Share Your PMP Success Story

27/07/2016
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SHARE YOUR PMP SUCCESS STORY!

Shruti
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Do you remember the days when you burned a lot of midnight oil to earn yourself the tag of
a Certied Project Manager? Stressful, eort-taking but rewarding times, isnt it? It's time
to relive those memories!
PMP is changing lives everyday. Play the guiding light to PMP Aspirants and share your
inspiring story of how you successfully cracked PMP.
How did you work your way for earning a PMP Certication?
What was your overall strategy?
How did you manage your time?
Key points included in your brain dump?
Challenges and hurdles faced during this journey? etc...
PMP aspirants - Keep a close eye on this discussion to learn from others' experiences and
also ask any query or share your feedback. Good Luck for your certication!
(entries from the Share your PMP certication success story contest thread have been moved here)
Shruti, Feb 9, 2015
#1
Rohit Boral
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Let me make it clear, the PMP exam is not a rocket science.

The PMP exam is a little bit tricky, but that does not mean its impossible to write and hopefully these
tips would help all aspiring PMs, as they did help me a lot:
Join one or maximum two forums.
Follow a couple of blogs.
Read pmbok along with a reputable study guide.
Study before attending boot camp.
Brain dump should include all of the formulas, lists of items, and other concepts that you struggle
with. Create this before the exam and update it as you study so you can become familiar with these
before the exam. When the exam day arrives, put this information on your scrap paper and then you
will not have to worry about forgetting it.
Since you start PMP process, you already adhere to PMI Code of Ethics and it demands to be ethical
and professional in all your dealings. So, the best way to check your PMP exam readiness is to start
following PMI and PMBOK guidelines, and never forget to wear PMI hat during the exam.
Rohit Boral, Feb 9, 2015
#2
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Gregory Downes
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Preparing for the PMP exam and subsequently sitting the exam is quite an interesting
journey. I cannot over emphasize the importance of preparation. I used the strategy outlined
below. However, I must stress everyone has to determine what strategy works best for them
based on several factors, including time, retention ability, project management experience,
etc.
1. Complete the required training - I suggest you ask as much questions as possible during
the training, so that there is clarity on the issues. I would suggest also becoming a member
of PMI before sitting the exam, so that you have access to all the resources available on the
site.
2. Develop a study plan - It is wise to sit the exam within a reasonable time frame.
Essentially, one that gives you sucient time to adequately prepare as well as not too far
out to cause lost of memory of the materials. It all depends on you ability and level of
comfort with the materials, however, I would recommend that it should be within six months
of taking the PMP prep course.
3. Join a study group, if possible, a few blogs, PM fora, and online exam simulation sites some are free and others require a fee.
4. Study each knowledge area in PMBOK and thereafter answer practice exam questions
from several sources. Know all the ITTOs and how they interact. Gauge you performance
both in terms of correct answers and time taken to complete the questions. Focus your
attention on the weak areas for additional study. You can supplement PMBOK with other
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books such as Head First PMP and PMP Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy.
5. Ensure you are procient in the use of the various formulas and how to use them. Practice
is essential here, because lack of knowledge of these could cause you to divert too much
time in the exam. Calculation problems are sure thing if you know the formulas, but could
be time consuming if adequate practice is not done in advance of the exam.
6. Take a few complete simulation exams once you have covered all the materials - 200
question in 4 fours. I would recommend scoring 80% as satisfactory and being ready for the
PMP exam.
In terms of my brain dump, I included all the formulas, the number and name of project
management lifecycle knowledge areas, approaches to conict management, key concepts,
and PM Code of Ethics.
The main challenges was putting all the pieces together. The objective should not be to
memorize PMBOK, but understand the application of the processes. I overcome this by
matching the processes with projects I did in the past. It could be a simple project like
building a dog kennel or as complex as a software development project. The key to success
in the exam is thinking as a project manager and up holding the code of ethics.
Lastly, arrive at the testing center early. The four hours go by fast, so being in the right
frame of mind to hit the ground running is essential.
Good luck!
Gregory Downes, Feb 12, 2015
Last edited: Mar 1, 2015 #3
Sourav Mukherjee(1720) likes this.
Michael
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To say that taking the PMP exam was stressful would be an understatement. I took the
Simplilearn training for the PMP course in July 2014 - a hybrid of on-line and classroom
training. My instructor, Ken, was very knowledgeable and helpful in explaining the
"terminology" that the PMI uses. I've done project management for a number of years, in
various roles and was looking to take my career to the next level - hence the PMP exam.
I decided I would take the exam shortly after nishing my classroom and on-line training in
August. Ken was very encouraging and said that we were ready to take the exam as long as
we went through the available practice exams. I say "we" because there were a number of
us in the class and the majority of us were all going to take the PMP exam.
After nishing the classroom training, myself and another class mate, decided we would do
practice questions together as a way to study and learn from each other. We each reviewed
the materials ahead of time and then met in person to go through the practice exam
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questions that Simplilearn provides. The exam questions are extremely helpful to test your
knowledge and help identify any gaps that you may have in the materials. I would highly
recommend that anyone taking the PMP exam do as many practice questions as possible
and use Simplilearn question bank as it turned out to be fairly similar to the ones on the real
exam.
So why was taking the exam so stressful for me? Well besides the fact that I don't like
taking "tests", I had also applied and interviewed for a Senior Project Manager position
shortly after taking the course. I think I might have gotten the interview by mistake since my
interviewer was a little surprised that I still didn't have my PMP designation - I told them
during the interview that I had registered for the exam and was going to be taking it the
following week. The rest of the interview went fairly well, and I was told that they really liked
me as a candidate but that I couldn't proceed to the next round of interviews unless I
passed my PMP exam the following week.
Talk about pressure!
Nonetheless, I proceeded to take the exam and pass. A few weeks later and a couple of
more interviews, I got the job and am still in this challenging new role of Senior Project
Manager. Yup- I passed! I was surprised and really excited! I am also very grateful for the
help I received from my instructor, classmates and Simplilearn materials.
In terms of my strategy for the exam - I basically memorized all the formulas and spent the
rst ve minutes of the exam writing them all down before starting the exam. I didn't really
memorize anything else as the training helped me understand the concepts and was able to
follow the questions along.
My advice to anyone taking the PMP exam is understand the concepts, learn the
terminology, and memorize the formulas, but most importantly - do LOTS of practice
questions. Those will help prepare you for the marathon of the 4 hour PMP exam.
Good Luck to All!
Michael, Feb 13, 2015
#4
Shruti and Gregory Downes like this.
Amal Nandan Prasad

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PMP is not a dicult exam - it is just a dierent examination. You need to collect your
thoughts and apply the PMI methodology to it and then select the best possible option.
Having said that I signed up for the PMP examination in Jan 2014, when I was out of the job,
moved to a new job in March 2014 and then moved to Delhi in November 2014 to take up
another job. Needless to say, I have never been condent of my preparations. However,
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having paid the fee and the examination window, drawing to a close, I took the examination
on the rst day of the last week of the examination window - February 02, 2015 and
managed to clear it in my rst attempt.
To be honest, I have been told that only a select few have managed to clear it in the rst
attempt.
So, here is my preparation plan:

1) I have managed Enterprise projects under PRINCE2 methodology that ran for 2-3 years.
The rst thing is to unlearn all your project management experience. While they are helpful
and a prerequisite for taking the PMP examination, the PMI framework is a lot dierent - it is
not tied to any particular industry and requires an application of the same while selecting
the answers.
So, unlearn from your project management experience and apply PMI framework
2) Understand all the ve phases and the process groups on a broader level before drilling
down to the individual processes.
3) Apply the concepts of ITTO on each process - Input, Tools and Techniques, Output.
4) Please understand that the process are to be followed in a sequence. Often the output of
one process is the input of another process or processes.
5) Once you are able to complete the step 4, you can sort of create a chain or chains. Once
you have the chains in your mind, almost one-third of the questions deals with the position
of the link in the chain. So. if you are asked about something, just step back and ponder
over the process chain and then try to see if the question is related to the sequence of the
activity. For any activity, you may need to refer to the respective ITTO.
Create notes and then link them together using sticky notes. None of the process should
exceed more than one A4 page - this note should have the phase, process group, ITTO and
salient points. Assuming that you are using both the sides, you should not have more than
12 pages. 15 pages is the maximum limit. If your notes exceed 12 pages, this means that you
have not assimilated the process well. Revisit the process and try to reduce it to one page.
The gist of the matter is that you can do a quick revison without referring to any of the text.
6) In my opinion, the most trickiest part is the "monitor and control phase." Be ready to
understand the scheduling (CPM, oat, etc), performance metrics (CPI, SPI, CV, SV, etc),
PERT, etc. One of the often overlooked portion is the "Make or Build" analysis including the
mathematics involved there and the type of contracts.
7) Books:
a) Head First PMP - a light hearted approach to PMP. The real value is the full length
examination.
b) PMBOK - though the subject is a bit dry as the formatting is basic, it gives you a
complete insight to the PMI framework. As a PMI member, I had the PDF available free of
cost but it makes sense to get hold of the physical book or kindle edition. I had purchased
the Kindle edition.
c) Rita Mulcahy's book - I wish that I have read this book more. This book has a lot of shorthttp://community.simplilearn.com/threads/shareyourpmpsuccessstory.451/
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cuts to memory, a dump of all the mathematical formulae at the end and PMI-isms - the
oneliners that would make the PMI framework more clearer. Good formatting, Crisp
Presentation and plenty of white space. However, this book should not be read rst. It
should be done only when you have gone through the training and PMBOK
d) Carl Pritchard - The queality of his blogs are stupendeous even though I did not have
enough time to go through it. Came to know of it a bit late. Will be using his book for the
PMI-RMP exam.
Exam related preparations:

1) Get a PMI membership and then apply for the examination. It would save you 15-20 USD.
Bonus: You get some really good webinars for free - focus of the new practitioners ones.
2) A preparation of 6-8 months is more than enough - don't overdo it or you risk losing your
condence, like I did - I managed to clear it but don't depend on luck.
3) visit the Prometric center at least 1 hour before the scheduled examination. Except for
the print out of the scheduling and identication proof, don't bother to carry redundant
stu like pen, pencils, hankerchiefs, wallets, car keys, etc, if you can help it. Though you are
given a locker to store your personal belongings, it's better to keep less things that can
cause the bother during the examination. You are, anyway, entering the examination room
empty-pocketed - the only thing that would remain with you is your id proof and the locker
key.
4) Break the four hour period in four parts:
a) 30 minutes for dumping the weak points (which you may have to cram)
b) Two hours for completeing the examination (Roughly 1.5 minutes for every question and
some 20 seconds for marking the quesions for review, if required, and moving to the next
question)
c) One hour for reviewing all the marked questions, redoing the calculations, revisiting the
remaining answers.
d) In the last 30 minutes, start making the best guess for the questions, you are not sure
even after the second review. Try eliminating the wrong answers. Once you are done, don't
be tempted to look back and submit your answers.
Thanks for reading this long post and best wishes in your quest for the PMP certication
Amal Nandan Prasad, Feb 18, 2015
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a.asad
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Many books include practice exams, and some others are available online or through the
boot camps. It is a good idea to take a practice exam after doing a full read-through of the
PMBOK Guide in order to test your absorption of the concepts. Full mock exams should
also help you identify your areas of improvement. Throughout your study, continually take
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dierent mock exams to become more familiar with the material and more condent about
your test-taking strategy. If you can consistently score 85 percent in practice exams, then
you should feel condent about the real exam.
The PMP certication exam is a dicult test and many candidates do not pass on their rst
try. Books, support groups, and boot camps are some of the ways you can help yourself
pass.
Some well-known PMP exam prep books include:
PMP Exam Prep, Eighth Edition by Rita Mulcahy

The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try, Fifth Edition by Andy Crowe
CAPM/PMP Project Management Certication All-In-One Exam Guide, Third Edition
by Joseph Phillips
The PMP exam has many situational questions that will ask you to select the best action out
of a list of possibilities. Drawing on your project management experience will be vital in
answering these questions, but do not forget what the PMBOK Guide recommends.
Another important metric, in addition to overall exam score and prociency in each area, is
how condent you feel about each question you answer. While taking mock exams, keep
some time to record how condent you felt about each question after answering it but
before moving to the next. This information can be very helpful in guiding your study and
gauging exam success. If you are not condent about a lot of the questions, this signals that
you may need more study.
PMI does not oer partial credit for unanswered questions like many other exams do. In
other words, there is no penalty for guessing on a question that has absolutely stumped
you. If you cannot eliminate any weak answers, then your chance of getting the question
right is 25 percent. Leaving a question blank guarantees 100 percent that you get it wrong.
As with any PMI exam, there is a lot of material to cover, so cramming will not work very
well. In the early going, it is a good idea to hit only one chapter per study session. This will
allow you to cover the entire PMBOK Guide in under two weeks and take a mock exam to
see where your areas for improvement are located. You can then focus on these areas in the
next sessions.
Good Luck ! Hopefully these tips would help you out in the process of becoming a
successful certied PMP.
a.asad, Feb 18, 2015
#6
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MukeshShende
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OnSept25th2014IclearedmyPMPcertification.Iwashappyatthebiggest&valuableeducationmilestoneformesinceI
completedmygraduationin2000.YoucanalsoreadthisstoryatmyblogpostPMPInFirstAttemptandQuickPMBOK
Revision
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ThefirsttimeIthoughtaboutgettingcertifiedwasinNov2010whenIenrolledmyselftoget35PDUfromthePMBOK4th
Editionpreparationworkshop.Ittook4years&selfstudyonPMBOK5theditionformetoachievethemilestone.
IntermsoftimelinesIwasdisappointedhoweveraftercloselyevaluatinglessonslearntIamhappy.Duringthese4years,
Workedonmultiplecustomerprojects
Fundamentalrequirementtoapply&beeligibleforthePMPcertification
WorkedasProcessLead
Enhancedmyplanningskills,stakeholdermanagementskills,teammanagementskillsandperformance
evaluationandreportingskills
WorkedasfulltimepresalesSME
Improvedmyunderstandingonestimation&importanceofhavingrightassumptionsandestimatesin
place.PMPexamdocheckunderstandingonestimationandtool&techniquesforestimation.
VolunteeredasProjectManagerforCommunityProject
ProjectdidntsucceedasexpectedhoweverIhadhandsonexperienceindrivingIdeatoRealityand
understoodmyareasforimprovement.Alsohelpedmeunderstandhowprojectmanagement
fundamentalscouldhaveincreasedthesuccessoftheproject.
AlltheexperienceshelpedmeunderstandPMBOK5thEditionconceptswellenoughtocleartheexam.
Myinitialscope/targetwastogetthecertificationassoonaspossible.Howeverinthose4years,inkindofrollingwave
learning(likerollingwaveplanning)thecertificationbecameonlythemilestone.
Knowing&MasteringProjectManagementbecomethetargetbyunderstandingPMBOK.
Hereismyattempttosharethelessonslearnt.Itriedputtingin9Wstounderstandeasily,
WhyDoyouneedcertification
IsitCertificationOrdoyouwanttoenhanceyourknowledgesupportedbycertification.Thechoiceispersonal
andIdontwanttomakeanyrecommendations.Whateverisapplicableinyourcasetrybeclear.Seekmentor
ifyouareunsure.
WhatDrivesyourdecisiontotakePMPexam.
Amandatefromworkpolicies,Apersonalgoalforcareerenhancement,andItscompanysponsored
certificationsetc.Thiswillhelpyoustaymotivatedwhenstuckwithobstaclesduringpreparation.
WhenDoyouwanttocompleteit?
InmycaseitwasJunetoSept2014.Targetwillhelpfocusyourenergiestopreparewell.Athighlevelyou
needtotargetfollowingtargets,
TakingPMIMembership
GatheringDataPointforApplication
SubmittingApplication
SchedulingExam
Preparingforexam
TestingwithMockExams
AttemptingActualExam
WhichAreasofprojectmanagementinterestsyou.
Alltheareasareimportanthoweverknowingyourownstrengthwillhelpyouacceleratelearninginsomeof
theknowledgeareas.Rememberyourschooldays,youwouldhavetriedtoscorethemostinfavoritesubject
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right.
WhereYoucanfindhelp
IfyouhavetakenPMImembershiprequiredhelpisalreadyavailableformembers.Alsoalotofhelpis
availableoninternethoweverknowingyoursourcesofhelpwillreducetimeinstrugglingtofindrighthelp
whenyouarestuckwithunderstandingparticularknowledgearea,tools&techniques.Findamentorif
available,Ifyouhavebuddyutilizeitascollaborativelearningcangivemutualbenefits.
WhatBooktoreferIreferredonlyfollowingbooks,
PMBOK5thEdition.http://www.pmi.org/
PMIMembersgettodownloadsoftcopyaspartofmembership.Makesureyoureaditatleastonce
verythoroughly.Iwastoldbypeopletoreadatleasttwice.HonestlyIcouldnotcompletesecond
roundforalltopics.IreadtopicswhichwerenotcleartomelikeTime,Risk&Procurement
Management.
PMPExamPrepProductsEighthEditionPublishedbyRMCPublications,Inc.
http://www.rmcproject.com/certifications/PMP_HowToStudy.aspx
Personalopinionthisbookhasmorethansufficientknowledgeaboutprojectmanagement.I
personallyfeltoverdoseinthefirstreading.Dontlosepatiencewhilereadinglongchapterselsethere
isdangertogetdefocused/interested.Basedonyourconveniencereaditwithdecentbreakstoensure
youremaininterested.Thisbookcanbeyourultimatesourcetogetclarityonmostcriticalconcepts
fortheexampreparation.
ThePMPExam:HowtoPassonYourFirstTryPublishedbyVELOCITEACH,INC.
http://www.velociteach.com/resources2/thepmpexamhowtopassonyourfirsttry/
PersonallyIlovedthisbook.WhilewalkingthroughtheofficelibraryIcameacrossthisone.Found
veryinterestingforthecoverpage.Iwasabletofinishthisbookincloseto2week.Completingthis
bookwastheturningpointtomypreparation.Easyandsmallchaptershelpedmeunderstand
requiredcontentwell.Thetestsafterthechaptershelpedgaugemystrengthsandweaknesses.After
completingthisbookIreadtheabovetoresourcestoworkonweakknowledgeareas.Ithelpedme
immenselytograspthecontent.
WhatTeststotry
ThePMPExam:HowtoPassonYourFirstTry
Testaftereachchapterinthefirstround.
Tookallthechaptertestsinsecondround.
PMPExamPrepProductsEighthEdition
Testaftereachchapterinthefirstround.
ThetoughestoneIfoundonlineandhelpedmerevisedimportanttopicsjust15daysbefore
examathttp://www.oliverlehmann.com/samplequestionspmpselftests.html
Ipurchasedonetestfrom.
http://www.simplilearn.com/
WorkOutTimelines
Plandaily,weekly&weekendstudyhoursaccordingtoyourworkloadandworklifebalance.For2months,I
studiedatleast34hoursaday8hoursonweekend.OfcourseIhadtostretchtomeetworklifehoweverit
wasworthbyplanningtimewell.
WhatNextAfteryouarecertified
HaveaplantoretainthePMPcredentials.Youwillfindguidanceonhowtoretainitbysubmittingrequired
PDUsin3yearcycle.
Mostimportantly,BECOOL,CALM&COMPOSED.Therearesomanythingswecantcontrol.
Iwasstruckwithseverebackache.Iwasforcedbydoctortotakecompleterestovertheonlyweekendjust
beforemyexam.ForamomentIwaspanic.Doctorhelpedwithmedicines&mylovelywifehelpedmede
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focusedfromstressandworriesaboutthepreparationtimelost.
Pleasedropyourcommentsifyoufindthisposthelpfultobeginyourexampreparation.IfitworksIwillbegladtoknowabout
it.
Allthebest.
MukeshShende, Feb 18, 2015
#7
Anagha More, Jaydeep Chakraborty(1118), Swetha and 1 other person like this.
Kumar Palike
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It requires a careful and systematic planned preparation strategy. Need to study smart. It is
wise to opt for the most updated ones.
Perseverance is the key to achieve PMP. One has to dedicate quality time towards sincere
preparation. Plan your entire time table well in advance. Distribute your chapters
accordingly and keep a date booked for taking up the test. Try to abide by the calendar and
set your deadlines.
Try to take up as many mock tests as you can. This not only gives you a feel of the exam,
but also boosts your condence. To crack the PMP exam one should get prociency or
moderately prociency in all the process groups. Since mock exams result do not
categorized in terms of prociency level so one has to try to score ~80% - 85%. Taking mini
breaks during daily study sessions and a full days break in a fortnight will not only refresh
you but also brush up your grasping skills and thus helps in knowledge retention. It is highly
advisable to take up the exam either on Monday or take a couple of days leave from work to
give a nal touch to your revision. Honest and dedicated preparation and a fair amount of
relaxation will certainly land you in success. Additionally, choosing a right classroom training
institute helps really. I chose Simplilearn where I got trained by industry nest trainer who
also gave me the right guidance.
Some resources which I have used:
PMBOK 5
Rita Mulcahy 8th Ed
Registration to Free and Paid online mock exams.
Understand mapping to Knowledge area v/s Process groups in ITTO
Try to solve mathematical calculation problem scenarios e.g EVM, Communication
management, etc
Most important try to utilize PMP concepts in real time projects.
Coach / Mentor people by taking classes on project management concepts.
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Kumar Palike, Feb 18, 2015
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Prasanna Kumar
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Following are the Top 5 reasons I believe why one should obtain the PMP certication.
1. It challenges you
There is no doubt it is a tough exam, and most people realize that during the rst few days
of preparation. Whether it is the heavy study material, the examination format or the stress
it causes both mentally and physically, it simply has a way to gure out how good you
really are to handle your profession. It is a self-assessment. It is a wonderful opportunity for
people to come out of their comfort zones and face the challenge, and if you are successful
at it you could be a better worker, better co-worker and a better human being.
2. Helps organize yourself
All of us know that we have got into a rut at the workplace. And this exam really helps you
get back into a study rhythm, start planning well, organizing your thoughts, improving your
memory, improving your analytical skills, overcoming the fear of facing tough situations,
meeting time challenges, thinking positively, visualizing the big picture etc. Preparing for
this exam by itself brings in the changes that you are looking forward to. The certicate is
just a formality.
3. Your performance improves
After this, you want to do better at the work place, you want to improve things, you want to
succeed at whatever you do, you want to achieve greater heights, you want to improve your
relationships. Who wouldnt want to?
4. Teaches you to share knowledge
A noble man once said, In vain have you acquired knowledge if you have not imparted it to
others.. This process also encourages you to start sharing your knowledge with others
thereby helping improve the industry and the society as a whole.
5. Your network improves
Organizations, People and Communities start recognizing you better than before. They start
to appreciate your eorts, they want to interact with you, and all of a sudden you become
very special. And who doesnt want to feel Special?
I hope this post encourages you to take a positive step ahead.
Good Luck!
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Prasanna Kumar, PMP, MSP, ITIL

pkpmp.wordpress.com
Prasanna Kumar, Feb 23, 2015
Last edited: Feb 23, 2015 #9
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Rashmi Mohan
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My name is Rashmi Mohan, working in a Tanzanian based Software company. I joined the
company a year back when I realized there is tremendous career growth potential for me in
the organization. I had good educational background but the experience was just not
enough to be a Project Manager. But I decided not to wait for years to gather the
experience, instead to invest in them. After a good research on the internet I decided PMP is
the best way to it.
First I wanted to establish a base for which I enrolled into an online course oered by
Simplilearn. I dedicated all the weekends to this and daily 2 hours of my weekdays. In no
time I had run through the entire course material. But now was I prepared for the exam?
To me I looked pretty much yes. But I didnt want to take a chance, cost being one of the
most important factors.
I spent time reading on how others felt about the exam. I cannot be god gifted just for a
PMP.
In no time, I understood, this was a no joke area. Experienced project managers invest time
and eort on it and reap the benets and some fail to do so. I am not going to be a failure
that was decided anyhow.
I understood, a course can equip me with knowledge but cannot change my way of thinking
to align with the PMI way which is the only key to crack the exam. Now, everyone speaks
about an author called Rita Mulachy. I decided to invest on her books and other exam
materials. I must say, that was the wisest decision I made.
Now I had the base, I knew what the course is about. But to me its not always so easy to
change your perception about something. For this I went through the entire book and note
it, I did not dare to skip even one exercise from the book. If I felt bored or tired, I would
mark it and skip, but then I would not forget to come back to the exercise. It took me some
time to nish the entire book.
By the time I reached the 4th chapter I started feeling that I had already forgotten some key
areas in the older chapters. Simplilearn was again a life saver here with their brilliant online
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courses. I dont have to learn or read just listen and ask questions. I picked up all the courses
which came in my free time whether I had completed the chapter or not, I may understand
or not, I may sit attentive or not. But this helped me to not lose the touch which I had
gathered all the way.
After much eort I had completed the Book Rita Mulachy version 8. Now I need to
understand how prepared I am. I started taking fast track exams. First I started chapter by
chapter. If I am disappointed with my scores, I would do a brush up of the chapter on the
book and return to the test. After some time, the books were closed and it was just the fast
track exams.
My condence level started building up as my scores went above the so called passing
zone. I had started with my exam application in parallel. Here I should thank one of those
Simplilearn support sta who guided me through out to complete my application. He even
took the pain to get my application reviewed by one of their senior stas. I thank him again
here for the help oered.
My dates were blocked as I didnt have an exam centre in Tanzania and had to give my exam
while I was expected to be Holidaying in my Home country India.
Arriving at the test center much early than suggested helped to relieve the stress out of me.
Before entering into the exam hall I told myself just one thing, its not Rashmi Mohan writing
the exam, its a PMI agent, so think and mark accordingly. This made me tick a few answers
which otherwise I would not have.
I am now a Proud PMP certication holder and I wish my fellow friends the best of luck for
their journey.
Rashmi Mohan, Feb 23, 2015
#10
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Analiza Gueta
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Hello,
My name is Analiza Gueta, I am working as project manager in a semiconductor company
since 2010 and have move on to be Supplier Development Manager managing Supply Chain
Programs in the same company. I was what you can call an accidental project manager at
rst since I did not have formal training prior to becoming a project manager. I got my PMP
Certication in 2013 with the help of Simplilearn's Bootcamp and here is my story.
In 2013, having completed more than 50 projects for the company, I decided to get
certied. In this 3 years I already acquired enough experience and done self-study along the
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way. My rst step to getting formal education was to join Simplilearn's 4 Days PMP
Bootcamp in Manila. This is where I learned of the requirements to getting certied, how to
register and what to expect in the exam.
The workshop was facilitated by a respectable professional who gives us tips and discussed
the topics clearly. Simplilearns' outline is exactly what you need, not only for the exam but
in actual application of being a project manager. Practical examples based on the

instructors experience also help a lot in the exam since some of discussed scenarios were
similar to those that came out in the exam.
One key thing that stick to me and changed my view forever from the Training is being
responsible for all aspect of your project - The success of the project is the Team's eort
while its failure is the project manager's fault. Quite hard to accept at rst however since
you are in control of the project, you are responsible.
It is important to be interactive in the workshop and answer the quizzes. Read PMBOK, after
you study, answer lots and lots of practice questions - as many as you can - practice makes
perfect after all.
Simplilearn's e-learning is also very helpful, I listen to it in my mobile phone whenever I
travel. This makes learning a lot more convenient: Here are the important things you need to
know:
-- Know the Process Groups, Knowledge Areas and Processes. Understand the sequence of
the processes and what are the inputs and outputs per process
-- Learn how to answer the PMP certication multiple choice questions, when everything
seems right, choose the best one. Be mindful of Key words, there are certain word that PMI
do not use.
-- Learn and practice PMP Code of Professional Conduct.
When I felt ready, I registered in PMI, complete the necessary steps for registration. You will
nd the requirements here: http://www.pmi.org/certication/which-pmi-certication-isright-for-you.aspx
After registration and paying the exam fee, luck of all luck my credentials was chosen for
PMI's audit process. The selection of an application for audit is random. Log in to the
certication system at https://certication.pmi.org/ to obtain information about the audit
process and to download the audit forms. Once complete, I have it shipped to PMI Global
Operations Center in USA.
After approval which took a little less than 7 days upon receipt of my audit form, I have
scheduled my exam.
The exam was not really hard, mostly are practical with some computations and your
experience as Project Manager would come in handy for things that are not written in the
book. Be smart, don't dwell too much on a single question. Don't drink too much liquid
before taking the exam to avoid frequent trips to comfort room. It's OK to take a quick
break once or twice just to stretch or relieve some stress. Don't be overwhelmed by the
exam, if you don't know the answer to one question, just pick what you think is best - you
still have 199 more to go - move on!
200 questions later, the computer will give you the result whether you pass or fail. The exam
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center will print you a copy of your test result signed by the proctor. PMI will then send you
a copy of your certicate.
Hope this helps
Analiza Gueta, Feb 23, 2015
#11
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Andre Hartono
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PMP Certication is globally recognized certication which proved we have the necessary
knowledge, experience and education to eectively contribute to project team success.
I have been working in IT industry for around 14 years, and most of the time I involve in
many kind of project such as implementation, roll out, enhancement, upgrade, etc. most of
the time I involve as a project leaders, and I would like to improve myself to become a
certied project manager professional. Thus I decided to take PMP course and examination.
I found to pass PMP certication was quite challenging due to many knowledge to learn
while there only limited time due to I had to work 8-10 hours/ day and had family at home.
Thus I need a very eective course methodology that can help me to pass the exam.
I took the Simplilearn training for the PMP course in June 2014, Simplilearn provide elearning (online) training which is accessible through smartphone/ tablet and its mobile
friendly and provide a good summary of PMBOK chapters with some sample of questions
on each chapters. It helps me a lot as it allows me to learn and study during my journeys/
travels time.
I also had many useful knowledge and tips from experienced trainer Mr. Chee on how to
succeed in the PMP exam, how to easily memorize Project Management Process Group and
knowledge areas and highlight important topic which frequently asked during the
examination.
Here are some tips and sharing from me to prepare and pass the exam:
Start e-learning materials before class room training
Ask and discuss with the trainer and other trainee for any doubt/queries during class
room training
Highlight important knowledge that frequently asked during exam which will be
mentioned by the trainer
Ensure to complete read and highlight important knowledge within PMBOK Fifth
edition (emphasize on terminology, theory, formula, and exercise on how to complete
critical path method, statistical tools and methid, etc.
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Ensure to complete 5 Mock up test provided by Simplilearn with score above 70 for
each mock up test
I took PMP exam on 8th August 2014 (ensure we have adequate time to complete read all
PMBOK material, and complete the mockup test preparation) and I successfully pass my
PMP exam on my rst attempt. Im very grateful and happy with this achievement, and I
would like to say thanks to Simplilearn trainer and e-learning materials which make this
possible.
My company appreciate my initiative to take PMP certication and grant me with a

signicant salary raised to protect me form other company oering, thus please start your
journey to take PMP exam preparation now, good luck everyone
Andre Hartono, Feb 24, 2015
#12
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Praveenkumar E
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IconsidermyPMPjourneywasrathermoderatelysimpleandeffective.FirstIgoogle'd
andalsothrufriendsselectedSimplilearnaseducationpartner.WhenIturnback,its
provedthatselectionofSimplilearnwasapt.
Hereitgoes!!
ReadonceRitaMulcahybeforetheSimplilearntraining,sothatIgotthechanceto
cleardoubtsandclarifythesamewithtrainersandwithotherparticipants.
MeantimeappliedforPMImembershipandhencegotthePMBOKpdffromPMI.One
needtogothruthiscoupleoftimesandreferasfrequentasrequired.
Simplilearnonlineaccessisofgreathelpwhichrefreshestheclassroomtraining
andyoucanplayparticularsessionofyourchoiceasmuchasneeded.
Anotherimportantareaistounderstandtheinputtools&techniqueoutputfor
allprocess.Oneofcoparticipantsharedexcellentchart(mindmap)comprisesof
these.
Earnedvaluemanagementiscriticalwhereonewillgetaround10questionsin
variousmanners.Iwouldsayinsteadofmemorizingtheformulas,learnhowto
derivethem.Sothatonewillnotforgetthemduring4hrsexamstress.Different
typesofcontractsareanotherareawithlotofequations.Learnandunderstandthe
conceptinsteadofblindlymemorizingthem.
PracticethequestionsgiveninSimplilearnstudymaterial(book+online75trail
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questions)andalsoinRitaMulcahy.Duringthistime,youmayspendlittleextra
time.Payattentiontowordssuchasnot,exceptetc..Manyofthemarewith
negatedscenarios.Ithinkthatmanyquestionsaresufficientbeforeyoutake
Simplilearnsimulationtests.
Simplilearn5simulationtestsareexcellentandsimilartothatofPMIquestions.
Youneedtodopracticetheminoneshottogettherealfeelingofactualexam.
HoweverImnotsureifyoucansimulatetherealexampressureJ.Makesureyou
aregetting85+questionsrighttobeonsafersidebeforethePMIexam.Aftereach
simulationtest,reviewtheanswerswhyitwaswrongorrightandnotekeypoints
forlaterreference.
Iguessreadingtoomanybooks,followingmanywebsitesareneverendingandwill
endupinaconfusedstate.Againitmaydependonpersontoperson.
ReadRitaMulcahy,PMBOKandSimplilearnmaterialandstudyBrainDumponce
more.
Youarereadytogo!
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Last edited: Mar 1, 2015 #13
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Siggy
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(Contest Winner Story)

The best way to study for the exam is to understand how YOU learn, my way may not be
best for you, but I hope you can take some things from it to assist your study plan.
I study best when I can learn at my own pace, go over stu I am nding dicult and can
access from anywhere, which is why I chose an online course. Your mileage may vary and
you may need intensive classroom study or a mix of online and classroom You must
understand how you will achieve the best result for you!
So how did I pass my exam 1st time with no classroom study achieving Procient or
Moderately Procient in all areas?
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1.
I am assuming that as you want to take the PMP exam that you are a member of the PMI.
www.pmi.org . This is a MUST HAVE if you are taking the exam, there are so many free
resources on this site you have paid for your membership use them!
First thing to do Download the latest version of the PMBOK it is another free resource!
Read it ALL. Then keep it as a reference.
The best part of the site for me was the ereads and reference section: Many useful resources
for the Project Manager. http://www.pmi.org/learning/tools-and-templates.aspx - click on
online books - Browse titles
Find the PMP Exam books,
Click on PMP Exam Prep: Questions, Answers & Explanations, 2013 Edition book
Read and Take the exams (usually 50 questions on each topic or general exam questions,
easy to do in an hour - make a note of the answers for those you get wrong The really
important part of this is that it directs you to the section it refers to in the PMBOK so you
can read up on it and understand the answer.
2.
Plan your study what are you going to do and when and how. Find and book a course that
will suit your mode of study I used Simplilearn www.simplilearn.com because they
provided the most cost eective course that had everything I needed and was looking for.
Most importantly I was able to talk to my account manager about halting the course and
restarting the course (that was not too expensive for me) as my work got in the way of my
study. If you complete the whole course (watch all the videos) they will send you a
certicate for 35 PDUs.
3.
BOOK YOUR EXAM If you dont do this, you will procrastinate and never be ready for it. It
is amazing what a date in a diary can do to focus your mind. Dont Delay BOOK THE
EXAM TODAY.
4.
The most important advise I can give you is to go online and nd mock exam questions I had already booked with simplilearn, www.simplilearn.com because of their course
structure, but they also provide 4 simulation exams. I would have paid the fee with
simplilearn just for the mock exams, but the videos are another awesome resource.
So you take the mock exam
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look at the areas you need work on

read the section in the PMBOK
watch the simplilearn videos
rinse and repeat!

Once you are consistently getting 70% or above you are ready for the real thing.
5. More resources online
This is another good site to register with for free http://www.examcentral.net/ they seem to
have most of the free questions in one place and they give a good breakdown after the
exam. Denitely worth a visit.
A good blog for study tips: http://www.deepfriedbrainproject.com/
check these out if you have time:
http://www.preparepm.com/mock1.html
http://www.oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm
6. I recommend downloading some apps for the phone or tablet:
PMP Flashcard by simplilearn
PMP Exam
PMP Exam Prep Pro
Project Management by SimpleNeasy App
PMConnector by Ricardo Vargas (has podcasts)
Project Management ash cards
try them all and keep the ones that you like!
7.
OK There are some things you just HAVE to know these are what most people call their
brain dumps!
Try and remember the Inputs and Outputs

Must learn Financial - Formulas:
Print out The Matrix of the Knowledge areas and process groups from the PMBOK and
memorise it!
Learn these and what they mean:
Deming Plan-Do-Check-Act Continuous Improvement
Ishikawa Cause and Eect Fishbone
Pareto 80/20 Frequency of Occurrence
I will try and add some reference sheets that I found useful they may not be allowed!
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8. In the Exam room

You will be given 2 sheets of paper and a pencil
First 10 mins Brain Dump everything you can remember.

Half way take 5 mins to have a drink and a protein snack.
Good luck everyone come back and let us know how you go!
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Free tips on passing the Exam.pdf

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Siggy, Feb 26, 2015
Process Groups Chart.pdf

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Last edited by a moderator: Mar 17, 2015 #14
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David Shepherd
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Toward the end of last year, my division was assigned a new VP who is interested in having
all project leaders PMP certied. Once I heard this, knowing that my next potential role is a
project leader, I checked into what I needed to do to become a PMP. I researched and
submitted my application in December 2014. Scheduled my exam for February 6, 2015. I had
a month to refresh my learnings from the classes I took on 2009. I found Simplilearn and
purchased a month on-line program to help me prepare for the exam. I spent a couple of
weeks listening to the 17 modules, then I studied the brain dump and case studies. I was
ready to take the practice exams. Exam 1 - needs more work, Exam 2 - needs more work,
Exam 3 - great job, Exam 4 - great job. I was ready with 2 days to go before the exam. I felt
condent, in a meeting with my boss the day before taking the exam, he told me "don't to
be disappointed if I did not pass the exam on the rst try, many great project leaders took
multiple trys to pass the exam." I had to show him, took the exam and after a few nervous
minutes the computer said congratulations. I had passed the exam the rst time, thanks to
Simplilearn.
David Shepherd, Mar 1, 2015
#15
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Abhishek Mukherjee_1
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Hi Everyone,
I cleared my PMP exam today. Glad to be both CAPM and PMP certied now. Thanks
everyone for all your support
I cleared my PMP Certication today with 4 Ps and 1 MP. 1 MP was in closing not sure where
I goofed up.
Few cents from my side
Preparation time - 2 Months- July and August 2015. Generally 8-10 hrs on weekend
and 1-2 hrs on weekdays.
Courses and books refered- Rita for conceptual reading especially risk management
and procurement management is very well covered. Head First Pmp very good book
for visual learners like me. PMbok hardly touched upon, read the glossary though. I
also took an online course of simplilearn for mocks and videos.
Mock Tests- Any mock test I could nd
Simplilearn- 70-82- Close to PMP
Olive Lehmann-77.5 and 82 in 75 and 175 questions tougher than PMP
PM Study- 77.5- Close to PMP
Passionate PM- 86%- Easier than PMP
PM Zest- 69%- Tough grammar
Free PMP Simulator- 80+ very close to PMP
Head First Free Mock- 90+- Easier than PMP
PMZilla Tough 30- 55% in rst attempt
Izenbridge Tests- 80+ very good questions ( even the free videos are great)
Analysis of mocks are crucial post any examination. I did that, went back to the books to
read upon my weak areas and it helped a lot.
Level of the exam- Medium- Tough in level.

Concentrated a lot on concepts
PMP Tests you on your capabilities to put yourself in manager's shoes and think
about the answer
Questions are well worded and needs to be read properly to get the right
answers
Lessons learnt- Study the concepts, you wont be able to memorise everything, practice as
many mocks you can and please analyze them properly.
Abhishek Mukherjee_1, Sep 1, 2015
Last edited: Sep 1, 2015 #16

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sartajbedi74
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Shruti said:
Do you remember the days when you burned a lot of midnight oil to earn yourself the tag of a Certied
Project Manager? Stressful, eort-taking but rewarding times, isnt it? It's time to relive those memories!
PMP is changing lives everyday. Play the guiding light to PMP Aspirants and share your inspiring story of
how you successfully cracked PMP.
How did you work your way for earning a PMP Certication?
What was your overall strategy?
How did you manage your time?
Click to expand...
Key points included in your brain dump?
Hi I studied for nearly 2 months for my PMP certication and was getting regularly between
85-90% score but I failed my PMP. Really disheartened with this
sartajbedi74, Oct 27, 2015
Daljit Singh
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Hi just cleared the exam and thought I'd share what I've learnt.
I took the simpliearn online course 3 months back, during that time for around a month I
was studying on and o around 2-3hours a day, and then real life stu took over I stopped
studying and I was forced to improvise.
Guess what: I booked the exam while I was doing my course at Simplilearn, set a realistic
date and told myself I'd only have myself to blame if I screw it up.
Second thing I did was come up with game plan on studying which was to apply Pareto's
Principle.
I used evernote to create snapshots and organise material along my own study plan. This
involved taking images from various sources and then creating my own mindmap to sort
out the material. I only really had time to take 2 mocks on simpli, and neither of them saw
me breach 75%, but I still registered for the exam in Oct, and set up a plan.
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PMBOK and Simplilearn notes will not be enough, you need to supplement the information
either from books like Ritas or there's supplementary material available online, and even
more material at PMI.org.Believe me there's a tonne of stu, what you want to do is pick 2-3
in addition to Simplilearn notes which I did use in the week leading up to the exam. With 2
weeks to go all I did was mockups, in any area I didn't score >80% I'd hit the material again
and I would revise. In fact the last 3 weeks leading up to the exam hardly saw me read new
material, in fact at this point its just rehashing and making sure I understand areas I am
weak at. Total prep time in study hours : 52hrs.n You don't need a lot of hours, use pareto's
principle.
Finally for exam day bear these things in mind:
The material is easy, the only way you are going to screw things up is by failing to observe
the following:
a. Every math question is a given, they are all easy and the only reason you will get them
wrong is failing to understand when to use BAC and EAC in a TCPI question for instance.
Along with PDM questions, you should be breezing through them.
b. Use mnemonics to memorise the important stu, or some form of pattern recognition.
Your brain remembers things better if you build linkages between facts to remember.
6674343644 became my 47 processes, and I used pictures to remember entire concepts,
and this helped with some ITTOs and here's where people waste most of their time : ITTOs
c. Don't bother memorising the ITTOs you are going to waste a lot of time and eort,
understand the ITTOs nd a system which encourages you to build linkages to understand
how they interrelate, you will be amazed how much you remember from that alone.
d. Pay attention to the questions, 80% of my questions were word puzzles of some sort,
where I had to read the statement understand the context of the question before coming to
an answer. I had a few questions which had no identiable PM jargon in them, the way we
would come to expect. Instead one of them went something like this :" 3 members are
discussing how long their tasks will take and have created their calendars when one of them
feels that he has been unfairly treated..and then it goes on about how he's been treated and
the question then asks which part of the project process you are in." I had so many
questions that were "word play" questions I was getting annoyed. Remember if a question
stresses you out, stop, take a deep breath, mark it and come back to it later. Do not allow 1
question to screw up 199.
e. If its a long question...go to the end of the question, nd out what they are asking before
you dissect the information. You could end up with a gigantic network diagram that takes
up your whole screen looking like a XMAS tree, and if you decide to start calculating the
critical path without thinking, you could end up wasting a lot of time when the question is a
lot more straightforward.
f. Some questions are intentionally written to confuse, if you happen on one of these, mark it
and come back to it later. No question is worth more than 1 min on your rst pass. NEVER
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GET DEJECTED, this isn't a brutal exam, not like some of the 6 hour mammoth ones I've
seen.
I nished the exam in under 3 hours, I went back to answer my 4 marked questions and then
I trusted my rst pass and walked o. I could have stayed to check my answers but I was
suering from a back ache prior to the exam, I wasn't in the best of condition, and I didn't
want to torture my back any more than I had to.
If you have a solid game plan, there should be no reason to fail this, bear one thing in mind
though, the questions are not going to be straightforward, you need to know how the
knowledge applies to situational project management issues. I didn't have a single question
that was easy like: "All these are inputs to the Collect Requirements process except", if you
are memorising the ITTOs you may regret it, you will be spending more time wasting than
understanding. If you don't have a solid grasp of how these concepts relate situationally,
then you won't pass.
Good luck
Daljit Singh, Oct 31, 2015
#18
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Ganesh_28
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After college days and few years in Industry I felt bit hard to read the text books, I even felt
dropping of PMP idea but after joining simplilearn things got changed thanks to Mr BKS
Prasad his way of handling online classess was so Interactive & awsome, next the
Simplilearn videos, Its really amazing its like my friend I can repeatedly watch and its too
simplied and crunchy helped me to remember the concepts at my own pace. Then after
attempting the practise exam and scored 62% gave me the condence that I can appear for
the PMP exam. Then the big challenge was to x the exam date, Once its done then I started
attempting many online free mock tests and nally done.
Some reference for simulated questions.
www.passtheprojectexam.com
www.pmaspire.com
www.oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm {At the bottom of the page
you have so many reference links which helped me a lot}
Finall touch - We are PM's only thing helps us keep on moving is taking decisions with
condence.
Thanks for Simplilearn.
All the best guys.
Ganesh_28, Apr 7, 2016
#19
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Adam D Oxford
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My journey actually started in November, 2015. So nally ~6 months later, I took the test this
morning and passed! So many things fell into place that makes this the blessing that it is.
Simplilearns training was great. I could have expanded my studies a little further outside the
PMBOK and samples tests, as there were many more situational questions on the exam than
what these prepare one for. It does not require memorization of facts, but wisdom of
application. It did take scheduling the test to bring nality to the process- forces you to get
it done! Good luck and God bless!
Adam D Oxford, Apr 19, 2016
tim jerome
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Adam, congratulations! Thanks much for the input; it assists fellow participants immensely Good luck,
tim jerome, Apr 20, 2016
#21
PADMASINI
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Hey, Tim, I hope you remember me. I attended your classes from March 8, 2016 - March 18,
2016.
And I would like to share with you that I've passed my PMP exam yesterday - in rst ever
attempt.
Thank you so much for all the knowledge you shared with me/us.
Came here to write a separate thread on my observations and preparation strategy on PMP
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exam. But when I saw your name popping, couldn't stop myself from writing this reply rst.
Thank you once again.
PADMASINI, May 10, 2016
#22
tim jerome
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PADMASINI said:
Hey, Tim, I hope you remember me. I attended your classes from March 8, 2016 - March 18, 2016.
And I would like to share with you that I've passed my PMP exam yesterday - in rst ever attempt.
Thank you so much for all the knowledge you shared with me/us.
Came here to write a separate thread on my observations and preparation strategy on PMP exam. But when I
saw your name popping, couldn't stop myself from writing this reply rst.
Padmasini, congratulations, and thank you for sharing. I appreciate your communicating,
and please note that success has been attained because of your eorts. Noone who has not
stood for the test understands this eort, and all who do see this eort as the key to
creating new paths in their lives.
You've changed your future potential. Enjoy this, and appreciate that you're one of a few,
and you've also earned the right to pass this success forward to other PMs. Again,
congratulations, welcome to the group p.s. Wait a few months, and you'll begin to realize that this is just the beginning...
tim jerome, May 11, 2016
#23
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Amit Samanta(3786)
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Cleared PMP at the rst attempt on 4th May. Simplilearn's Mock tests helped me a
lot.............)
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Amit Samanta(3786), May 18, 2016
#24
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Dong_2
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I just passed my PMP examination today scoring moderate in all categories except for
planning where I scored below procient. My studying started on March 18th through May
14th.
The actual exam was more dicult than the mock test on Simplilearn for me. Though I did
feel the Simplilearn mock exams helped me focus on key concepts which helped me in the
exam.
Here are some highlights from my exam:
My examination had very little formulas in terms. The test usually gave me the
calculation and I needed to decipher the data. No EAC, TCPI, ETC, CPI and SPI
calculations. I also didn't need to calculate Comm/Channel and had 2 pert related
calculations.
I did not encounter 1 question that was a NOT, or UNTRUE question. Where I need to
identify the wrong or false statement.
I also found that question wording was not as explicit as one would like. Instead of
stating common examples of a kick o a meeting or key focus in developing a project
charter It will describe an action the PM is trying to accomplish, then use dierent
terminology. After reading the question I would assume the answer would be project
sponsor only to nd that another term was used instead of project sponsor. I assume
this was to prevent people from PMPisms to gure out answers.
There were some questions about ITTOs but not very many.
I felt the majority of the examination was concept based questions where you needed
to gure out what needs to be determined next. Or best course of action.
I honestly didn't know if I would pass the exam after completing in 3 hours and spending 45
minutes reviewing questions I wasn't sure about.
Thanks Simplilearn for helping me pass the exam!
Dong_2, May 18, 2016
#25
vijaysrivastava likes this.
vijaysrivastava
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Hi All,
Thanks to God, I got through PMP certication (Dec, 2015) in rst attempt and saved my
many dollars ($).
It is about 5-6 years back, I came to know about PMP. In my previous organization when we
were asked to create our resume for client referring to resume of PMP certied project
manager. The PMP initials after his name appealed me. Since then, I thought to have
completed the certication. But whenever I asked someone regarding this certication, I got
a reply it is one of the tough examinations. So, I could not take step ahead for preparation.
Just in Jan 2015, I started study for PMP.
Honestly speaking, it may take you 6-8 months for study if you are in job. If your
organization following PMI practices, the time may reduce to 4-6 months including initial
required PDU training.
Followings are my strategic actionable steps for getting through the certication
examination.
Take rm decision and be condent about passing the certication. Do not hear
anyone who scares you for this certication and showing it as a bug-bear.
I referred four books - HeadFirst (2 times), PMBOK Guide (2 times), Rita (2 times),
Kevin Heldman (1 times).
I strongly suggest to create your notes. Because notes are very helpful when you are
close to writing examination. To refer all books just before examination is a waste of
time.
Try to store the formulas in mind by writing them and by solving as many as
numerical question possible.
As far as ITTOs are concerned, rst understand their signicance in the process. You
can also think in dierent manner If you do not have that ITTOs, what problem you
may face in your project. As you come to know the problem without them, it means
you have understood its signicance. Just 2 or 3 days before the exam, you write all
ITTOs (process wise) in your paper. It seems that it would take a lot of time but I
assure you you would not take more than 2 hours to write all ITTOs.
Keep on doing these exercise for last 3 days and you will be able to solve many
questions. It is true you may get only 5-6 question which are
directly related to ITTOs but if you do practice, you will be able to solve 10-15 other
questions just relating concept with ITTOs.
28/32
27/07/2016
Keep on giving mockup tests as many as possible. Do not be scared / hesitate if you
scoring very low. But never forget to create a question bank of wrong answers. This
way, you can convert your weakness into strength. Same strategy, you apply for
formula related questions.
I shared some of key points which I applied. I hope, it may be helpful for PMP aspirants.
vijaysrivastava, Jun 25, 2016
AmerNatarajan
Well-Known Member
Last edited: Jun 25, 2016 #26
Simplilearn Support
Joined:
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Messages:
Alumni
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W
vijaysrivastava said:
Hi All,
Thanks to God, I got through PMP certication (Dec, 2015) in rst attempt and saved my many dollars ($).
It is about 5-6 years back, I came to know about PMP. In my previous organization when we were asked to
create our resume for client referring to resume of PMP certied project manager. The PMP initials after his
name appealed me. Since then, I thought to have completed the certication. But whenever I asked someone
Click
to expand...
regarding this certication, I got a reply it is one
of the
tough examinations. So, I could not take step ahead
We congratulate you on becoming certied on PMP. All the very best.

Cheers
AmerNatarajan, Jun 28, 2016
Irem Ustundag
New Member
#27
Alumni
Joined:
Mar 18, 2016
Messages:
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0
Thank you Simplilearn and BKS Prasad for providing great training! Today I passed PMP in
the rst attempt with procient in all areas! That was one of the fullling moments in my life.
I promised myself to share my experience if I pass the exam since I personally found the real
life experiences during studying very helpful and motivating. Although everyones learning
style is dierent, I still believe we all can learn from each other.
29/32
27/07/2016
Key information:
-I did not read entire PMBOK or Rita. I based my studies on Simplilearn classroom training
and Simplilearn PMP e-book.
-I prepared in less than 1 month.
-I solved around 1500 questions. 5 Simplilearn Mock exams (1000), all questions from Rita
book (354), Oliver Lehmann (75)

-I did not memorize the inputs, outputs
How I studied:
Journey started with online classroom training by BKS Prasad. After lessons nished and I
passed my application process, I scheduled my exam day for June 29, where I would have
more or less 1 month to study. This was important for me to set a deadline and to focus on a
target date.
I restarted the study as of June 6 with more focus. I listened all recorded sessions from the
beginning while taking notes and understanding the concepts- pausing the recordings as
needed. This took me around 5 days.
Starting from June 11, for the next 7-8 days I went through each process one by one again
and prepared my summary notes for later use! These notes included:
- key concepts/notes from Simplilearn
- additional information from Rita where I just checked Ritas quick test in the beginning of
each process and read the sections which I didnt know
- key points from Simplilearn quiz questions, classroom exercises and Ritas practice
questions at the end of each process
- key learnings from Oliver Lehmann 75 question test
This section required daily: 10-12 hours work during weekend and 2-4 hours during weekday.
On the other hand, this methodology ensured me to understand each concept one by one
and having a good summary of notes for later use.
My results were: Oliver Lehmann (66%), Rita Practice Test Results for each process (Lesson
3 to Lesson 13):58%, 70%, 77%, 76%, 71%, 87%, 65%, 73%, 76%, 43%, 75%.
Last 4 days were intense. During the weekend I solved all Simplilearn Mockup tests (1000
questions) and reviewed every single question and understand why it is correct or not. All
the learnings were added to my summary notes. Simplilearn Mock Test Results: 78%, 78%,
77%, 71%, 87%
On the last 2 days, my focus was to have an end to end understanding on project
management so that I can know what I am doing and why. What is the tool, what is an
input/output. But not memorizing. I reviewed the following in the last day of preparation:
-My notes in all areas
-Studied Brain Dump, PMPisms, Pairwise connection, strategic approach from Simplilearn
-I put extra eort for Initiate and Close processes since these are only 4 processes and yet
make up 20% of the exam. These processes I read both from Rita and PMBOK as well.
Although I work in procurement, some concepts in Procurement were tough, hence also put
additional eort in this area.
-Rita process chart (page 50)
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27/07/2016
-Rita Chapter 15 Tips for passing the exam for the rst time
During Exam:
I nished exam in 3 hours 45 minutes. Reviewed only in the last 15 minutes 20% of marked
questions and changed only 2 questions. Simplilearn exams usually took around 2.5 hours
for me. I took break only once for 10 mins.
Key learning:
- Put a deadline for yourself and put a plan
- Stick to your study plan
- First understand each process
- Make sure at the end to put all the process together in your mind
- Strategically approach the topics based on your exam results (areas where you have lower
scores)
- Do practice exams and study the areas you need to understand further
At the end preparation for PMP certication is a project: dene your strategy, put a plan
together, execute the plan, monitor your performance, take corrective actions and get your
certication! Yes it is hard work but you will succeed.
Irem Ustundag, Jun 29, 2016
#28
B K S Prasad
Well-Known Member
Simplilearn Support
Alumni
Joined:
May 26, 2011
Messages:
161
Likes Received:
39
Trainer
Congratulations Irem and all the best for your future.
B K S Prasad, Jun 30, 2016
#29
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CERTIFICATION & TRAINING DISCUSSIONS

SHARE YOUR PMP SUCCESS STORY!

Nov 10, 2014

Let me make it clear, the PMP exam is not a rocket science.

Jayant Moolchandani(1263) and Shruti like this.

Feb 12, 2015

Last edited: Mar 1, 2015 #3

Sourav Mukherjee(1720) likes this.

Feb 13, 2015

Shruti and Gregory Downes like this.

Amal Nandan Prasad

Feb 18, 2015

So, here is my preparation plan:

Exam related preparations:

Feb 18, 2015

PMP Exam Prep, Eighth Edition by Rita Mulcahy

Thomas Kim_1 and Shruti like this.

Feb 18, 2015

Feb 12, 2015

Kumar Palike, Feb 18, 2015

Shruti and Swetha like this.

Feb 23, 2015

Prasanna Kumar, PMP, MSP, ITIL

Last edited: Feb 23, 2015 #9

Shruti and MukeshShende like this.

Feb 23, 2015

Shruti likes this.

Feb 23, 2015

in actual application of being a project manager. Practical examples based on the

Shruti likes this.

Feb 24, 2015

My company appreciate my initiative to take PMP certication and grant me with a

binsarto.marbun(1366100) and Shruti like this.

Feb 24, 2015

Praveenkumar E, Feb 24, 2015

Last edited: Mar 1, 2015 #13

Glen Leatherman and Shruti like this.

Feb 24, 2015

(Contest Winner Story)

look at the areas you need work on

rinse and repeat!

Try and remember the Inputs and Outputs

8. In the Exam room

First 10 mins Brain Dump everything you can remember.

Free tips on passing the Exam.pdf

Siggy, Feb 26, 2015

Process Groups Chart.pdf

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 17, 2015 #14

Glen Leatherman and Swetha like this.

Feb 24, 2015

Level of the exam- Medium- Tough in level.

Last edited: Sep 1, 2015 #16

Harmann likes this.

Jun 23, 2015

Jul 20, 2015

Dong_2 likes this.

Jan 25, 2016

Dong_2 likes this.

Nov 17, 2015

May 15, 2015

tim jerome, Apr 20, 2016

May 15, 2015

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