Hello ,

This week you are in for a real treat. In this very email I will be sharing multiple ways to help you achieve your dream of becoming a PMP. First, I will share my article on how to select the online PMP exam preparation course that will work for you. We also have the regular PMP Exam tips and PMP exam sample question of the week.

However, with all the tips and help that you get from me and other different resources, at the end of the day can you truly say that you are ready to take the PMP exam?

Let me help you answer that question. I have developed a new tool that will ultimately help you assess where you are at in terms of preparedness for the PMP exams. Read along and learn more about The PM Exam Simulator in this week's issue of The PM Exam Tips Newsletter..  

Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC

The Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is a stepping stone for project managers to climb up the corporate ladder. It provides you with the most sought after appreciation and visibility within your organization. The certification enhances your chances of professional growth within the organization and opens up new avenues. It validates your skills as an efficient project management professional. It not only enhances your earning potential but also provides you with a competitive stand in the job market. 

The PMP certification confirms that you have the skills necessary to execute projects on time and within budget. It is one of the most globally recognized and respected certification credentials in project management. The certification requires a rigorous and comprehensive preparation for the exam. The closer the exam gets, the more stress you will feel. Your best answer to this pressure is to be well prepared through weeks or even months of studying.

The PMP exam contains questions from all the knowledge areas of The PMBOK® Guide and it can be difficult for you to work through all the material yourself. You need a PMP exam preparation course. Such a course will help you to go through the material in a structured and planned way. It will also provide focused instruction dealing with the most important topic areas and points of emphasis. This will help you face the exam confidently.

Here are the 7 steps to go through as you select the course that best suits your needs:

Step 1: Decide if you want an Online or In-Person course

PMP exam preparation courses are available both online and in-person. An in-person workshop gives you the advantage of live interaction. You'll have an in-classroom teacher and there are also the other students in the classroom to learn from.

Online classes on the other hand are convenient as you can stay at home and access all the study materials and modules at any time of the day. Some can even be downloaded to your iPod, Blackberry or other player. That way you can participate in the training as you drive to and from work every day.

Look for PMP Exam in your favorite search engine to find the most popular courses.

Step 2: Compare the Price to your Budget

Money matters to all of us and your available budget limits your options. Compare prices carefully. Many factors go into the pricing of courses such as duration of instruction and materials.

Generally speaking, online courses are less expensive than in-person ones. But don't think that a low price is reflection of quality. Complete, high-quality online courses are available for as little as $100, while in-person classes have a teacher whose salary needs to be paid. So expect to pay a lot more.

Ask your employer if they offer a scholarship option and also get in touch with your local PMI Chapter to learn if there are reduced rates for members on the courses the chapter offers.

Step 3: Select PMI Registered Education Providers only

One of the most important determining criteria is that the course must be offered to you by a PMI® Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.). Courses are offered by a variety of companies and the R.E.P. certification and logo ensures that the course follows PMI established quality criteria.

Step 4: Check that the Principal Instructor is PMP certified

You will greatly benefit from the course if the principal instructor is PMP certified. It ensures that the trainer has the experience of preparing for and taking the exam himself or herself. In this way, your instructor will be more able to help you clear all the road blocks in preparation for the PMP exam.

Step 5: Ensure that the course is based on the most current PMBOK® Guide

You also need to make sure that the course follows the latest edition of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)®. The exam is based largely on the current version of this standard.

Step 6: Ensure that you'll receive 35 Contact Hours with End of Course Assessment

One of the pre-requisites of the PMI certification is that all applicants must show at least 35 Contact Hours of project management education. Without this you will not be able to take the exam. Make sure that the courses you consider offer a certificate of completion that shows at least 35 contact hours.

PMI requires that all online course providers test your knowledge at the end of the course through an "end of course assessment". Therefore, if you select an online class and you are not tested before you receive your certificate, your certificate is worthless.

Step 7: Review these Criteria for each Course and Provider

Of the courses that you consider, take the following into consideration as well:

What is the number of past students?

• Do you receive free sample questions with the course?
• Do you receive PMP Exam tips & tricks?
• Does this provider offer any other PMP preparation materials that might be helpful to you?
• Is there an online forum where you can ask exam questions?
• What kind of technical support is available?
• And most importantly: Read the testimonials from past students and see what they have to say about the course. A good provider will offer an unmonitored, public way for students to give feedback on the materials.

• Detailed exam results page on-screen and sent to you via email
• Review all questions after completion
• Display explanations during review
• Retake every sample exam as many as you like!
• Based on the currenct PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition

Studying and a positive attitude is only half the battle. It is also important that you feel right on "the day". You must be comfortable and relaxed. One of the things you can do to achieve this is to dress right.

Watch this video to learn more:
http://bit.ly/eM3tL1

The correct answer is: C

Reference: PMBOK4 - pg:253

Explanation: Since you are managing the project you are one of the project team members. That makes the total project team count to 10. Using the communication lines formula n(n-1)/2, you can find out that there are 45 different communication lines (channels) in your project. Choice C is the only correct answer to this question.                               

How I studied

The company I work for normally offers a 1 week prep course - but it was not offered in my area and there was no budget to travel. So I had to study on my own.

I purchased the Rita Mulcahy PMP Exam Prep first thing, and also downloaded the PMBOK to my kindle so that I could read it anywhere. I liked the structure of the Rita book - as well as the study tips, practice exams, questions and memory games. I didn't like feeling I was being talk down to as an inexperience PM - but I suppose that even this was a good wake up call that I couldn't think in terms of what I do - but in terms of what the PMBOK would do.

I read the PMBOK once - although most advise to read it twice. I would lose focus and figured my time would be better spent reading and listening to material that was a little less dry. In order to get through the PMBOK, I joined a study group at work that reviewed a chapter a week and took practice exams on the material. I would follow this up by reading the corresponding chapter in the Rita book.

Four weeks before my schedule exam date, I focused on practice exams. I aimed for an 85% average. I scored well on short exams and not so well (67%-76%) on the longer exams. My problem was mainly not taking my time, not reading the question, second guessing myself and not using reason and logic to get through the difficult questions. Forcing myself to slow down helped alot. Memorizing the Knowledge Areas and Process Groups also helped me to get more of the questions correct.

I purchased The PMP PrepCast and The PMP Formula guide a week before my exam. There were some core concepts I wasn't getting and I just couldn't bring myself to read the PMBOK again. So instead I listen to Cornelius explain the areas I was weak in and read corresponding chapters in Achieve PMP Exam Success: A Concise Study Guide for the Busy Project Manager. I listen to the PrepCast on my IPod and computer. I even burned it to DVD to watch it on the TV and also burned it to an audio disc so I could listen in the car. I listened whenever I had a spare second and even when I was cleaning up around the house.

I practiced my "brain dump" every night before bed. My "brain dump" consisted of the Knowledge Area/Process Group chart on page 43 of the PMBOK and time and cost equation from the PMP Formula pocket study guide. I also played the Process Game from the Rita book a number of times. Really memorize the Processes names. Sometime the difference between a right answer and a wrong answer could be recognizing a small change to a process's name (ie instead of Perform Quality Assurance it will be listed as Perform Quality Analysis)

I did not memorize inputs and outputs, but did take time to re-read through them a number of times in the days before the exam so I could recognize the difference between inputs, outputs, tools and techniques, process and non existent terms the exam may throw at me. In order to get through the Input/Output, Tools and Technique questions I would use logic of knowing the order of the process and what would likely be needed and created in each.

There is a book published by PMI called Q & As for the PMBOK Guide, 4th edition that I recommend. True, the questions will not prepare you for the situation based questions on the PMP exam - but it will test to see if you are getting the core concepts and that helped me to focus my studying in the last few days.

I took every free practice test I could find on the web. Some are better than others. I found Cornelius's practice exam that was included with the prep cast to be the most like the actual exam. I also thought the final exam in Achieve PMP Exam Success was pretty close to the real thing. I liked Rita's questions because they represented some of the more tough situational questions and were also worded in a way that trained you to REALLY read the question. When I took the exam, I found very few questions that were designed to trip you up - but there were a few.

The Day of the Exam

The day of the exam I was anxious to get it done. I drove to a coffee shop close to the test center to unwind and review. I got myself lunch about an hour before my appointment and that is when the nerves really kicked in and I was worried I wouldn't pass. I had to keep giving my self pep talks that I have done all I can, all I need to know is inside my head, and to just take my time.

I got to the test center and was asked for one form of ID. They did not ask for my confirmation number from PMI. They gave me a locker to put all my stuff in. I was allowed to bring in my ear plugs, but they also had head phones to use. I didn't need either of them as my fellow testers were very quiet. I could also bring in my sweater, but I had to keep it on. If I wanted to take it off I had to leave the test room and go into the lobby. I had to prove my pockets were empty.

I was given a booklet of 4 pages of scrap paper and two sharpened pencils. I was told to keep my ID face up on my desk - and to take it with me when I took breaks. I was asked to wait quietly inside the test room, next to the door, until the test administrator set up my computer. He then waved me over and waited for me to start the tutorial.

The tutorial last 15 minutes. I quickly clicked through to the last screen and used the time to do my "Brain Dump". Once that was done, I felt calmer and was ready to start the test.

I answered the first 100 questions in about 1 hour 20 minutes - marking any of them I had the slightest reservation about for review later. Math problems automatically got marked because in practice test I had made simple mistakes and I wanted to make sure I went over each a second time. I also wrote notes down about concepts I was having a hard time with. My experience with practice test was sometimes the answer could be found in another question. This technique help me find the answer to at least two questions.

After 100 questions I was ready for my first break. After using the bathroom and getting some water, I took a few deep breaths in the lobby and re-entered the room.

The second 100 question took more time - about 1 hour and forty minutes. For my test - most of the equations and network diagram questions were in the second half. As I got closer to the end, my heart would race wondering if I was going to pass or not. I had to keep closing my eyes, taking deep breaths and refocusing on the question. When I finished the second 100 questions I took another break.

When I came back from my break, I had about an hour to review my answers. I first went through the ones I marked - making a few changes, but for the most part tried not to second guess my first attempt. When I finished this I had 22 minutes left and contemplated review the entire test. I decided that I had done all that I could and pressed the submit button. I was asked if I was sure and confirmed it a second time.

The screen went blank and the computer grinded away for what seemed like hours. When the screen came back I was asked to complete a survey about the test center. ARG! My heart was racing because I just wanted my score. I suppose I could understand the test center wanting the opinion before giving the score - but this seemed like cruel and unusual punishment. I just started clicking as quickly as I could on whatever buttons I found first to get through the survey.

The computer grinded again for a while and popped up with a screen that said "Congratulations on Passing the PMP Exam". I cried I was so happy and relieved. I clicked to the next screen that had a break down of how I did by process group. I scored proficient (or above average) in three areas and moderately proficient (or average) in the other three. You are not given a percentage score.

I composed myself and checked out with the test administrator who gave me a print out of the results. She signed and stamped it.

I gathered my stuff and shared my good news with my family, friends and colleagues.