Preparing to pass the PMP certification exam on the first attempt can be a daunting task. The certification exam is relatively complex, but it can be made easier by disposing of the right study material and practices.
If you’re a project manager and looking to upscale your career, then getting a PMP certification is highly recommended. This certification gives credibility to project managers across all industries. With this widely accepted credential, you can operate anywhere, in any industry, and with any methodology.
Use this blog as a guide to effectively start preparing for the certification exam. If you come up with a question like how to study for PMP, you will get all your answers here. But if you’ve just put a thought in your mind about this certification. Let’s start with understanding a few basic things.
What is a PMP Certification exam?
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a globally renowned comprehensive exam that evaluates a candidate’s knowledge and capabilities in managing projects, processes, and organizational objectives. Doing a PMP course to train yourself for the exam is highly recommended.
Project managers who successfully complete this exam and receive certification are recognized by the Project Management Institute (PMI). This certification ensures you meet all the industry-recognized standards and hold all the potential to be a certified project manager.
Why appear for PMP Exam?
The chief reason why one must get a PMP certification is that it portrays a professional’s credibility, skills, and knowledge in the field of project management. For employers, it’s easier to spot a valuable professional when hiring a project manager for their organization.
Professionals who earn this certification land a high-paying job compared to others who don’t. A project manager with the PMP certification often makes better money in most sectors and countries. The average salary of a PMP-certified project manager in the US is $120,552 in 2023.
Requirements
To earn this certification, you must have experience in project management. Divided into two lists, you must have fulfilled one set of requirements before applying and starting your PMP certification preparation:
- 36 months of experience leading projects within the timespan of the past 8 years.
- Having 35 hours of project management training or having a CAPM certification.
- And a four-year degree in a relevant field.
OR
- 36 months of experience leading projects within the timespan of the past 8 years.
- Having 35 hours of project management training or having a CAPM certification.
- Along with a high school diploma or an equivalent associate degree.
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How to study for PMP- Top 10 tips to follow
Here are some steps to follow to crack the PMP certification on the first attempt:
- Make a schedule
Make a schedule, and stick to it. Sit down, make an appropriate schedule, and plan how much time you must give to one part of the examination. Use the most productive parts of your day to study the most challenging aspects of the syllabus. Sticking to a schedule will make the preparation most effective.
- Do a good research
Do thorough research on study materials and exam tests to know what questions you might face in the test. To effectively do PMP preparation, you must understand what is included in the examination.
- Get thorough with PMBOK guide
The project management institute has released a Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide for all candidates. Being thorough with this guide is very important as it acts as primary study material for the examination. This guide is a foundational step that you must follow to pass this test.
- Get a PMP Prep Book
Another best answer to how to study for PMP is by getting yourself a PMP prep book. Besides a PMBOK guide, referring to and learning from other prep books increase your capacity to solve complex questions. These textbooks may also have more real-life scenarios in the examination.
- Solve multiple practice papers
You can find multiple practice papers and PMP practice exams online that would turn highly beneficial in PMP certification preparation. These help in understanding the format, type of question, and categories of PMP examination. To perform at your best on exam day, becoming familiar with these structural features will reduce tension and anxiety.
- Create flash cards
Creating flashcards will help you revisit important points you must remember. You can jot down these crucial pointers on flashcards and read them as a revision to ensure you get all the vital information.
- Attend pre-examination workshops
For PMP preparation, you can also attend pre-examination workshops that help you practice more effectively. One can find them online or even offline, which makes you more clear about the structure and type of questions, making you more confident in your skills before attending the examination.
- Take online courses
To study for the PMP examination, you can enroll in online courses that act as an excellent guide from beginning to end. They include study materials, case studies, clearing conceptual doubts, and even tests to prepare you to face all kinds of questions. Here’s a video of a complete course on PMP that might help you in your preparation:
- Connect with Project Managers
Connecting with other project managers who are appearing or have appeared for the examination can be a huge help in preparation. To solve your query about how to study for PMP, these individuals can assist you greatly as they can share the sites and study materials they are using or have used to pass the test on their first attempt.
- Time Management
Lastly, you must manage your time effectively to make your PMP preparation the most productive. This is highly recommended as you might have loads to cover, and without planning out things, you will be clueless. Time management allows you to prioritize tasks and distribute time equally to all aspects.
Conclusion
If you came up with a question about how to study for pmp, hopefully, we have solved all your queries. Passing a PMP examination takes work. However, following these tips will help you take the right steps toward your goal. This way, you become more structured and systematic and have an edge over other candidates while appearing for the test.
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