Student Profile: Shirley Y. Gabug –Al Hoda, MPM, CHRP, PMP
My name is Shirley Y. Gabug-Al Hoda. A licensed Secondary teacher by profession, my career had shifted to Human Resources & Administration field after joining a government department 11 years ago. To further develop my career in this field, I obtained a Master of Public Management (MPM) degree and a Certification in Human Resources Professional (CHRP) to augment my knowledge & skills. In our Department, new projects are always coming up to enhance HR procedures & processes keeping abreast with the fast-changing technology and innovations.
As an HR Generalist involved with those various projects, I believe that studying and getting a globally recognized certification in Project Management will provide me the necessary foundation in order to contribute more to successful projects delivery & results, while supporting my professional growth. In November 2018, I passed the PMP®exam. Education is a continuous process, it is not only gained from a formal school but also learning from the experts and my peers. Even though I am not in a classroom setting teaching, I still feel that I am because apart from projects, I work and deal with people at different organizational levels, and manage their HR needs in a prompt manner, which is the most rewarding part of my job. Being a PMP certified professional, I am also open to working in other fields should any opportunity arise.
When thinking of applying for PMP certification, it is very important that a candidate read the official PMP Handbook from Project Management Institute (PMI)® from the beginning in order to understand the overall A-Z structure of the certification process, as well as significant information in maintaining the PMP certification. For me, it served as a first-point reference wherein I can always get my doubts clarified or answered.
During the preparation & review stage, I had with me three references, including A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) –6th Edition and online mock exams from PrepCast. I devised a study time putting some chapters of each book in groups to ensure that I cover them all based on the plan. I also wrote notes especially those topics that were needed to be re-visited, formulas, terminologies among others. During the 3-month study period, I carried out my readings and mock exams in the public library. The last week prior to my examination day, I dedicated to repeating the mock exams with a priority to the wrong marks and understanding the explanations. I believe that was the main turning point of my results --- you have to read and analyze the question thoroughly because sometimes it can be confusing. I recommend that same pattern to other students, in addition to their other learning strategies.
Shirley Y. Gabug –Al Hoda, MPM, CHRP, PMP