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In this issue... |
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 Hello ,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all those who have registered to our first live online coaching class - The PM Study Coach Live.
The class is officially full.
Looking forward to coaching you and helping you put PMP after your name!
Here is what you can expect in this week's issue:
- Our monthly discount offering: Get The PM eFlashcards for only $20.00.
- Know why we are recommending The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition by Andy Crowe as a good PMP exam study material.
- Read our featured article: How To Think Critically About PMP Training Providers by Josh Nankivel.
- Watch our featured video of the week: What is the difference between Contact Hours and PDUs? http://youtu.be/qpbKR4awgJ0
- Test yourself by answering our PMP exam sample question of the week.
- Did you recently pass the PMP exam? Care to share your experience? http://bit.ly/9clxBE
Read on and Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
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March 2012 Discount Coupon
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For our next amazing deal and offer, we bring you a $9.99 discount coupon for The PM Exam eFlashcards! Instead of paying the regular price of $29.99, you can get The PM Exam eFlashcards for just $20.00.
This offer is good from March 1-31, 2012 only. Details are as follows:
 Product : The PM Exam eFlashcards
Regular price: $29.99Discount: $9.99%
Price after discount: $20.00
Coupon validity: Mar. 1 - 31, 2012
Coupon code: Mar12
Sign up for our free newsletter to get the latest coupon codes, amazing deals and promos for our featured products each month! Our coupon codes can also be found on our websites so look out for them and don't let the opportunity pass you by.
Order now as this is only a one time limited offer that you cannot get anywhere else!
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| Recommended Study Material: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition by Andy Crowe |
 We recommend this book because it contains a wealth of information that a project manager needs to know to pass the PMP Exam -- the first time!
If this is your first attempt to pass the PMP exam, Andy's The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition (Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate) is an essential part of your study materials. Based on the PMBOK Guide, 4th Edition, it provides 44 processes, 592 inputs, tools and outputs that will thoroughly prepare you for the exam.
It also contains insider secrets, test tricks and tips, hundreds of sample questions and intelligently created exercises to reinforce your proficiency of key concepts that will guide you to achieve a successful result.
Some highlights of this book include:
- Project Management Processes and Knowledge Areas - A detailed breakdown of all Processes and KAs with clear explanations and no extraneous information to confuse you.
- Tools, Tips and Tricks - Tools such as formulas and various project management process tables are well organized and explained and will strengthen your comprehension and retention. Insiders' tips are presented In an easy to understand style to give you an edge.
- Sample Exam Questions - Quizzes at the end of each chapter and a final exam give you a better feel of the exam. The book keeps pace with the ever-evolving PMP test and helps you understand and navigate the complex exam questions. You'll learn how to correctly answer questions on the first try.
Order The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition from Barnes and Noble by clicking HERE!
Full Disclosure: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition is an affiliate product. If you click and choose to purchase the book, we will earn a commission.
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How To Think Critically About PMP Training Providers by Josh Nankivel
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 Your friends are correct. If you "have not lead any projects" then you do not meet the minimum experience requirements.
There are no shortage of training providers out there who will lead you to believe you DO however... usually by omission rather than outright fraud.
So, it's up to you to be smart about this.
Here are some important factors I recommend you consider when selecting a training provider. If you've already read The 4 Pillars of PMP Certification, some of this will be new but it won't surprise you coming from me.
Research Prerequisites Yourself
PMP training providers will sometimes try to sell you their training, even if you do not qualify for the exam. Be very, very skeptical of them. Strictly speaking, it's not their responsibility to be accountable for your application and what you've reported as valid experience.
If you don't know what the experience requirements are, you are setting yourself up to get potentially hoodwinked. I've heard training providers say that building a shed in your backyard qualifies as experience managing projects. That's bunk. "Leading and directing project tasks" doesn't include your own projects around the house, and if you think it does, I'm amazed at your ability to rationalize such a loose interpretation. If you are actually "leading and directing project tasks" on behalf of an organization, volunteer or paid, it probably counts.
See the PMP Handbook for more on the experience requirements: http://pmStudent.com/pmp-handbook (redirects to PMI's website link)
Check the Guarantee
Courses which guarantee you "pass or your money back" are ones I recommend you avoid.
A satisfaction guarantee is what I look for. But if they are providing a guarantee that you pass there is a change in the incentives and relationship between you as the student, and them as the training provider.
Let me explain.
A satisfaction guarantee means the provider wants you to be happy with the quality of the training itself. Even if you do not pass the exam, they want you to feel as if you have received a great deal of value and knowledge from their training. Sometimes it can get down to your native language or just that some people are better at taking tests than others.
If you've been following me for any length of time, you know that I feel the most important reason for pursuing certification is the knowledge you gain in the process. Providers with a satisfaction guarantee are setting themselves up to agree with me on this point, and I feel you'll come out as a more well educated person AND have a great chance of passing the test.
A pass guarantee provides a whole different set of incentives. These providers want you to pass the test, get the piece of paper. Here, there's no reason why rote memorization in a short boot-camp environment should be the norm.
They are not concerned about long-term retention, or how well you actually understand PMI's standard/framework.
But Hey, That's Just Me
A lot of people just want to pass the test. If you ask me, they are doing it for the wrong reasons. To get real value from the process, a long-term approach and focus on making yourself better as a professional needs to be there.
If you only care about the piece of paper, you shouldn't follow what I'm up to. There are plenty of training providers willing to take your money and get you that piece of paper. No, if you hang around here you'll just get frustrated with me. I'll be harping about how you should pursue mastery instead of simply passing the PMP exam.
I'll be telling you that you're doing it wrong.
Over and over again.
Source: http://pmstudent.com/how-to-think-critically-about-pmp-training-providers/
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What is the difference between Contact Hours and PDUs
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 Almost everyone who prepares for The PMP Exam confuses the two terms "Contact Hours" and "Professional Development Units".
This video explains the difference and explores the many ways in which you can earn Contact Hours.
Watch the video by visiting this link NOW: http://youtu.be/qpbKR4awgJ0
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| Sample PMP Exam Question |
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 In a project, several risk response strategies are used to effectively manage project risks. The strategy or mix of strategies should be used when planning for risk responses. Which of the following statements best describes an 'accept' strategy for negative risks or threats?
A.) Adopting less complex processes is an accept strategy.
B.) Use of insurance is part of an accept strategy.
C.) Using contingency reserve is part of accept strategy.
D.) Extending schedule is part of an accept strategy.
Hint: A risk acceptance strategy is adopted because it is seldom possible to eliminate all threats from a project. One of the risk acceptance strategies is performed in the early stages of planning. Find the option which is performed during planning.
All our questions are updated to the latest PMBOK Guide standard. Stop by at http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com and try the PMP Exam Simulator free for 3 days.
We also offer 110 free questions at http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com. We are a PMI Registered Education Provider.
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Exam Tip:Assess Your PMP Exam Readiness with Free Sample Exams |
The Internet is full of sites and blogs that help you prepare for the PMP Exam. As part of your PMP Exam Prep, you should take advantage of the many free, on-line sample exams. These will help you assess your readiness to take the actual exam.
Whether you can or cannot find time and money to enroll in a formal, classroom-style PMP Exam Prep course, answering hundreds (even thousands) of PMP Exam sample questions is a must. In the first few weeks of your PMP Exam Studies. it's OK to use just the free ones offered by various sources. These questions prepare you for the rigors of the actual examination for your certification and give you some idea of what to expect. While these do not necessarily reflect actual test questions, they can provide tips and guides to properly respond to any question that may come your way on the "real" exam. The free questions help you to sharpen your knowledge and identify areas where you need to study more.
However, after some weeks you will not only tire of constantly searching for new free questions. You will also begin to notice that free questions are not always of the same quality. Some are excellent, some are OK and many are really bad. That is the moment when you have to consider signing up for a PMP Exam Simulator. Yes, subscribing to such a simulator is going to take some money, but in the end, your goal should be to pass the exam. Invest this money into being well prepared for the exam.
So when taking courses for your PMP Exam preparations, make sure that you get at least some free test questions offered by these courses. Together with the free sample questions on the internet and the ones of your PMP Exam Simulator you will be able to prepare yourself well.
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| Answer and Explanation |
The correct answer is C
Explanation: The most common risk acceptance strategy in a project is to establish contingency reserves.
Reference: PMBOK4 - pg:304
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Any "Lessons Learned" you would want to share from your PMP Exam journey? |
 Another PMP exam passer shared his experience on his way to getting that most sought after "PMP" behind his name and he says "My suggestion is to lock down one provider esp PM Prepcast suite by Cornelius which covers study coach, formulas, flash cards and simulation exam. Since I started a little earlier planning, I went to different sources for each and realized a all-in-one stop a little too late." Read more here..
How about you? Did you recently pass the PMP exam? Care to share your experience?
Simply click the "new thread" button here: http://bit.ly/9clxBE to let us know.
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