Student Profile: Angel Gutierrez, PMP

I’m an officer in the US Army with an MBA in healthcare administration and project management from George Washington University. I have been in the military for 20+ years placed in multiple roles of leadership, logistic management, and special assignment operations globally.

I pursued the PMP certification primarily to validate my competence in project management, but also to prepare for transition for project management in the civilian/ private sector. I was in company command when I obtained the PMP and preparing for the exam was no easy task to include being geographically separated from my wife of 20 yrs. and two daughters in middle school and high school! I understood and knew the value of obtaining the PMP before transitioning and with a family to support I dug in, didn’t waiver and successfully passed the exam.

The PMP Handbook was an essential part of the study program which prepared me as a candidate. All the information you need to pass the exam is legitimately in the book and provides the necessary details, broken down by domain and knowledge area, to understand what they are asking of you when you come across a question pertaining to the exam.

The last three weeks of preparation for the exam is the most critical. By this time not only will you begin to understand and conceptualize what is necessary to pass the exam, but you would already be applying that knowledge in your own way without you completely realizing it.

The following are what I did to truly solidify those concepts the week prior to the exam:
-mapped out the process groups by knowledge and domain at the start of every study session. Reps are all your looking to accomplish until its second nature.
-looked over only analyzed weaknesses or gaps in understandings. Don’t waste time on things you already know. This is how you refine your concepts and solidify how YOU understand it.
-completed 6 full simulated tests using the PM Prep exam Simulator. Best damn piece of the puzzle! The exam is not hard especially if you understand the content, but the way the questions is asked will trip you up if you are not prepared. This is where the simulators give you the edge and help you cut through the fluff to what the question is really asking so you can get to the best and correct answer.

With the guideline above I was able to not only pass the exam but obtain an “above target” rating in all domains. You wont feel like your ready but with perseverance, you will be.

Angel Gutierrez, PMP