If you seek career growth and advancement, the PMP® certification might be the best certification for you. It is a globally recognized certification that validates your project management knowledge, experiences and skills.
Getting the PMP® certification is not that easy though. First, in order to be eligible you need to satisfy the two basic requirements – project management experience and project management education. If you have a high school diploma, you need to have a minimum five years of project management experience with at least 7,500 hours spent in project management. If you have a bachelor’s degree, three years of experience is required with at least 4,500 hours spent in project management. Also, these experiences must have been accumulated within eight years prior to your application submission.
The PMP® certification is a 200-item multiple choice exam. You need to complete the test within four hours. As you can see, there are quite a lot to consider if you want to be PMP® certified. So you need to be well prepared to increase your chances in passing the exam.
Here are some helpful guidelines to help you pass the PMP® Certification Exam:
- Study Smart :
Studying at least three months prior to taking the exam is recommended. There are so many learning materials available – printed or online, that you can use for reference. Be sure to read the PMBoK® – Guide which contains the standard terminologies and guidelines for project management. Do not get too overwhelmed though by studying too hard. Study wisely by following a good study guide, follow a few PMP® blogging communities and join one or two forums to gain additional helpful insights.
- Choose your study materials wisely :
With so many PMP® certification study guides now available it is easy to get confused on choosing which one to consider. Ensure that you choose only the reputable PMP® learning materials, those that accurately follow the PMI set of standards and processes.
- Remember, it’s not about memorization!
You might be tempted to memorize the PMBoK® – Guide, but it is an awful waste of time. Rather, read and understand the guidelines and processes religiously. You need to get an in depth knowledge of the process and how to properly implement the processes in actual projects.
- Consider attending preparatory courses :
Although it might be an additional cost, joining boot camps and preparatory classes might be a wise idea. Boot camps provide you immersive training to give you an idea of what to expect during the PMP® exam. Joining boot camps increase your confidence so during the actual exam you are well prepared and less likely to panic.
It is already known that taking the PMP® exam is hard work; in fact many project managers fail on their first attempt. Yes, the PMP® certification may not be easy to achieve but it should be worth it. So before anything else, make sure to get enough preparation – it’s the key to success.
PMP and PMBoK are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
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