ServiceNow Certification Path: Which Exam Should You Take First?

ServiceNow certifications are one of the fastest ways to prove your platform skills to employers and clients. But with so many exams available, where should you start?

Step 1: Certified System Administrator (CSA)

The CSA is the foundation (CSA study guide). It covers navigation, forms and lists, users and groups, access control, the Service Catalog, flows and data imports. Almost every other ServiceNow certification builds on it.

Step 2: Choose a direction

• Developer path: CAD. If you write scripts, build scoped apps or integrate with other systems, the Certified Application Developer exam is your next step (CAD study guide).
• Implementation path: CIS. If you implement ServiceNow products for customers, choose the Certified Implementation Specialist exam that matches your product area, for example Data Foundations (CIS-DF), Platform Analytics (CIS-PA) or Risk and Compliance (CIS-RC).

Step 3: Keep your certifications current

ServiceNow certifications must be kept current by completing delta exams after new platform releases. Plan a little time for that after each family release.

How to prepare efficiently

1. Complete the official training for your exam.
2. Practice hands-on in a free Personal Developer Instance.
3. Use realistic practice exams to find gaps and read every explanation. You can start with our free sample questions.