How to Prepare for your PMP Exam ?
From the The Big Time Blog
by Rami Kaibni
Managing any project successfully is all about Team Work combined with years of Accrued Expertise. It is an asset to have an educational background that compliments your field of expertise but "education" without "experience" is like an "arrow" without a "bow." You can never make a perfect shot with a temporary arrow unless you have a permanent bow called: "Life's Experience." Remember, you can never teach experience but you can always teach from experience.
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Being someone who is currently studying to sit for the PMP Exam soon, I would like to share my humble experience, from my personal point of view, in terms of what was the best way I found effective to study for the exam:
- What: Read the PMBOK 5th Edition in details - Why: It will reinforce your knowledge about the standard.
- What: Answer the PMChallenge "1000 Questions" - Why: It will help you memorize and reinforce your understanding of the Standard. (It does not give you the real feel of the exam).
- What: Study PMP Exam Prep Books (Example: Rita Malcahy 8th Edition Updated) Why: It will help you understand the standard even better and relate to it with practical examples.
- What: Solve Simulation Exams(Not the Free Ones) - Why: It will give you a feel of the exam atmosphere, tricks and gives you a level of confidence whether you are Good to Go or not.
- What: Experience - Why: If you are an experienced professional then you probably have done all of this on different levels.
Many could add more to the above mentioned or have different points of view - I just thought of sharing what I've learned through my colleagues here in this community(Special Thanks to Markus Klein & Stephane Parent) and from preparing for the exam myself as I thought it might help guide others through their PMP Exam preparation.
I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year 2016 !
Always Remember: Study for your own Knowledge, not only because you are going to sit for an Exam !
Posted on: December 22, 2015 05:07 PM |
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Gina Abudi
President| Abudi Consulting LLC
Amherst, Nh, United States
Very helpful for those who are preparing for the exam, Rami.
Markus Kopko
AI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.ai
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Hello Rami,
thx for sharing your insights to the community. I do agree with Gina, except of point two you metioned. Guess you already know this by now, for those who didn't please refer to this discussion thread:
http://www.projectmanagement.com/discussion-topic/27273/PMP---Real-Question-Vs-Projectmanagement-com-Question/?sort=asc&pageNum=2
But this is just my opinion.
Regarding the materials and alternatives to those please refer to our bog about the 12 most relevant PMP exam prep materials here:
http://www.projectmanagement.com/blog/pm.plus---the-PMP-Blog/15557/
However,
i wish you and all readers a merry christmas and a happy new year.
Regards,
Markus
PS. And thx for the credentials. ;)
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
@Gina, thanks for your comment.
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
@Markus, thanks for your feedback and you are most welcome.
I agree with you regarding regarding Point2 but to a certain extent - PMChallenge Questions helped me personally revise what I read in the PMBOK. In terms of their benefit to the actual PMP Exam, it contributes 1% only if not less. PMP will test your ability practicaly not your ability to memorize what is in the book and this is what I've mentioned in my blog above.
Hello Rami,
Nice comments and tips about preparing for the test. All the things that you mentioned are really important, but in my opinion the most important are related to your last phrase... "Always Remember: Study for your own Knowledge, not only because you are going to sit for an Exam ! "
Just it will maintain our certification alive forever.
Thanks and have a great Christmas.
Regards.
Leonardo
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Hi Leonardo,
Thanks for having the time to read the post - I am glad you found it useful.
Merry Christmas.
Regards,
Rami Kaibni
Hi Rami
Quite informative post.
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Glad you found it informative Bharatkumar.
fosco frongia
Senior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUG
Fino Mornasco, Como, Italy
thanks Rami,
thanks for pointing out:
"Study for your own Knowledge, not only because you are going to sit for an Exam !"
it is very important, at the same time it's very important to avoid the use of free simulation exams!
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Thanks for your input Fosco and You''re Welcome - Exactly, free simulation exams are not the best option.
fosco frongia
Senior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUG
Fino Mornasco, Como, Italy
Steven Zachary
Director| Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Rami,
How many months have you been at this? Sounds like you've really committed yourself!
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Steven,
Just two months now, I still want to study more although I feel confident but I usually like to score 100%, I do not settle for less, I feel good, I know it might not make a difference for passing the exam but it makes a difference for me: I study for my own knowledge, not only because I am going to sit for the exam.
I think about it this way: If I am not committed I might pass the exam but I will be lying to myself and sooner or later it will reflect on the quality of the work I deliver. I like to deliver top-notch results.
SUBASH BOSE
Operations Manager| Infosys
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Thank you Rami for sharing... Very helpful
Steven Zachary
Director| Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
All that in two months, well done Rami! I've done about 3 weeks of studying for the PMI-PBA. I have another 2 weeks before my scheduled exam. I'm ranging in the low 80% and feel ok. Another two weeks and I'll likely move that up to a comfortable 90%.
100% is very strict, I just don't have that capacity. Power to you Rami, your dedication is admirable.
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
@Subash: You are welcome, glad you found it helpful.
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
@Steven: I am looking for a job opportunity at the moment so my time is somehow flexible and I did not want to waste my time and decided to go wild on studying - I still need maybe one more month before I am ready.
Thanks a lot for your motivating words and Good Luck to you on your exam.
Rami, the posts from our blog will be useful to you. All the best !
http://theknowledgecatalysts.blogspot.in/2015/11/pmpcapmacp-exam-preparation-best.html
http://theknowledgecatalysts.blogspot.in/2015/09/evm-formula-animated.html
http://theknowledgecatalysts.blogspot.in/2015/09/evm-formula-worked-out-with-wall-example.html
http://theknowledgecatalysts.blogspot.in/2015/06/pmpcapm-useful-urls.html
The June 2016 posts, have posts covering all 10 knowledge areas.
DEBASIS CHAKRABARTI
General Manager & Country Operations Head - Burundi Africa| Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Rami.
Best of luck for your exams.
There are a few things I would like to share (as was advised by my guide and I found them very useful).
1. Go to the prometric center one day before the exam date. That way you know exactly where it is located, building, floor, room number and all. To take the stair or the elevator. This way you do not have to search for it on the exam day.
2. When you go to the exam center the day before, meet the center in-charge, and show your ID and other papers and make sure they are ok. You don't want last minute surprises. Also re confirm your exam timings. The center by now will have the information about you and your scheduled time. So, just have a discussion and re confirm in person. Ask any question about the modalities that you might have in mind. While the centers are very strict, they are also helpful with these kind of information.
3. Look at the exam hall, the locker where you have to keep your personal things, the water dispenser and even the toilet. The purpose is to give you total familiarity with the place beforehand.
4. Do not drive to the center on the day of the exam. Take a cab. You do not want looking for parking, or worse, a scratch due to a minor accident and waiting for the police.
The purpose of these steps are to keep your mind worry free and focused on your big day.
Cheers.
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Debasis, Thanks a lot.These are great and valuable points and I truly appreciate your input.
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