Prepare for the PMP Exam: Filling Out the Application
Hi All,
I found an interesting article that describes how to fill out and submit nine-page PMP application. Check out the url http://www.way2pm.com/blog/?p=393
Bruce BentonProject Manager| Retrotech www.retrotech.com industrial automationBloomfield, Ny, United States
This is good but my questions go a bit deeper- I'm currently filling out the PMP exam application- & yes it's majorly tedious but I'm slogging through. My issue is I have had a number of PM positions over the past 8 years & 1 of them had multiple short (1 to 4 weeks) projects, others had projects from 3 to 9 months. I know each project does not have to have all 5 process groups. However In the application each process has multiple items to put hours on. If I was involved in a particular process group, do I have to have hours in each item under that group? I am trying to be as accurate as possible but in most cases I do not recall exactly how much time I spent on each process let alone the "sub-categories" in each. I'm taking my best guess as far as how long each project lasted, some are easy others are a bit vague. I've contacted most of my prior supervisors to verify the projects I did under them. Also, the text box at the end of completing the process groups requires a written description of the PM activities for each project (300 to 550 characters including spaces & punctuation- and you do have to be within that or you get an error message) and I'm not sure if how I word these makes a huge difference, or if they can get flagged by PMI. 300 to 550 characters is only a few sentences. Just wondering if anyone has tips or suggestions on the details of filling out the PMP exam application. Thanks! Saving Changes...
Don KimPROJECT-TO-PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT EXPERT| Seeking opportunitiesSacramento, CA, United States
Bruce, I have some free resources here that may help you:
I've taught PMP prep courses and the application process especially with regards to listing your project work trips everyone up.
Good luck.
-Don Kim Saving Changes...
Bruce BentonProject Manager| Retrotech www.retrotech.com industrial automationBloomfield, Ny, United States
Thanks Don but your site doesn't directly address my concerns:
1- For a process group that was part of a project, does every subcategory need to have hours in it?
i.e.- Initiating Process
"Please enter the number of hours spent on each of these tasks for this project.
- Conduct project selection methods to evaluate the feasibility of new products or services
- Identify key stakeholders and perform analysis to gain buy-in and requirements for the success of the project.
- Define the scope of the project based on the organization need to meet the customer project expectations.
- Develop the project charter and review it with key stakeholders to confirm project scope, risks, issues, assumptions and constraints as well as obtain project charter approval from the project sponsor.
- Identify and document high level risks, assumptions and constraints using historical data and expert judgment."
2- In the text box at the end of each project ("In the space provided below, please summarize the project management tasks that you managed for this project. Please ensure that your description is between 300 and 550 characters."), does PMI expect a specific style of description, or is "free-form" writing OK? I've been all over the place so far in my descriptions and am concerned that I may not be explaining what I did properly- that is, if I am using proper terminology or not. I think I am, but I'm second-guessing myself here...
Saving Changes...
Don KimPROJECT-TO-PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT EXPERT| Seeking opportunitiesSacramento, CA, United States
Bruce,
Download the spreadsheet template as all you have to do is enter project start and end dates as explained in the sheet and it will auto populate and calculate your project hours. Copy and paste to application that you have to do online (To your question, yes, every subcategory needs hours and those hours need to correspond to the gross hours you specify. Again, use the spreadsheet to do it for you).
Download project description template. They only need to be about 1 paragraph long per project.
>> ("In the space provided below, please summarize the project management tasks that you managed for this project. Please ensure that your description is between 300 and 550 characters."),
I would love to see examples of what others sucessfully wrote for these descriptions.
DA Saving Changes...
Michael ShirrellEnterprise Architect| SalesforceNoblesville, IN, United States
Bruce,
I recently completed my PMP application (and passed the exam). I did not put hours in for every process group for every project. In addition, my comments on the projects were usually limited to around 100-150 character descriptions (enough information to describe my work in each process group). I think the general rule of thumb is to be as descriptive as necessary to describe your work in the project. That is to say, if it was a "quick hit"/short project you can summarize your work pretty quickly. If the project was longer/more in-depth then you should include more information.
Michael Saving Changes...
Bruce BentonProject Manager| Retrotech www.retrotech.com industrial automationBloomfield, Ny, United States
Thanks Mike, I'm now ahead of the game. I completed my application (which took about 3 weeks & much angst to finish) 2 weeks ago today (which was Fri 3/4/11) and got my approval for the exam the following Wednesday. I have it scheduled for Sat. 3/26- so I am reviewing/cramming from my exam prep class last fall. We used the RMC book & practice exam CD. I have not gotten an audit notice thankfully! That would be just a lot more angst! Saving Changes...
Michael ShirrellEnterprise Architect| SalesforceNoblesville, IN, United States
Bruce,
Not a prob! I was "lucky" enough to get audited. However, all of my experience was through my current company so it was easy to get verification. I'm assuming that RMC = Rita Mulcahy's book? She does a great job! One of the big helps for me was creating/memorizing a mind map for the process groups/knowledge areas including the project management activities in each.
However, I took a boot camp class the week of my test and found that immersion education was an absolute help.
Good luck this weekend! Saving Changes...
Bruce BentonProject Manager| Retrotech www.retrotech.com industrial automationBloomfield, Ny, United States
Passed the PMP exam today! (March 26, 2011) Saving Changes...
