About Me
I’m a fresh graduate with no prior work experience, holding a Bachelor’s in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Analytics. This is also my first time taking the exam.
Why I Took the CISSP Exam
I’ll be joining one of the Big 4 firms in my region as an Associate in Risk Assurance (Cybersecurity). I wanted to deepen my knowledge in preparation for the role, and my company offers Qualification Pay for passing two non-CPA/CFA/FRM certifications. I passed the CISA exam in late Dec and felt that preparing for the CISSP exam would be a great way to further expand my knowledge.
The Exam
I scheduled the exam for 9 AM today (16 dec 2024), even though I’m not usually a morning person. I was super nervous despite all the preparation (my hands are still shaking as of writing this) and even had a bout of diarrhoea right before registration at the test centre (TMI, I know). I was the only one taking the CISSP at that time, and the repeated vein scans (which others didn’t have to do) made the experience feel more intense.
The exam itself was brutal. As someone from East Asia, I’ve taken countless exams in my life, but the CISSP took the cake. Between the random loading (spinning cursor and flashing screen) and the rapid fluctuations in question difficulty, it felt like psychological warfare. It was even more so as I had prior experience with CAT where lowering question difficulty usually meant poor performance. By Question 35, I was convinced I had failed, and when the exam stopped at Question 100 （about 44 minutes left), I was certain of it. Seeing “Congratulations!” in my results letter was an immense relief.
Reflection
Looking back, while I enjoy challenging myself and don’t regret the time and effort I invested, the CISSP exam is probably not ideal for fresh graduates. Even with all the resources, I still wasn’t able to learn every concept covered in the exam (I found out the hard way by actually sitting through it). I would recommend starting with something more foundational to build up your knowledge before tackling CISSP. That said, I’m thrilled to have passed and can finally relax and celebrate now that it’s behind me.
I hope this helps! Best of luck with your exam prep, and feel free to ask any questions!
