How do I get ITIL Certified?
November 24th, 2009
So you’ve either taken part in an ITIL project, program, or initiative. Or maybe you just found out about IT Service Management and the ITIL framework and would like to make a career in the ITSM industry.
The core purpose of the ITIL v3 Foundation Certificate is to certify that the certified professional has gained the essential knowledge of the ITIL terminology, basic concepts, and comprehends the core principles of IT Service Management.
The Typical ITIL v3 Certification Candidate
Typically it is recommended that the candidate have around 2-3 years of IT experience at a minimum and experience working within an ITIL program of an organization. Someone that has experience working in either the helpdesk, desktop engineering, or Project Managment department will be familiar with many of the ITIL concepts and terminology. Do not despair if you don’t have this experience as you can catch up by putting forward several more hours of experience in training and materials.
Getting certified in ITIL is simple. You take one exam called the Foundation level exam.
How Long Do I need to Study for the ITIL Exam
Typically the course material is 3 days in a classroom environment or 16.5-20 hours if you go with an online educational platform. If you do a self-study method such as online or purchasing a book we suggest you spend about 2 weeks (80 hours) to fully prepare for the test. This is to ensure that you have a higher likelihood of passing.
ITIL v3 Foundation Certification Exam
The exam can be taken at any Prometric testing center and the cost for the exam itself is approximately $150. This fee may differ if you take the exam in combination with the course and/or the price is changed by Prometric or EXIN.
The candidate will have a total of 60 minutes to answer 40 multiple choice questions on the topic of ITIL. A passing score of 65% is required to pass this closed book test on ITIL fundamental concepts. If the candidate is sitting for the exam in a language other than their native language, the candidate may have up to 75 minutes to take the 40 question exam. The Foundation examinations are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Portugese, Chinese, Japanese and Russian.
ITIL Certificate and the Green Pin
Upon completion of the ITIL v3 Foundation Exam, you will recieve the coveted “Green” Lapel Pin. Successful ITIL certified folks can go on to intermediate and advanced certifications in the ITIL.