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In this issue... |
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 Hello ,
Congratulations to our new PMP's!! Know who they are in this week's issue of the PM exam tips newsletter.
What's in store in this week's issue?
- Ready to Study for the PMP exam with a coach? Then enroll to the PM StudyCoach Live Online Coaching Classes is now!
- The May 2012 discount coupon on The PM StudyCoach (recorded).
- Our recommended study material: The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, 4th Edition
- Featured Article of the Week:Should you learn ITTOs by Heart?
- Featured Video:The Short Guide to Becoming a PMP
- PMP Exam Sample Question and Answer.
- PMP Exam Tip:Read and Understand Your Books
- Lessons learned from new PMP Kevin Whiteside.
Read on and Enjoy!
Until Next Time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC
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Let Us Coach You To Your PMP Exam
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We are excited to announce that registration for TWO PM StudyCoach Live Online Coaching Classes is now open. Sign up today and let Kevin Reilly, PMP be your
coach and guide you in your studies towards PMP Exam success.
 The
PM StudyCoach Live is a self-study course that combines recorded
training materials with live, online coaching calls: You study the
recorded materials on your own time and then join the class for a weekly
call. In each call we help you get into the PMI mindset, discuss
concepts essential for the exam, review your study assignments and leave
lots and lots of room to answer all of your questions. Click here for all the class details...
All of the following are included in the package that you receive as part of this class:
- 11 Weekly Coaching Calls including access to a class forum to ask questions "offline" as you are studying
- The PM StudyCoach: Recorded coaching sessions and weekly class assignments
- The PM PrepCast: 50 hours of video training
- The PMP Exam Formula Study Guide: All the formulas you need for the exam. Includes formula brain dump sheet
- The PM Exam Simulator: Practice your PMP Exam with 1,800 sample questions (120 days access)
It gets even better: If you already purchased one of these items, then you will receive a refund and your class price is reduced by that amount!
We have two classes starting for you this month. The first live
coaching call is scheduled for Wednesday, May 23rd at 7pm PST and
Thursday, May 24th at 7 pm EST respectively, and then each
Wednesday/Thursday
for 10 weeks after that. So let Kevin's experience guide you on
the way!
However, we only accept 15 students for each class!
By limiting class size we can ensure that everyone gets the
attention they deserve. So hurry and get your seat today. This is
especially important because we have a three-tiered pricing structure,
so the sooner you register the less you pay. Here are the prices:
- Tier 1: First 5 students to register: $599.00
- Tier 2: Next 5 students to register: $624.00
- Tier 3: Next 5 students to register: $649.00
Please click here to register and place your order...
Don't wait! This class is for you if...
- ...you want to prepare for the PMP Exam using self-study
- ...you can commit to 90 minutes of studying every day
- ...you want access to a coach who will guide you
- ...you are available on Wednesday evenings at 6pm PST
(California timezone) or on Thursday evenings at 7pm EST (New York
timezone) for the live calls
Do you have any questions about this class? Please click here for The PM StudyCoach Live details... or simply reply to this message and we will give you an answer.
Kevin is looking forward to coaching you and helping you achieve your PMP certification..
Until Next Time,
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Kevin Reilly, PMP
Head Coach
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Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
President, OSP International LLC | |
Only this May 2012: Discount on The PM Study Coach (recorded)
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For our next amazing deal and
offer, we bring you a $10.99 discount coupon for The PM Study Coach.
This is for the recorded version of the live class we announce above.
Instead of paying the regular price of $34.99, you can get it for just
$24.00. This offer is good from May 1-31, 2012 only. Details are as
follows:
Product: The PM Study Coach (recorded)
Regular price: $34.99
Discount: $10.99
Price after discount: $24.00
Coupon validity: May 1-31, 2012
Coupon code: May12
Redeeming this great deal is easy!
First watch this video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tG81gp6AuQ to learn how to use the coupon and then go to our website at http://www.project-management-study-coach.com/
where you begin by clicking on "Order" at the top. (Please note that
our coupons are only available for new purchases and cannot be applied
as a refund if you purchased earlier.)
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!
Order now as this is only a one time limited offer that you cannot get anywhere else! |
Recommended PMP Exam Study Material
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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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| Congratulations! |
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 Our warmest congratulations go to the following students of ours who have recently passed their PMP Exam
- Dan Howard, PMP
- Martin Novotny, PMP
- Chris McConnell, PMP (Shown in image on right)
- Hubertus Bouten, PMP
- David Lyon, PMP
Have passed your exam as well? Then let us know by simply sending us a quick email to examtips@pm-prepcast.com
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| Should you learn ITTOs by Heart? |
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 Do you feel that in order to pass the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam you should memorize the PMBOK Guide's ITTOs (Inputs, Tools, Techniques and Outputs)? Do you think that the PMP exam is full of IITO type of questions? Many people still believe this myth. Well, let me clear some misconceptions...
Many project managers have successfully passed the PMP exam without any memorization. The current PMP exam is all about an in-depth understanding of applying project management concepts and principles from the PMBOK Guide as well as general management knowledge from other sources to project situations.
Granted, ITTOs are a major part of the PMBOK Guide and about 75% of material for the PMP Exam is taken from the PMBOK Guide. So it's understandable that we assume because there are hundreds of ITTOs in the Guide the exam must be full of knowledge-based questions about them. And sample questions like "Which of the following is not an Input of the Create WBS process?" are plentiful on the internet.
So should you, or should you not memorize them?
Here is my story: When I studied for my PMP exam I knew them by heart. I could tell you exactly which ITTO is used in which process. But I took my exam years ago. Since then the PMP exam has become more experience-based using situational questions over knowledge-based questions.
Therefore a change in approach is needed.
It is still important to have a general understanding about which ITTO is used in which process, but you do not need to be able to recite them by heart. It is much more important to understand the concept of "Why is this ITTO used in this process?" Your knowledge about WHY an ITTO is used in a process will definitely help you to arrive at the right answer.
Additionally, this new approach is much more helpful for you as a project manager in the long run. Frankly speaking, who cares whether an ITTO is part of a particular process or not after you have passed the PMP exam? If you need to know, you can just look it up! But knowing what they are, why you need them and how to apply them successfully on your projects greatly enhances your project management skills. It goes a long way in making you an exceptional project manager.
As you are studying the ITTOs for your PMP Exam, keep the following concepts in mind:
First of all, Inputs and Outputs are always "things", like a project management plan, a measurement, a result, an update to a plan, a document or a deliverable. You can touch Inputs and Outputs.
Second, it is very common that an Output from one process becomes an Input to another process. Focus your studies on understanding how these items flow through the many processes in the PMBOK Guide in order to produce our project deliverables. Use the many charts that the Guide provides to see this graphically.
Third, Tools & Techniques very often have some form of "action" attached to them, like a meeting, a methodology, a technique, a form that you must fill in, or a matrix that you create.
And lastly, don't forget to read the complete PMBOK Guide glossary. Study and understand the definitions of the roughly 350 terms that you find here. Again, you are not doing this for memorization sake, but instead you want to learn "the language" of the PMP exam. Often we use project management terms loosely and interchangeably in our day to day work. But for the exam we have to know exactly what each term means.
Reading the glossary ensures that you know the correct definitions, and, as a bonus, the glossary indicates for each term if it is an input/output, tool or technique.
So move beyond a third-graders approach of fact memorization. Instead, study the big picture, the data flows and how the ITTOs are the glue between the processes.
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Exam Tip:Read and Understand Your Books |
 The PMP Exam is mainly based on A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). The most current version was published in 2008 and most people find a bit difficult to read. But due to the fact that the exam is based on this book, it is important that you actually read and understand all that it contains. As a supplement to studying the PMBOK Guide in preparing for the exam you need to get additional reference material.
I recommend that you buy a separate PMP Exam Prep book that will further enhance your understanding of the subject matter. These books will help make the complicated concepts from the PMBOK Guide clearer and they also give you more information and tips on how to prepare for and pass the PMP exam.
So here is my tip: read and understand the concepts from the PMBOK Guide and from a separate PMP Exam Prep book. Also work through the sample questions and exercises in your prep book. And lastly, take as many sample exams as you can to gauge your understanding of the concepts. Go back and review the sections in the books that you did not score well and try again.
When you start scoring above 80% the first time you take any mock exam then you are ready for the real exam. Remember that it takes a lot of preparation to make sure that you pass your PMP exam and receive your certification. So study hard, learn well and be confident of your ability to get your certification.
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| Sample PMP Exam Question |
You are developing your IT development project team. Some of the team members need training on the latest software that you are using in your project. Which of the following documents is most useful to find out the information regarding the scheduled training for the team members?
A.) Project Staff Assignments
B.) Training Management Plan
C.) Staffing Management Plan
D.) Human Resource Plan
Hint: Training needs are developed during the early stages of planning.
Please click here to give your answer and see the explanation...
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| The Short Guide to Becoming a PMP |
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Are you planning to take the PMP Exam but don't know where to begin Then begin with The Short Guide to Becoming a PMP, which is your Free PMP Exam Guide. Written by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, the guide takes you through eight essential steps of preparing for the PMP Exam:
1. Assess Your Eligibility
2. Fill out the Application
3. Build a PMP Exam Study Plan
4. Get Essential Study Materials
5. Learn Study Tips & Techniques
6. Use Sample Questions & Tests
7. Get Exam Day Ready
8. Get Recertified
Learn everything you need to know on how to prepare for the PMP Exam.
Click here to watch the video: The Short Guide to Becoming a PMP
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Any "Lessons Learned" you would want to share from your PMP Exam journey? |
 I passed my PMP exam last Thursday and I can not be happier!!! As a comparison, I studied a lot and was a bit nervous a while back when completing a GMAT in preparation for getting my MBA, but the PMP exam preparation and anxiousness was way more! Wow did I study like never before - but it was WELL worth it! I do give a big shout-out to Cornelius and the PM Prepcast as a big reason for my success!! I hope success to all of you about to take the exam! I hope what I give you next can be of use. Read more about Kevin Whiteside's PMP exam success story here..
Simply click the "new thread" button here and share with us your lessons learned too: http://bit.ly/9clxBE
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Free Exam Resources
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Want access to free episodes of The PM PrepCast and other free PMP Exam resources?
Get 6 other free PMP Exam resources like worksheets, exam tip videos and an ebook called The Short Guide to Becoming a PMP.
It's absolutely free!
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