A PMP i.e. Project Management Professional certificate is one of the most recognized certifications offered to project managers by PMI i.e. Project Management Institute. This credential is accepted worldwide and there are thousands of PMPs who are successfully working in different parts of the globe.
If you have a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree obtained by studying project management subjects then you will further need 3 years of experience as a project manager in which you must have completed at least 4500 hours while leading or directing your team in various projects.
Similarly, a holder of a secondary diploma or associate degree must have a minimum experience of five years in which he/she must have spent at least 7500 hours while leading or directing a team. Moreover, the bachelor and diploma degree holders should also complete thirty-five contacts hours of formal education in project management.
Now, let us take a look at the PMP application process:
Once you know that you are eligible to apply for a PMP certification exam, you will have to start by filling out an online application on a PMI website. After submitting the application, it will be reviewed by the PMI and on successful verification, you will be allowed to pay the fees and proceed further.
After the completion of the application process, the PMI does a random audit of applications in which it verifies whether the work experience you have mentioned is accurate or not. Therefore, if your application is considered for audit then the contact numbers you had mentioned on the application as your reference will be asked questions about your experience to evaluate the truthfulness of your application.
A good thing about PMP certification is that you can apply at any age given that you have a relevant degree and required work experience.
How to pass the PMP exam?
- In order to get a PMP certification, one must pass the PMP exam. Clearing a PMP exam is not that easy but if you prepare yourself by appearing in numerous mock tests and by studying relevant course materials then it is not impossible to clear it as well.
- One must know that PMIs crosscheck the experience and understanding capabilities of a candidate in an exam and therefore the candidates must be prepared for it.
- A candidate can refer to the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) guide to understand the type of questions that are asked in an examination and to gain an in-depth knowledge of the subjects. However, the questions can be asked from out of syllabus as well.
- The question paper will contain a set of questions and the answers have to be given in MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) format. Also, there are some pre-test questions that need to be answered. However, the final scoring will be based only on the answers given in MCQ type questions.
- Negative scoring is not done and therefore the candidates can attempt to give maximum right answers.
- The PMBOK handbook will give you an insight into the types of questions asked and you can also refer them to gain knowledge about the latest management methods and terminologies.
- A candidate can appear in numerous mock tests conducted by the PMI in order to prepare for the final exams. However, no questions are repeated from the previous papers and therefore a candidate must have in-depth knowledge about the basic management concepts and must also know how to apply those concepts in real-life situations.
- The PMP exams dates do change on a frequent basis and therefore a candidate must regularly check the exam dates on the PMI website.
- Also, a candidate must select the exam date and timing according to the availability of the PMI centres. You can select the nearest exam centre by checking the available dates and timings on the PMI website and you can schedule your exams accordingly.
- One must remember that a candidate cannot schedule a PMP exam unless the PMI issues an eligibility letter along with the candidate number.
Final Verdict
These are the tips that one must follow in order to clear PMP exams. There is a wide range of study materials available but no study material is enough as the questions are completely unique and designed to test the experience and skill of a candidate.
Therefore, you can always seek the help of PMP coaching institute (like Sync IT Learning) and PMP tutors before appearing for a PMP exam. If you take all these precautions and prepare wisely, nobody can stop you from getting a PMP certificate!