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Why a PMP® Certification?
A PMP® certification could make a big difference to your salary, and in these uncertain times, even your employability. Project Management spans every field and every discipline, so project managers are in high demand. A PMP® credential can be applied to any field so it is very flexible, and very advantageous. According to Global Knowledge, the average pay for certified PMPs is over $100,000 per year, and to boot, those that get their PMP® certification see a $15,000 to $30,000 pay increase. Now is the time to be thinking about that career move and get PMP® certified. There are some prerequisites of project management training and project management experience. Those prerequisites are spelled out here in the PMP® certification handbook, distributed by the PMI®.
Don’t Be Held Back Any Longer
What holds most project managers back from getting certified is the PMP® exam. The exam is a four hour, 200 question exam that tests the knowledge and application of the PMI’s principles and methodologies as outlined in their PMBOK guide.
How Do You Get Ready For This PMP® exam?
I’ll set out for you what I consider the best method for getting ready for the PMP® exam.
First, get a hold of the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: (Pmbok Guide) (Paperback) version 4. You can purchase a copy right here. If you are a PMI member, you can download an electronic version of the PMBOK guide for free. Here is the link, PMBOK guide v.4 (PMI Membership required), if you are a PMI member. If you are not a PMI member, but you know that you want to take the PMP® exam, then become a PMI member! The cost of the exam is over $100 less for PMI members, than for non-members, so becoming a member of the PMI saves you more on the exam than the membership costs, and you get a free downloadable copy of the PMBOK guide. You may consider buying the print copy of the PMBOK guide, however, so you can highlight it and mark it up. Get your A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: (Pmbok Guide) (Paperback) version 4 here at a hefty discount from what it would cost you at a retail store. But, get your copy of the PMBOK guide and go through it at least twice. It is a little dry, but it contains the PMI’s best practices and success principles. It is worth the read.
You Will Need More Than The PMBOK Guide To Pass
To pass the test, however, you will need more than just the PMBOK guide. The PMP® exam is more about application of principles and methodologies than about memorized information–although there are a number of things that you will just have to memorize, but understanding how to apply the principles will help you the most.
You Will Need A Manual For Application of Principles
So your second step is to pick up an application manual. The application of PMI principles is taught best from a PMP® exam prep text, or course. There a few very good texts to choose from, consider one of the following:
PMP Exam Prep, Sixth Edition: Rita’s Course in a Book for Passing the PMP® Exam
The PMP® Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try
Head First PMP®: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam
Of those three texts, Rita Mulcahy’s text is the most popular, it is very detailed and includes a bit of project management information that is not covered at all inthe PMBOK® guide. It also has activities and memorization games that can help you memorize related information.
Andy Crowe’s text follows the PMBOK® more closely and is, in my opinion, better focused on the PMBOK. It flowed better for me and I preferred it to Rita’s text.
The Head First text uses modern learning theory, with lots of graphics, highlighted text, margin notes, and other devices that catch your attention and aid in learning. It is the most entertaining of the three, and takes a more basic approach to teaching the PMP® exam knowledge base.
Add a Different Media
Thirdly, supplement with an online or podcast course. The brain works in amazing ways, you will find that you learn some things from the written material, but will pick up others from verbal or video. I would recommend The PM Prepcast.
Don’t go out and get every source that you can find, but be sure to include at least three sources of test material. You will find that each source has its strengths and weaknesses, and that having three separate sources will round out your education significantly.
Take a Lot of PMP® Practice Exam Questions
Finally, take a lot of PMP® practice exam questions. Rita has a really really good software simulation product, PM Fastrack Exam Simulation Software for the PMP® Exam: Version 6. However, the $300 price tag is kind of prohibitive. I would suggest the PMP® Exam Simulator. It features 10 base PMP® exams and thousands of PMP® exam questions in total. If you want a sample of the PMP® Exam Simulator, just:
Download a Free 50 PMP® Question Demo Now
When studying for the PMP® exam, it is often best to keep the end in mind. I mention taking lots of practice exam questions last, because that is where it naturally falls in the process. But you can cut your study time down dramatically, if you start with the very last step.
Get The Simulation Software First
Get the simulation software FIRST! Take your very first practice PMP® exam right now. The PMP® Exam Simulator will score your test and give you the correct answers for the questions that were wrong. You can look at the sections of the practice test that you did poorly on, and begin your study there. After you have dug into the the sections that you scored the poorest on and after you have skimmed through the others, take another practice exam. How much better did you do this time? See how far you have progressed. Are your weak areas some where else now? Go back and review these areas from your study material. Do this a few times, you will start to see your scores improve and you will begin to feel much more confident about taking the PMP® exam. You will find that you WILL be ready for the PMP® Exam.
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Keep posting stuff like this i really like it! Good job friend!
I really enjoyed reading this post. Great step by step description!
I find myself coming to your blog more and more often to the point where my visits are almost daily now!
I know this is really boring and you are skipping to the next comment, but I just wanted to throw you a big thanks, you cleared up some things for me!
I really enjoyed reading this post. Great step by step description!
Nice site, nice and easy on the eyes and great content too.
Thanks so much for posting this article. It is refreshing to have an unbiased view of the options available to the PMP hopeful. I also was inspired by my journey towards the PMP to give back to the profesion. It was this dersire that made me create my own blog about my experience as well. It can be found on my blogsite http://www.thepreparedpm.com. Thanks and please continue to add content to your great blog.
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