Yes, another blog article on a roundup of a Salesforce Cert, but with there being no Focus on Force, or much Mike Wheeler content, to support the Notprofit Cloud Consultant Cert, I wanted to share my top resources.
1. Trailhead – the Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Trailmix by John Richter is a fantastic resource but make sure you don’t just complete the badges. The secret sauce is in the links in the trailmix, if you study all of these, and their follow up articles you are sure to pass.
2. The Nonprofit Cloud Academy: Consultant Fundamentals – this is a 4-part video session, which has video recordings so can be consumed anytime. There is also a slide deck which can be downloaded. This is linked to from the above Trailmix, but don’t miss it – I would start here!
3. The Nonprofit Cloud Consultants Study Guide – again this is linked to numerous times in the Trailmix, but make sure you review all of the articles in each section. The majority of the links will take you to the Power of Us Hub, but it breaks it down by relevance to the exam guide which makes it easier to consume. Within these articles there are lots of links to 2-3 minute YouTube videos, these were a great way to understand the key concepts.
4. Start your own NPSP trial – You can set one up for free for 30 days! I definitely had a far greater understanding of the functionality because I tested out so many of the concepts I may not have utilized previously in my own ORG.
5. Blog Articles – I read blog article “Salesforce Certified Non-Profit Cloud Consultant Exam Tips” by Gemma Blezard which was excellent, and this also referenced who introduced me to an Article “How to Prepare For and Pass Nonprofit Cloud Consultant Exam” by Maciej Jozwiak – these articles definitely helped me solidify some of the areas I needed to study. Almost all of these areas were mentioned at some point in the exam.
6. The key areas I would suggest you have some understanding on that you might feel are less vital but will definitely help you pass with flying colours are: the differences between Pardot & Marketing, GAU Allocations, Engagement Plans, Levels, TDTM, LYBNTY/SYBNTY, Volunteers for Salesforce.
And finally a point on Online Proctored Exams – Due to COVID-19, I decided to do the online exam, rather than visit my local test centre. Unfortunately, I had a real challenge with Kryterion and the Proctored Exam process. They had a biometric profile on file which was 3 years old. They didn’t request a new one, and I didn’t have the option to create one. I was unable to start the exam, and after 45 minutes of being on the online chat I finally had someone call me (they are based in Arizona and I didn’t fancy that phone bill!) and they reset the profile, took the image, and luckily they were able to reschedule my exam straight away. They said the image was probably corrupt, which happens when they upgrade their software! I would suggest that anyone who has an “older” biometric profile makes sure they contact them ahead of time and has a new one setup. By the time I started my exam I was very agitated, but luckily I had a good knowledge on the subject matter, so I was able to settle into the exam quickly. Other than that, I got “told off” for talking to myself, and I also had to show the corners of the room/ceiling/floor when there was some background noise…but they proctor was friendly and it wasn’t a major interruption.
Good luck with your exam! Let me know how you get on!