Project Management Certification makes you an ideal project manager, and to help you get certified, we are here with top tips to crack PMP Certification Exam
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification by the PMI (Project Management Institute) is a great choice of certification for project managers in any industry. Project management courses have become more popular than ever, PMP certification, PgMP Certification, DASSM Certification, etc. are some of the most popular and most enrolled certifications in present times. Let’s begin with discussing about one of the most popular certifications among professionals that is PMP Certification. Gaining this credential can prove your hands-on experience and possess numerous management techniques needed to make any project, small, big or complex, a success. As per PMI, a PMP certification can develop your skills, so you help a company in completing more of its projects on time, on budget, and meeting original goals.
As all of us know, studying for an exam needs immense effort, time, and diligence. The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is tougher than most, requiring extensive preparation over the course of several months to pass. In simple words, your PMP exam preparation is critical. All of us want to pass the exam in the first attempt, it’s almost everyone’s dream. But if you look at the stats, 2 out of the 5 PMP aspirants fail to pass on the first try. This proves the fact that the exam is difficult to pass, but yes it is not as impossible as it is mostly made out to be.
Also, taking-up project management courses and adding PMP Certification in the list of your qualifications adds value to your personality and resume. So light-up your career with the lamp of PMP Certification with the help of top PMP Exam Cracking Tips.
Top PMP Exam Tips
Understand the Nature of the Exam
Most of the individuals who opt for PMP Courses treat PMP certification as an educational examination, but it is not simply that. Instead, it also involves some psychological testing. It does not only involve the stuff you have read and studied in PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge), PMI articles, and other guides. It has to ensure that you are able to react in a positive manner to various and regularly occurring challenges in the project. And, that is something your nerves can simply handle, not the overcrowded material.
Another important thing is that every time the PMI exam is scheduled, it takes into account the new trends in the project management industry and includes them in the test. So, it is crucial to stay aware of the new trends and challenges in project management. If you hold onto your previous knowledge or just onto the books that were written years ago, you are missing some practical and important stuff.
Try PMP Exam Preparation Workshops
PMP exam prep workshops are a good choice if you consider a classroom setting or require more one-on-one interaction. In addition to networking through a PMI membership, these are a great way to meet other upcoming project management professionals in your area. Another benefit of these workshops is that they usually fulfill the 35-contact-hours requirement that is necessary for applying to take the PMP exam.
The most important aspect of preparing for any exam you attempt is to schedule study hours for it in your daily routine. You might be an early bird or a night owl, plan your study schedule accordingly. Also, you will have to balance your family or work or university life alongside it. So, the point is to build a custom study plan as per your working and sleeping habits and routine, so you can manage other chores of the day as well.
Memorize Less, Understand More
The PMP exam is a practical examination that tests your capability to apply project management concepts and theories in real-life scenarios. Because of the amount of terminology in the PMP domains, many try to memorize their way to success only to find out the application nature of the examination when it’s too late. Reading to understand enables you to internalize the concepts and apply lessons to real-life scenarios. However, basic things like process groups, Knowledge areas, and standard formulas should be easily recallable by any project manager. These involve schedule and cost management formulas, crucial path analysis, etc.
Refer and study, not rely on PMBOK
The PMBOK guide has all the necessary information that one needs. It has an overview of PMP Certification as well as its requirements and conditions. It also allows you to know the type and number of questions. It also tells the time allotted for the PMP exam and the passing criteria.
There is detailed information regarding the course and topics that should be covered. The percentage of questions for each subject is also explained in detail in PMBOK. So, it is important to refer and study from the PMBOK but try not to solely depend on it. There are a lot of other good books and data available for preparation, including them in the syllabus as well.
Take Advantage of Online PMP Exam Simulators
PMP simulators are practice PMP exams hosted online. They test the applicant with questions that follow the same format as the actual PMP exam. They also target to replicate the exam environment so that the aspirant becomes comfortable with the timing and the pressure. They are a great platform to gauge your level of preparation. One of the most popular preferred PMP Exam simulators is ProMock.