Student Profile: Julie Hanson, PMP

I am a Project Manager specializing in client-facing software implementations. I enjoy working with various people and drawing upon my PMP and MBA educational experiences to find the best way to seamlessly and effortlessly deploy our solutions. When custom work is required, I work with clients to define requirements and then work with internal software developers to come up with the best solutions we can offer. My work takes me to various parts of the US, typically to rural towns off of the beaten path. The best parts of my job are being able to help customers and meeting different people while seeing interesting parts of the country.

I start out trying to read the PMBOK and was thoroughly confused. Why was it telling me about meetings over & over - I am a Project Manager, I know how to run a meeting?!? I put the book down, changed gears and started watching the PM PrepCast videos. After I made it through the videos (it took a few months) then I went back to the books and things made sense. I highly suggest starting at the beginning of the PM PrepCast series with the "Welcome" video and making your way through the program from there.

My study routine in the last 3 days before the exam, I did the following every day:

• I watched PM PrepCast videos where I felt I needed to spend extra time such as the Decision Tree Analysis, Earned Value - Advanced, QA / QC tools and techniques and a few others
• I practiced writing the brain dump sheet
• I read the glossary in the PMBOK book several times
• I read my notes regarding people-to-know, motivational theories, formulas, types of contracts and The PMP Exam: Quick Reference Guide by Andy Crowe
• I took one last practice exam - this was number 8
• Eat, sleep, study and repeat!

Julie Hanson, PMP