Suffice it to say, deciding to get my PMP certification was the first step. Becoming serious, setting a date and holding myself accountable to it by telling others I was doing so was the biggest motivator.
I have a lot of experience in Project Management, specifically in the realm of game and software development. I felt like I needed to qualify that experience and prove that I'm serious about Project Management as a discipline. I'm very proud now to say that I have passed my exam on May 13th, 2014. I used the following techniques:
1. Set some goals, make a plan and schedule. Don't get bogged down with the details. Be vigilant and revise/update your plan each week. Once I found
www.project-management-prepcast.com
, I found a wealth of information about everything from the application process, getting your PDUs, and more importantly paying for and booking an Examination appointment. Believe me, there is no greater motivator!
2. Once I had my Examination booked, I built a schedule backwards from the date of the exam. Sparing you the details, I succeeded in completing the following in 12 weeks. For me, it was just right:
- Complete all videos in the Prepcast, along with the self-assessments. Go over any failures from the self-assessments in the PMBOK guide and don't move forward until you understand. Without doing the videos first, reading the PMBOK guide was extremely difficult, dry, and without context for the most part.
- Once done the videos, now read the PMBOK guide. Take notes along the way, and DO NOT try to memorize any ITTOs. There is a lot of overlap in ITTOs from module to module so I focused on the Tools and Techniques in my first reading of the PMBOK; it gave context.
- Buy the simulator. Do as many exams and quizzes as possible. Follow up on your failures with the PMBOK guide.
- Buy the Formula guide. Memorize the formulas and be able to do a brain dump and any formula questions with ease. (HUGE help during the exam)
- Follow all of Cornelius' recommendations and tips for preparing for the Exam. You get one shot. Do everything you can until you are CONFIDENT in your abilities and you will succeed.
- Share your thoughts and Lessons Learned with the rest of us.
