While studying for my CCIE I have developed my own custom flow chart which I will share with you all. I am sure it will all make you laugh too. Feel free to make any modifications you feel are suitable. The sharing of learning strategies is very important.
　　
　　1. DO YOU WORK WITH CISCO NETWORKS?
　　IF YES PROCEED TO 2. IF NOT, GIVE UP NOW. YOU ARE KIDDING YOURSELF IF YOU THINK YOU CAN PULL THE CERTIFICATION OFF.
　　
　　2. HAVE YOU WORKED IN MANY DIFFERING ROLES IN YOUR NETWORKING CAREER AND DO YOU HAVE AT LEAST 2 YEARS EXPERIENCE? IF YES PROCEED TO 3. IF NOT WAIT TILL YOU DO BECAUSE YOU ARE ONLY WASTING YOUR TIME AND MONEY. ALTHOUGH YOU FEEL THE URGE TO STUDY FOR THE WRITTEN EXAM WITHOUT THE EXPERIENCE YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU ARE NOT DOING YOURSELF ANY FAVOURS IN THE LONG TERM.
　　
　　3. HAVE YOU COVERED ALL THE READING MATERIAL LISTS AND DO YOU HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCE AND PREPARATION FOR THE CCIE WRITTEN? IF YES PROCEED TO 4. OTHERWISE KEEP STUDYING AND WORKING HARD. AGAIN, THE URGE TO TAKE CERTS WITHOUT THE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE MAY SOUND LIKE A QUICK WAY TO MAKE A BIG SALARY. THIS WILL NOT WORK IN TODAYS NETWORKING CLIMATE AND YOU NEED YOUR HEAD EXAMINED IF YOU THINK SOME COMPANY IS GOING TO PAY YOU $150,000 A YEAR UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
　　
　　4. NOW THAT YOU HAVE PASSED THE CCIE WRITTEN MAKE SURE THAT YOU DONT GET A BIG HEAD OTHERWISE YOU WILL ATTEMPT THE CCIE LAB SHORTLY AFTER AND FAIL IT MISERABLY. A BETTER APPROACH WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCE YOU NEED AND ALSO BRUSH UP ON THE ACTUAL PRACTICAL SKILLS YOU ARE WEAK ON. ATTEND ANY EXTRA TRAINING COURSES YOUR EMPLOYER WILL PAY FOR. (IF YOU ARE NOT EMPLOYED AT THIS POINT IN NETWORKS. OH DEAR YOU MAY BE IN TROUBLE. ) ONCE YOU HAVE REACHED THIS LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING AND CONSEQUENTLY GAINED EXTRA GREY HAIRS TRYING TO REMEMBER THE WHOLE CCIE CURRICULUM YOU MAY PROCEED TO STAGE 5. IF YOU ARENT SURE ABOUT WHETHER YOUR ARE READY EITHER:
　　
　　A) GIVE UP NOW AND ADMIT DEFEAT.
　　B) REPEAT STEP 4 UNTIL READY.
　　
　　5. TAKE THE CCIE LAB. IF YOU PASS. WELL DONE YOU ARE VERY GOOD WITH CISCO GEAR. NOW COMES THE FUN BIT.
　　
　　DO YOU HAVE ANY WORK EXPERIENCE NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE CCIE?
　　
　　IF THE ANSWER IS
　　
　　NO) YOU MAY BE IN TROUBLE AS YOUR LACK OF EXPERIENCE WILL SHOW AT THE TECHNICAL INTERVIEW AND YOU WILL BE LABELLED A ?AB RAT CCIE? CRY A LOT AND WHINGE ON FORUM BOARDS ABOUT HOW "CERTIFIED YOU ARE" YET YOU CANT FIND WORK.
　　
　　YES) CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY AND HAVE A GREAT FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU. YOUR PARTNER WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL WANT A RIDE IN YOUR PORSHE ON A DAILY BASIS.