I passed the PMP exam at first try and below are my lessons learned regarding my journey to certification.
Exam preparation
I first took a 35 hour class to get the corresponding certificate a little over a year ago and began studying right afterwards before dropping out due to professionnal obligations.
I finally filled my PMP application a few months ago and resumed my PMP studies 3,5 month ago from the beginning, this time setting up a thorough study plan.
The steps I followed the 4 past month were the following :
- Read the PMBOK once, take notes and pass a first mock exam
- Buy the PM Prepcast Elite Pack and listen to the whole program (on video mode on lunch breaks and on audio mode when running or going to the gym)
- Read the PMBOK a second time, chapter by chapter, along with the PM Prepcast
- Practice each knowledge area with a 20 question test
- Pass 3 PM Prepcast mock exams as well as Oliver Lehmann's mock exam (during the exams, I would note the number of the questions I was uncertain with and review them all along with the ones I had wrongly answered)
- Read Edward Chung's "47 PMP easily confused terms"
- Read my notes and watch Ricardo Vargas' PMP processes video the day before the exam
For people who are not English native speakers
My concern when purchasing the PM Prepcast was that it was in English whereas I had purchased the French version of the PMBOK, and I was worried I could get lost in some translations during my preparation or even during the exam. It was not the case and I found it easy to go from listening to the PM Prepcast videos in English to reading the PMBOK in French.
On the D-day : check-in, break and check-out
I arrived 30 minutes before the time of the exam as required by the test center, did the check-in routine, left all my belongings in a locker and settled in the exam room. Due to COVID-19 the exam I took the test in required us to keep a mask on during the whole time. I was given a pair of foamy ear plugs, an erasable slate as well as a pen. I took 5 minutes to drop down some formulas and figures and began the test.
When finishing question 90 you are asked to review and validate them before the built-in break. I checked the questions I had marked and took part of the 10 minutes break to go to the restrooms and drink some water before returning to the exam room for the remaining 110 questions.
Whereas the mock exams took me a little over 3 hours I was right on time after question 90 and proceeded a little faster through the second part of the exam. I took 5 minutes or so to review the marked questions and finally clicked on "Validate" around 3 hours and a half, crossing fingers until the "Congratulations" message appeared on screen.
After quitting the exam room I retrieved my bag from the locker and was handed the results sheet by the test center administration.
My advice for those who are preparing the exam
- Consider the PMP certification as a project and set up a study plan with a target date in order to "stay on track" as much as possible
- Watch all PM Prepcast videos and study as regularly as possible
- Take notes of the concepts you are the least comfortable with
- Practice as much as you can : few questions here and there and full mock exams before taking the real exam
- Believe in yourself and cut yourself some slack on D-day
Good luck everyone !
