First, he recommends that I read a book about strategic management. He recommends Robert Kaplan’s latest book, “The Long Tail.” I have not yet read it, but from what I’ve seen online, it seems pretty cool. I plan to start reading it today so that I have all the information I need when I begin taking the SMA strategic management exam.
Then, I made the mistake of not spending enough time taking practice tests. I actually made a schedule to complete the SMA preparation coursework online before I even took the practice tests. That was a huge mistake. When I took the actual test, I failed miserably. So my advice is to set a schedule for yourself to complete the coursework and then devote about four to five hours each day to actually taking the SMA.
Then Michael H. also says that you need a good textbook to study for the strategic management exam. I agree that I need a really good textbook, but I have yet to find one that actually provides me with the details and the key strategies that I need to memorize for the exam. What I have found is a couple of really good college-quality textbooks that provide simple tips and strategies for writing effectively, managing your time, staying focused, and planning for the future. If you are going to spend the time and effort to prepare this well, then I would say that a textbook is unnecessary.
Okay, so lets talk about the SMA strategic management coursework. There are three main things that I want to talk about in this article. The first thing I would like to talk about is preparation. You need to know what you are doing, you need to know what you are going to do, and you need to know when you are going to do it. There are only so many hours in a day, and you have to make sure that you are taking the time to properly prepare for the SMA tests.
The second thing to discuss is testing. To be very honest, I have not taken any of the SMA strategic management exams. The reason I am not taking them is because I am waiting until after I get my real job. Once I get that job, hopefully I will have time to take the SMA strategic management exams and I will be able to better prepare myself for the real job hunting process. Besides, it is not like I have money to burn on these tests.
Lastly, I would like to talk about preparation and testing. As long as you have the knowledge and tools to effectively prepare for the SMA strategic management exam, you are not going to fail. The resources and the information that you are going to find online are just useless if you do not take the time to prepare for it. You should start gathering the information and resources right now if you are serious about getting into the consulting business because the more knowledge and information you have the better the results you will have when qualifying for the strategic management exam.
It does not matter which resources you choose to use. In the end, it is just a matter of time. You cannot put off this process any longer than you have to. If you do not take the time to prepare for it, chances are good that you will not get in the business at all.