What is better? Trying to crack PMP exam as fast as you can OR study (and i mean really STUDY) the PMBoK Guide and other preparation materials intensivly with the goal PMP certification but also for
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
I am very active not only here at pm.co but also in various other project management and PMI certification related communities.
And really often the question " How long do i need for becoming a PMP?" or similar is been raised.
The answers to this question are as vary as the people who wrote them.
The most often recommended time frame is pending between 8 to 12 (may be 14) weeks. Some says more and even more recommend less time.
I have seen people who are telling they did "crack" the PMP exam within 3 to 4 weeks and even 10 days was one of the answers.
Well, of course - depending on the previous education and experience - it is possible to crack the exam in a short time frame, but is this useful?
This post is inspired by another posting what i have seen shortly, where a experienced PMP trainer and well known expert ( i think so) has recommended an PMP aspirant who has just started his preparation to take the exam within the next 2 months's ...
Well, i do understand that there can be a situation where someone needs to obtain the PMP certification as fast as he/she can (for hiring reasons or whatever), but shouldn't we recommend each aspirant to take the time he/she needed to study, really study all the PMBoK Guide and other material in depth and really intensively, so he/she would not only pass the exam by flying by but also benefit their whole work life and experience for becoming a better project manager/expert?!
My personal opinion is, somebody who is learning let's say 10 days full time just for obtaining PMP might be successful (but often will not i guess), but he/she will have forgotten most of the knowledge right after passing the exam. Not really useful from my perspective ...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Oct 24, 2016 1:31 PM
Replying to Praveen Malik
...
**PMP Timeframe** PMP is not akin to a 100m sprint. It needs some a/m of study, perseverance and hard work. The time-frame required for PMP certification depends on lot of factors. e.g. 1. candidate's background & experience 2. How much time can the candidate devote for prep on a daily basis? 3. How well does the candidate understand formal project management? I have seen people completing PMP certification in 7–10 days after taking 35 contact hour training but they are usually outliers. I have written an article to find answer for "how much time is needed for the exam prep". The article is based on a poll that I had conducted. In my experience one should take the PMP exam within 12 weeks of starting the preparation - beyond that confidence & motivation goes down. You can stretch it to 14-15 weeks but not beyond that. **The Knowledge** Again depending on many factors, I think, 6-8 weeks is a reasonable time period for deep study & understanding. ps. you can one more non-native English speaker to the list. :)
Hello Praveen,
thank you for youre comment.
But the question was not about what is a good time frame for stdying for the PMP exam;
the question was more about the reasonableness to study in a rush just with the intention for cracking the exam (what of course can be done in a vary short time frame, depending also on all the factors you have mentioned).
From my perspective PMP is a certification for already professionals with the goal to become even better and more professional especially in the field of project management.
And if i am right here then the studying should be done within a reasonable time frame which allows the aspirant to study intensively and deeply so he/she can gain all the knowledge in a way that it benefits all the future work of the aspirant.
And i am convinced this could NOT be done within a time frame of several days.
Regards,
Markus Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Oct 25, 2016 12:14 AM
Replying to Julie Goff
...
I suppose it all depends on why you want the PMP? Do you want it to demonstrate you have a good knowledge of project management, or just to get the PMP to get a job? If the latter then this will eventually devalue the PMP and employers will not see it as a differentiator for hiring decisions.
Let me suggest another approach: instead of days, we will speak of hours. How many hours of study are required to pass the PMP exam? I believe are necessary between 100 and 200 hours of study.
- About 40 hours of training
- At least 30 hours to read the PMBOK® Guide
- Some 20 hours reading other literature
- At least 20 hours answering questions
- Hours for preparing braindumps and other study aids
So, " How long do i need?”: It depends on how many hours a day the candidate can devote. Let’s say one can devote 2h/day to study. It will be necessary about 60 days.
In my experience, it usually takes about 12 weeks, including training.
...
1 reply by Markus Kopko
Oct 25, 2016 10:08 AM
Markus Kopko
...
Hello Mauro,
thanks a lot for your contribution, but unfortenatly i have to say again:
... "How many hours of study are required to pass the PMP exam? ... "
That was NOT the question, sorry.
Please refer to my answer to Praveens posting before.
I do apologize if i could not clearly transfer what my question is all about, may be this causes on my bad english language. If this is the case may be one of the nature speaking experts here could help me ...
Regards,
Markus
Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Oct 25, 2016 9:58 AM
Replying to Mauro Sotille
...
Let me suggest another approach: instead of days, we will speak of hours. How many hours of study are required to pass the PMP exam? I believe are necessary between 100 and 200 hours of study.
- About 40 hours of training
- At least 30 hours to read the PMBOK® Guide
- Some 20 hours reading other literature
- At least 20 hours answering questions
- Hours for preparing braindumps and other study aids
So, " How long do i need?”: It depends on how many hours a day the candidate can devote. Let’s say one can devote 2h/day to study. It will be necessary about 60 days.
In my experience, it usually takes about 12 weeks, including training.
Hello Mauro,
thanks a lot for your contribution, but unfortenatly i have to say again:
... "How many hours of study are required to pass the PMP exam? ... "
That was NOT the question, sorry.
Please refer to my answer to Praveens posting before.
I do apologize if i could not clearly transfer what my question is all about, may be this causes on my bad english language. If this is the case may be one of the nature speaking experts here could help me ...
I see... it was my fault, in reality. I did not read carefully till the end.
Unfortunatelly it is true that some people just study few days to pass the exam, but, as the number of situational questions increase, it has been more and more difficult to pass it without really knowing project management. So, just the study is not enough. The candidate needs practice. Saving Changes...
Mudassar KhanProgram (Project )Manager| Woodward Canada IncPeterborough, ON, Canada
Well its always better to properly understand the concepts and through study of PMBOK guide , along with best available prep materials and practice test one can pass the exam in about 10-12 weeks.
For people using fast track approach the chances of success are limited and they only get the Certification for sake of some financial gains or job incentives
...
1 reply by Markus Kopko
Nov 11, 2016 4:26 AM
Markus Kopko
...
Hello Mudassar,
thank you so much for your comment here. I am absolutely with you.
And yes, i do understand that there could be a situation where somebody need to take the fast track approach cause of the circumstances.
But i do also became aware of aspirants who just left the universatiy for instance and do hire at some consultatnt company (same in germany as well btw) and they do force them to do the PMP certification, cause it is a sales argument in this case.
BUT, this is absolutely counter productive and also against the Code of Ethics, right?
(How could they have gained the thousands of hours of experience for instance?!?!)
And such people (the fast track ones i mean) don't do the profession and also themselves a favor cause in work reality they will suffer fast i guess.
Just my 2 cents ...
Saving Changes...
Praveen MalikIndependent Consultant| Independent ConsultantNew Delhi, India
Oct 24, 2016 1:31 PM
Replying to Praveen Malik
...
**PMP Timeframe** PMP is not akin to a 100m sprint. It needs some a/m of study, perseverance and hard work. The time-frame required for PMP certification depends on lot of factors. e.g. 1. candidate's background & experience 2. How much time can the candidate devote for prep on a daily basis? 3. How well does the candidate understand formal project management? I have seen people completing PMP certification in 7–10 days after taking 35 contact hour training but they are usually outliers. I have written an article to find answer for "how much time is needed for the exam prep". The article is based on a poll that I had conducted. In my experience one should take the PMP exam within 12 weeks of starting the preparation - beyond that confidence & motivation goes down. You can stretch it to 14-15 weeks but not beyond that. **The Knowledge** Again depending on many factors, I think, 6-8 weeks is a reasonable time period for deep study & understanding. ps. you can one more non-native English speaker to the list. :)
Thanks Markus,
As I wrote earlier, I think, for an regular Joe 6-8 weeks is a reasonable time period for deep study & understanding.
...
1 reply by Markus Kopko
Nov 11, 2016 4:35 AM
Markus Kopko
...
Hello Praveen,
thanks a gain for contributing to the discussion.
Well, i am with you if we do assume that the aspirant does have no job actually and is able to spend 6 to 8 hours a day for studying.
But is this the regular case? I do not think so.
Mostly the people who want to go for PMP (or other certifications) are working in a full time job and often they do have family, so mostly the can effort about 2 hours a day for studying.
And in this case - and assumed they do not only learning fast track to pass the exam like discussed before - i think 6 to 8 weeks is by far not enough time. From my experience than 12 to 14 or even some more weeks are needed.
If some here meanwhile may know i do offer a PMP prep guiding program for newly PMP aspirants.
This is for a couple of month now and meanwhile we have more than 200 aspirants going through this program (ok, that is not really much now, i know, we are working on it ..;) ).
Based on my (and not only mine) experience this program is designed to run exactly for this time frame - 12 to 14 weeks, right?
Well, and at the end of the program we do always ask them about their experience with our program and how it was and at which point in their preparation process they are now.
And guess what, by far the most of them didn't manage to follow the weekly sections, they do just need more time - simple as that.
I know that there could be millions of reasons for that but it is fact that most of them just need longer than 6 to 8 weeks, if they take it seriously and like a pro! ;)
Regards,
Markus
Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Give me a chance to make it clear, the PMP exam is not an advanced science.
The PMP exam is a smidgen precarious, yet that does not mean it's difficult to compose and ideally these tips would help every single yearning Pm, as they helped me a considerable measure:
1 Join one or greatest two discussions.
2 Take after a few online journals.
3 Perused pmbok alongside a respectable study manage.
4 Concentrate on before going to training camp.
I like to Suggest Proventures India The Best pgmp training in hyderabad
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Oct 26, 2016 7:27 AM
Replying to Mudassar Khan
...
Well its always better to properly understand the concepts and through study of PMBOK guide , along with best available prep materials and practice test one can pass the exam in about 10-12 weeks.
For people using fast track approach the chances of success are limited and they only get the Certification for sake of some financial gains or job incentives
Hello Mudassar,
thank you so much for your comment here. I am absolutely with you.
And yes, i do understand that there could be a situation where somebody need to take the fast track approach cause of the circumstances.
But i do also became aware of aspirants who just left the universatiy for instance and do hire at some consultatnt company (same in germany as well btw) and they do force them to do the PMP certification, cause it is a sales argument in this case.
BUT, this is absolutely counter productive and also against the Code of Ethics, right?
(How could they have gained the thousands of hours of experience for instance?!?!)
And such people (the fast track ones i mean) don't do the profession and also themselves a favor cause in work reality they will suffer fast i guess.
Just my 2 cents ... Saving Changes...
Markus KopkoAI Enabler for Project & Program Mgmt | Founder PMotion.ai / The PM
AI Coach| PMotion.aiHamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Nov 10, 2016 8:09 PM
Replying to Praveen Malik
...
Thanks Markus,
As I wrote earlier, I think, for an regular Joe 6-8 weeks is a reasonable time period for deep study & understanding.
Hello Praveen,
thanks a gain for contributing to the discussion.
Well, i am with you if we do assume that the aspirant does have no job actually and is able to spend 6 to 8 hours a day for studying.
But is this the regular case? I do not think so.
Mostly the people who want to go for PMP (or other certifications) are working in a full time job and often they do have family, so mostly the can effort about 2 hours a day for studying.
And in this case - and assumed they do not only learning fast track to pass the exam like discussed before - i think 6 to 8 weeks is by far not enough time. From my experience than 12 to 14 or even some more weeks are needed.
If some here meanwhile may know i do offer a PMP prep guiding program for newly PMP aspirants.
This is for a couple of month now and meanwhile we have more than 200 aspirants going through this program (ok, that is not really much now, i know, we are working on it ..;) ).
Based on my (and not only mine) experience this program is designed to run exactly for this time frame - 12 to 14 weeks, right?
Well, and at the end of the program we do always ask them about their experience with our program and how it was and at which point in their preparation process they are now.
And guess what, by far the most of them didn't manage to follow the weekly sections, they do just need more time - simple as that.
I know that there could be millions of reasons for that but it is fact that most of them just need longer than 6 to 8 weeks, if they take it seriously and like a pro! ;)
