By Nikola Marinko · PMP certified · Head of Project and Service Execution, Siemens DI Serbia · Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

How do you pass the PMP exam on the first try? Colleagues and friends kept asking me how to prepare for the Project Management Professional exam, so I wrote down the method that got me through at the first attempt. The PMP is PMI's global certification for leading projects across predictive, agile and hybrid approaches. There is no shortcut, but there is a method, and it needs time, discipline and focus. The credential opens doors, and in practice it brings faster career moves and recognition from your peers.

The order matters. Start with PMI's exam content outline so you know what is tested. Decide between self-study and a prep course, and remember that you need 35 PDUs to qualify: I took Andrew Ramdayal's 35-hour course on Udemy and read the matching PMBOK Guide sections as I went. Then work through Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep while listening to the audiobook, and use the Agile Practice Guide for the agile side. Split the syllabus into small parts, with review time and a buffer for the unexpected.

Mock exams did the rest. I used the PM PrepCast simulator, doing 50 questions twice a day and a full 200-question test once a week, and I reviewed every answer, including the ones I got right. If you have a question about your own preparation, the contact page reaches me directly.

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How to Pass the PMP Exam on the First Try - My Study Plan and Materials

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