How to Pass PMP Exam at First Try

Many of my respected colleagues and friends often tire me with requests: How can one prepare for and ace that great giant in certification, the Project Management Professional PMP certification? Indeed, their motivation to capture that prestigious certification was because they knew quite well how many doors it would open for them toward some colorful new ventures in their careers and even greater respect in the field of Project Management for this accomplishment. I nursed within my zeal to help into full-form explanations of the crunchtime detailed steps that they really need to master: intelligent planning of their study strategy, devouring the voluminous exam syllabus, and vigorous practice of model items into boosting their spirits and skills.

In order to achieve it, first of all you must be disciplined, dedicated and focused throughout the preparation, since it demands huge investments of time and effort to master materials for the PMP. This secret has connected many of these to the great and mysterious world of passing through difficult examinations with a ticket of success, adding the well-coveted title to their professional portfolios - Project Management Professional or PMP.

So, without any further ado, let us dive deep into the topic!

What is the PMP Certificate and why should you get it?

So, PMP stands for Project Management Professional, which is a globally recognized certificate from the Project Management Institute (PMI). The PMP certification brings the prestige of testing your competence and putting you above average in the skill-set evaluations required for leading and directing projects and teams. It caters to a very wide suite of techniques, predictive, agile, hybrid methodologies, preparing you to serve clients from all possible angles. Having PMP certification will set you apart from the crowd as far as the industry is concerned. It is not only proof of commitment but also of expertise. Most enviably, such a credential would lead to heightened career advancements, increased income, and peers' recognition.

Recommended Learning Steps

Acquiring the PMI PMP certification is not something that just occurs overnight. Well, if you are ready to take the jump and satisfy the requirements, these are the steps clearly specified in both chronological order and action-wise manner:

1. Familiarize yourself first with the PMP exam content outline. This is a general view of the domains and tasks included in the exam made available by PMI on the web.

2. Consequently, choose a study approach depending on your style of learning. If you are self-disciplined and have grounds in project management, self-study might benefit you. Another option for study is enrolling in formal PMP exam prep courses that give well-structured knowledge along with expert guidance.

3. The required materials to be collected are the PMBOK Guide, Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep, because this text is strong on practicality and includes tips for passing exams, as well as Agile Practice Guide, which helps in understanding agile methodologies in the PMP exam. You can even check other recommended resources like PMP Exam Prep Simplified by Andrew Ramdayal.

4. Exam nerves are natural but can be conquered through clever preparation. At first, familiarize yourself with what the exam domains cover. Divide your syllabus into small travelable portions and set timeframes for each, making allowance for your review periods and buffers for unforeseen happenings.

5. Use all free online resources to your advantage. Then sample a steady diet of practice testing. A good deal of websites carries high-yield mock exams and practice questions, like PM PrepCast, which helps reveal your strength and weaknesses.

MY TIPS:

To qualify for the exam, you need to earn 35 PDUs, which means attending a 35-hour exam prep course. I would like to suggest taking the course from Andrew Ramdayal, which is available on Udemy, PMP Certification Exam Prep Course 35 PDU Contact Hours. While in course, ensure that you keep pace with the PMBOK Guide by reading through the corresponding sections as you proceed.

After that, you should consider reading from Rita's book and listening to the audiobook at the same time. This should be very beneficial in helping you retain what you learn forever and cementing your understanding. (PMP® Exam Prep, Eleventh Edition Audiobook (Abridged) - Downloadable)

Lastly, don't forget the usefulness of live mock examinations. PM PrepCast is a wonderful option to connect all dots together and instill required confidence for the day of the exam. Also, do not just review the questions you did wrong, but also the one you did right, just to better understand the logic behind it.

I was doing for example 50 questions per test twice a day and then once a week full test with 200 questions, to get the real test experience.

Be persistent and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

Good luck to you! And please let me know if you have any questions - I would be happy to help you.