. The good thing is that you can get certified in AWS SAA c02 as a fresher without even being a cloud engineer. But that doesn’t make the exam any easier. You ought to rethink if you think you can run through some previous questions and get the AWS Solutions Associate Certificate. The questions are all scenario based. Only a person with experience in the AWS system can get started with this AWS Solutions Architect Associate Career.

Who is an AWS Solutions Architect?

An AWS Solutions Architect is an IT professional. Any cloud-based system comprises the Front end, back end, network, and cloud system. As the name implies, the solutions architect is the expert who analyses the requirements of a project and converts it into a design that makes the operation easier. The AWS Solutions Architect is the solution provider for complex technicalities by working on the AWS framework.

Why Do You Need the AWS Certification?

Let’s first discuss why you should choose this career path before moving on to how to launch your AWS Solutions Architect Associate job. We all know that Cloud Computing is the future, and AWS is on the top of the competitor’s list, followed by Microsoft Azure. All the top-notch companies, from banks to educational institutions, from Netflix to Siemens, rely on the AWS cloud platform.

  • A valid AWS certificate increases your marketability.
  • You can draw a better salary compared to a non-certified IT professional.
  • The Associate Certification is only the beginning of a colorful career.
  • Being a newly introduced job opportunity, there is a high demand for professionals, and you can easily find a reputable employer.
  • Put your certification up on your LinkedIn and resume that increases your employability.

About AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam

The AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam is the first step toward the career path. This exam is for beginners who are not so used to the cloud system, but having at least one year of experience working on the AWS system is required.

The exam duration is 130 minutes, with 65 questions. There are no descriptive questions, and they are either multiple choice or multiple responses. Of the 65 questions, 50 questions affect your score. The rest 15 questions are unscored, and AWS collects these to evaluate the questions for future use. The exam fee is 150 USD, and the candidate can register for the exam from the AWS training website.

The candidate will require a score of 720, and the marking scale is from 100-1000. The result will show your performance in each section. It will help you evaluate yourself and prepare better if you do not get through in the first attempt at the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam. 

Tips to Kick Start AWS Solutions Architect Associate Career

Whether you hold an IT degree or not, you will have to prepare for the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam. It is not an easy career path, and you must be focused and diligent in clearing the exam and making your dream career. There are no tricks or easy ways to pass the exam, but we can provide tips to help you streamline your AWS Solutions Architect Associate Career plan.

  1. Schedule the Exam

When you have decided on the career path, you can go on and schedule the exam date from aws.amazon.com/certification/. Make sure you choose a date that is practically possible. You must prepare for the test. If you read further on in this article, you will be able to work upon the time required to finish the learning.

  1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification.

You should begin with a base course if you do not know about the cloud computing system. The cloud practitioner exam is relatively easy, and you can invest around 2-3 weeks of study in passing the exam. Even IT degree holders are recommended to take this exam. The candidate’s basics in this course will help him pass the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam. 

  1. AWS Resources

It would help if you first referred to the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam Guide. The document will provide a detailed syllabus of the exam and the specific topics you need to cover. You can make this into a checklist to help you track your progress. There are free and paid AWS resources. You can find free webinars, practice papers, and online study resources.

AWS newsletters on weekly tips and blog subscriptions can get you exam ready. You can also find paid resources and courses on the AWS platform that work like a subscription and classroom training.

  1. Online Course

Enrolling in a reputed online AWS Solutions Architect Training course will help your learning process. Make sure you do this as soon as you schedule the exam. The online course is just the beginning of the learning procedure. Look for these while choosing the online course provider. 

  • The course curriculum covers both basic and advanced AWS topics.
  • Provides hands-on experience on the AWS system in handling real-time projects.
  • The course has study modules based on the AWS Syllabus domains.
  • Provides both live and recorded sessions.
  • Amazon is constantly updating, so make sure the course is updated.
  • And finally, look online for real people’s reviews of the course.
  1. Blogs

The AWS modules and system operation is changing at a breakneck speed. This is the reason why we have not mentioned reading books. Books might become quickly outdated as new modifications are made. You can use the books for fundamental learning, but AWS formal blogs will be an excellent read to stay updated on everything new on the AWS platform.

6, White paper & Case studies

If you are the kind of person who wants to understand things in detail, then you can read the AWS white papers.  They are the most practical references on AWS that you can find online. AWS documentation can also be extra information as it has all the updates on AWS systems. There are also reputed AWS newsletters to which you can subscribe for the latest news shared in your mailbox. These might come in handy to face interview sessions.

7. Practice Tests

They are also known as exam simulators and give the candidate real experience of the exam. This can be a game changer. The candidate should take the mock papers after completing the learning procedure per the syllabus and course. They are like the last step towards exam preparation. 

These mock exams are beneficial as they

  1. Can be a training session where the candidate can attempt the exam within the time frame. With the fixed time and scenario-based questions, one is bound to lose around 5-10 questions out of just pressure. With continuous practice paper rehearsals, you can master the skill of skipping complex/ confusing questions and getting all the sure answers.
  2. With every mock question paper, you run a revision of the whole portion. Your mind recalls the learned concepts and uses them to solve problems. After each mock-up, you get to know the answers and thus brush up on the learning.
  3. You can gauge your preparedness with these exams. A low score implies that you must learn more before attempting the exam. You can even understand your weaker areas and work more on those.

8. Hands-on Practice

This is a vital tip to kick start your AWS Solutions Architect Associate Career. You can gain practice by joining courses that provide the facility to work out real-time AWS platform projects. You should work on AWS services, their real scenarios, and the AWS console. This is useful for the exam as well as the career path of the associate. There are several services like EC2, IAM, and many others.

After passing the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam

The AWS Architect Associate Exam is the first step toward the career path. You can gain some experience and prepare for the AWS Solutions Architect Professional Exam. Before you find a job, you might need to gain experience. The experience can be achieved through internship associations, freelancing, or NGO work. The certificate and portfolio thus earned can be an add-on to your resume.

With the high number of organizations that depend on the AWS Platform, there is increased job opportunity for AWS-certified professionals. Surveys also point out that businesses look for certified professionals, and there is a shortage of experienced candidates. Increased demand means a higher salary. The average salary has been estimated at $127,000. This implies that now is the right time to prepare for the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam and build a competitive career.

Summing Up

Compared to the primary IT job sector, competition is low in a specific specialization like AWS Solutions Architect Associate Career. There are also the prospects of moving up in the hierarchy with experience. If you can start your preparation now with a reliable platform, you can crack the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam in no time and make a bright career for yourself. Good Luck!