The CISSP Not Taken...

[MitchGarvis]

I did not pass my CISSP exam today. In my defense, I also did not fail it. I showed up at the testing centre in Hamilton, Ontario fifteen minutes before the scheduled exam; I paid for parking; I knew where I was going so I walked casually and with purpose through the McMaster Innovation Centre building to the rear elevator that would take me to the fourth floor, where I would find Room 411A. Only the building was eerily empty, and when I got to the elevator the call button did not work. A passing maintenance worker told me the building had been evacuated due to (possibly) a blown transformer that was causing unstable power that might be a safety risk. As the CISSP material is very clear on, human lives are of nearly infinite value in loss and risk calculation. It would have been hypocritical folly to say they made the wrong call... and if I did what difference would that make? 

Now here's the problem... the staff at the local Pearson Vue must have evacuated the building as they should... but nobody notified Pearson Vue about the closure. Not only would I have had a much easier time rebooking the exam, I also would have received an email an hour before my exam (before I even left the house) telling me not to drive out there and pay for parking.

I do not know if I was going to pass the exam today, but I do know that when I woke up this morning I was at peace with the possibility that I might fail, so whatever the outcome this afternoon, the stress and anxiety that has been weighing me down since scheduling the test would have lifted, and if I failed then I would take a couple of weeks to study in a more relaxed fashion before rescheduling the exam for next month or the following. Not only are the stress and anxiety still there, as there is no indication of when I will be able to reschedule (I have to wait for the team at ISC2 to review the case and then issue a voucher, which might take 3-5 business days) so there is not even an anticipated end date for them now.

This is not anyone's fault... the testing facility had no choice but to evacuate and close for the day, Pearson Vue has policies they must follow with regard to the contract they have with ISC2, and the (very nice and helpful) call centre employee does not have the authority to just rebook my exam, he has to follow the policies and procedures as written. There is nobody at fault... which does not change my level of frustration one bit.

Oh and please don't tell me how great it is that I have at least two extra weeks to study for the exam... thanks, but I was prepared for today and this will throw my entire process off!

Thank you for letting me rant!

[denbesten]

Without question, being yanked out of the test taking "zone" stinks and I feel for you.

The truly baffling part to me is that you were able to enter a building deemed a safety risk.  You'd think that after the evacuation was complete, they would lock the door and place a "closed due to power issue" sign on it (which makes for a good piece of evidence to photograph). And, maybe notify the parking attendant.

I can understand you not receiving notice before you left home, but it is completely reasonable to expect an email from PearsonVue within 24 hours apologizing for the disruption and advising how to reschedule (probably call ISC2, as you did).

To me, the good news is that you have a strong case.  PearsonVue's own records will ultimately show that it is not your fault, even if the local office does not 'fess up. Other PearsonVue test takers at that facility also would have been recorded as "no-shows", and a few unlucky souls will have been reported as abandoning the exam in the middle.   

[nkeaton]

@MitchGarvis   Thank you for sharing that.  I know that one of the Pearson Vue sites locally lost power last year.  The people that I talked with about it (I only talked with a couple that were in the middle of their exam) said that it took a couple of days, but the test facility was on it for them.  The only odd experience that I ever had was for my CCSP scheduled March of 2020.  Yes, the pandemic shut the test sites down.  Fortunately I rescheduled as soon as it was allowed because reservations were limited.  When I got my notice, Pearson Vue had scheduled me for a Saturday.  I don't schedule exams on the weekends.  The other issue was that it was at a test center that was only a 9 hour drive for me.  I have never taken a test in that state.  There was no rescheduling fee because of the pandemic.  Fortunately it worked out for me and passed my CCSP that June.  I hope that your situation works out.  In the meantime, if you have not read Luke's How to Think Like a Manager, I highly recommend it as think is what put me over the top to passing.  It really helps to frame the mindset to answer questions correctly.  I didn't use them, but a lot of people like Prabh Nair's Coffee Shots which are fairly concise "lessons".  Best wishes on your exam.  

[Steve-Wilme]

Wasn't it so much easier when the exams were on paper.  No desktop computers to fail due to electrical outages and free ISC2 pencils LOL

[nkeaton]

@Steve-Wilme   Now I would rather do a 6 hour linear exam than a 3 hour adaptive one.  I started ISC2 certifications with their first online one, the CAP.  I know several who took the paper and pencil CISSP and had other issues like making sure kept the question and answer booklets/sheets synchronized.  I have been told that they endorsed each other at the exam location.  Of course then there is the long wait on results.  I am not a morning person and just know that I would get there with parking issues and 8:01 and be locked out.  Funny, it was not that long ago.  Both ISC2 and ISACA exams were kind of slow to become automated.  

[MitchGarvis]

@den that was my first thought... why wasn't the door open or at least why didn't they post a sentry preventing people from entering until they got their act in order. With electromagnetic locks I was not surprised that the door was not locked in an electrical incident. As I passed by an office on my to the elevator I passed a group of people who seemed to be discussing an incident response, but they did not advise me to turn around either... they could have done without one of their number.

After a good night sleep I am at least confident that I will get a voucher to reschedule the exam... although how long that will take, and then how long it will take to reschedule are both unknowns and sources of added anxiety. Sigh.

You are right, I was yanked from the Test Taking Zone and it was mentally draining... especially since as I stood outside the front door trying to deal with MY situation, I had to go into Manager Mode. A young lady who was there to test for her Nursing Boards relied on me to guide her through what she had to do. She was freaking out and her mother was crying that candidates are absolutely not allowed to cancel within 24-hours. They were clearly from a faraway foreign land and were hoping this was the daughter's ticket to a better life, and it was going to be lost because she could not get into the building (which they did eventually lock). I explained to her as calmly and helpfully as I could that this might be her first PearsonVue exam, it was my 110th (yes, I count) and that while the candidate cannot reschedule, the testing site can for emergencies such as this. No, I cannot give her a phone number (I know the number for PV Microsoft and PV ISC2 are different so I cannot imagine the number for the PV Nursing Board of Ontario would be the same) but I could at least explain to her how to track down where to go in her confirmation email to get the link for Customer Support.

Yesterday was no fun but I'm sure I'll finally be able to reschedule... eventually.

[MitchGarvis]

@Steve-Wilme Even though remote testing had been available much sooner for Microsoft exams, for 91 of the first 92 exams that I sat were at testing centres, and it was only Covid that forced me to start taking my exams at home. In fact these last five years the only times I have driven to a testing centre were for ISC2 exams which does not offer that option. Truly I do not mind and have written extensively on my blog about cert exams from home versus on-site. 

When I read that you were forced to delay four months and drive nine hours to your CCSP exam my first thought was horror for you; my second thought was to remind myself that what is happening to me is not the worst thing in the world. When people ask how I've endured certain things I tell them that war veterans tend to look at life different from most people... any day that nobody tried to make me dead is a good day. In other words yeah this incident sucks but it will get resolved and should only push me back a couple of weeks.

For the record, I know I have sat exams in three countries, three Canadian provinces, and six US states... but never have I had to drive to another state or province because that was the nearest testing site that was open. I feel for you!

At some point, hopefully by the end of this week, I will likely hear back from ISC2 with a voucher to reschedule my exam, which I hope to be able to do before the end of next week. In the meantime I am going to look for Luke's How to Think Like a Manager as well as Prabh Nair's Coffee Shots... I took the class, I read a couple of other books, and I made my own flash cards... but if I was not completely confident I was going to pass yesterday then I should not be afraid to expand my study materials based on recommendations from people who have already passed the exam I am preparing for. Thanks!

[nkeaton]

@MitchGarvis  Thank you for being compassionate with the person in your example.  She probably definitely needed that.  I am sure that you will end up being fine, but a little compassion goes a long way.  Appreciate you.

[Steve-Wilme]

The only exam I've taken remotely on-line was the CCSK.  Given how unreliable internet connectivity is and the interruptions from my dog furiously barking, because she wasn't getting attention, it was far more stressful than attending a test centre.

[nkeaton]

@Steve-Wilme The CCSK was also my only one not at a test center. I did it at work and noticed the white noise pumped in much more. I do want to attempt the CCAK so will have to do that somewhere else. I have heard too many nightmare stories from people taking ISACA, PMI, or CompTIA exams at home that would never choose that option or recommend it