I am sitting in my car immediately after taking the FileMaker certification test. I’m a bit woozy from the experience–two hours of sitting in front of a 1024 x 768 monitor in a dingy room with a bright florescent light hovering above me. The narrow workspace I’m jammed into seemed to close in on me about the 90-minute mark.
The test took a lot of out me. I cycled through all the swear words I know at least three times, and I had to think. I couldn’t just recall a fact I had memorized. Instead, the 65-question test required me to see in my mind’s eye the answer or to use my gut to decide the answer.
Many answers were clear. Others required a good amount of thought. But in the end, sitting here in a hot car, I see that I’ve passed the test, and that I’ve scored better than ever. That’s a good feeling.
FileMaker certification is an important (optional) rite of passage in a developer’s growth in the platform, one of the milestones after opening the app and figuring out how to write a script. It usually comes after you’ve had a lot of experience with the platform, and is a step you’ll have to repeat many times–either when a new version of FileMaker is released or because your score was not quite over that passing threshold.
I’d like to share my experiences of taking the test, as far as I can talk about it, so that you – a person choosing to take part in that rite for the first time – can be prepared. I’ll share what is publicly available about the test and some prep and test-taking actions that I feel helped me to pass the test.
The FileMaker Certification test is a 65-question, 110-minute test, and passing is pretty-good proof that a developer understands the platform. Though some of the multiple-choice questions ask about basic factual knowledge, many of them require some deep thought and knowledge. In fact, many of the questions ask for two or more answers. It’s not, by any means, a simple exam.
The certification on your resume certainly gives you some credibility when applying for a job in the FileMaker world. However, more than anything, having the certification demonstrates your commitment to the platform and your desire to keep learning it. Employers, it seems, are interested in people who want to improve their skills and who are willing to stick with it. But ultimately, it comes down to a choice by the developer: take it or not. Of course, I recommend that you do.
You need to prepare for the test. Yes, anyone can take the test, but only those with some deep knowledge of the platform will have a chance of passing.
You can prepare by reading everything there is about FileMaker, but that will only get you so far. Your experience is a great preparation tool, so get into FileMaker and develop apps and learn how to do as many things as possible, even if you don’t have to do it for your regular project work. Many of us can go an entire development career without having to use FileMaker WebDirect, but if you want to get certified, you still must understand that part of the platform. So get to know everything, even if it’s just the basics. Even FileMaker Server.
If you don’t have a copy of FileMaker server, you can get a development license by signing up to the FileMaker Community. For $99 a year, you have FileMaker Server to install and tinker with incessantly.
With the announcement of FileMaker 16 comes a study guide. This FileMaker certification study guide narrows down the ‘reading-everything-out-there’ task, giving you four things that will help in your quest:
As you study, I recommend finding the answer in the help files before reading the answer provided in the guide. And don’t just find the exact answer to the question; read around the answer. The entire context is vital to your knowledge and understanding for the test.
Take the time to set up test files focusing on one or more specific concepts or techniques you read about to fill the holes in your professional experience. It is highly unlikely, for example, you’ve been able to set up a database as an ODBC source. Reading about it is good, but setting it up will allows you see the entire picture and better prepares you for the FileMaker certification exam.
I’ve got a folder on my computer called “CertTestPractice” that is filled with files to help me see how something works. I’ve got a few files that can connect with each other but only under certain access privileges. I’ve got a database in which I can test how auto-entry calc fields work.
These ideas will give you a fuller experience in preparing for the test. Just reading the HELP guide is not sufficient, nor is your practice up to this moment. Combine it all into meaningful study, and you’ll be better prepared.
I’ve now passed 5 tests, but I’ve taken a few more than that. So it stands to reason I’m not at 100% passing rate. That’s fine, I guess. But, of course, I’d rather pass the test the first time. Upon finishing the test for FileMaker 16, I realized I had adopted a few new testing strategies:
At the end of the test you’ll receive your score and your status: Pass or Fail. Either is fine, and neither is an ending point. Take the results from your test, which are percentages of each section, whether you pass or not. If the latter, simply resolve to study those sections on which you did not perform well. Come back in two weeks or later, and give it a try again.
The FileMaker certification test is a badge of honor for those invested in the platform. You can proudly display it on LinkedIn, your FileMaker Community profile, and even highlight it in other less business-oriented social media platforms. It is a tough test, but you’ll finish the experience with the confidence that you are headed towards mastery in FileMaker.
Jeremy is proud to be a certified FileMaker developer. He has worked previously at a charter school network where he built the student information system used for three schools. As with many other developers, Jeremy stumbled into the world of FileMaker and has become fascinated with solving business needs in the platform.
