10 Steps to Becoming a PMP®

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The updated version is longer, more in-depth and offers more specific guidance on how to prepare for your PMP exam. It is therefore recommended that you read the new article.

Are you looking for a way to becoming a Project Management Professional (PMP)®? Look no further. Here are 10 steps that will show you how to become a certified project manager.

become a certified project manager

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12 Most Popular PMP® Study Materials for your PMP Exam Prep

The 12 Most Popular PMP Exam Preparation Tools If you are about to start studying for your Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam, you’ll want to make sure your toolkit is bursting with things to help you on the journey to becoming a PMP®. There are so many options to consider when looking at the study materials on the market that it can be difficult to know where to start.

First, don’t be overwhelmed by the choice. The tools that your colleagues and classmates are using may not be the right ones for you. How do you learn best? Choose pmp study materials that will help you prepare for PMP certification in a way that best suits your learning style. You’ll also want to consider your budget. Don’t feel that you have to buy really expensive exam preparation tools. There are products on the market that are both efficient and cost effective. Reading what other students have to say about the study tools they use can also be helpful: check out independent review sites.

Correct PMP® Eligibility Title if not a Project Manager

What is the PMP Eligibility if your title isn't “Project Manager”? Are you wondering if you can take the Project Management Professional (PMP) ® exam or not?

You might have various concerns regarding the PMP® exam such as your designation, size of the organization and benefits of PMP certification in career development. Well, then here I am to address some of your concerns and help you develop an in-depth understanding about how the PMP certification can be beneficial for you.

How To Handle Your Actual PMP® Exam Day

What to Expect on Your PMP Exam Day You have come this far and after weeks of study, you are now ready to take your Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam. You know you have prepared yourself physically and mentally and that you are ready to tackle the exam questions confidently. And that is the attitude needed to forge ahead - an attitude borne out of determination to pass this important exam, so positive that others can actually feel it from you.

But as in any endeavor, you will need to be ready for the actual battle - in this case, the PMP exam. The day before, you should have a good rest and eliminate any distractions. For instance, be sure that you take a day-off from your work on the day of the exam. The last thing you need is be concerned with issues regarding your job. Empty your mind of these kind of distractions for the exam.

Here are some PMP® exam tips on how to handle your actual PMP exam day:

Three Ways to Prepare for the PMP® Exam

Lady Reading So, you’ve started the Project Management Professional (PMP)® application process and are preparing to take the PMP® Exam. Great career move! The PMP Certificate is a highly sought after career demarcations in both prosperous and challenging economic times. It is the recognition of “demonstrated knowledge and skill in leading and directing project teams and in delivering project results within the constraints of schedule, budget and resources.” (Project Management Institute) Each candidate submits past project management history in an application process, and then must pass a four-hour / 200-question PMP exam.

Aside from the fact that you’ll need 35 contact hours to sit for the exam, studying for the PMP exam itself is a project unto itself. Just like most certification exams, you have three basic ways of preparing for the exam: traditional classroom-based training, online courses and self-study. But don’t feel limited to just one. Many people who have passed the exam have used a combination of these.

PMI® Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for PMP®

PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Don’t steal, don’t cheat, and don’t lie.

This short sentence pretty much sums up the Project Management Institute (PMI)® Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (the Code).

It describes the expectations that we have of ourselves and our fellow practitioners in the global project management community. It articulates the ideals to which we aspire as well as the behaviors that are mandatory in our professional and volunteer roles. The purpose of the Code is to instill confidence in the project management profession and to help an individual become a better practitioner.

The Code is not contained within the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). Instead, it is part of the PMP® Credentials Handbook available here.

Find the Best Answers in the PMP Exam to Become PMP Certified

How to Find the Best Answers for the PMP Exam Questions to Become a Certified PMP Quite often, project management is not totally black and white. A project manager can respond in various ways to events and situations as they arise over the course of a project. This means that when you have a personality conflict between two members on your team you have to decide how to handle that with the individuals and you have to decide how to handle that with the team. Do you deal with it head-on or would it be better to come up with a team-building exercise that may help your team to overcome the situation? Decisions like these are yours to make and since the dynamics of teams and each situation is unique you have to decide which one makes the most sense.

Sample Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exams mirror this situation. Quite often you will see a question with at least two right answers. With one valuable point towards your PMP® certification on the line, you must select the best one. Let me repeat that: you must select the BEST one. Sometimes none of the answers may be 100% correct but one of them will be BETTER than the others if you’re analyzing them correctly.

Answer All PMP® Exam Question on the PMP Certification Exam

Don't leave a single question unanswered! The Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam is a 200-question multiple choice exam. Each question has four possible answers: A, B, C, or D; each correct answer is worth one point towards passing the PMP® Exam. If you don't select an answer then it is considered incorrect. Your goal is to answer every single PMP exam question on even if you have to guess.

Here is one method to help find the best answer among the four presented:

Start out by reading the question completely, make sure that you understand it, and that you can distinguish between the important facts and the extraneous information;
Learn to ignore those facts that do not relate to the question;
Then read all four possible answers; usually two of the four will be very obviously incorrect and can be eliminated; and
Finally, weigh the two remaining questions against each other and make your choice. Also remember, that you will have a checkbox that allows you to mark any questions you are uncertain of and want to come back and review later.
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What is the difference between PMP® Contact Hours and PDUs?

Know the difference between Contact Hours and PDUs? If you are working toward a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification, you may have wondered “What is the difference between Contact Hours and Professional Development Units (PDUs)?”

The main difference between Contact Hours and PDUs is that Contact Hours are accumulated prior and PDUs after your PMP® Exam. Before the exam you need 35 Contact Hours and after you become a certified PMP, you will need to accumulate 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) every three years to keep your certification current. However the content of the training can be identical.

The Secret Of Creating Your PMP® Brain Dump

The Secret Of Creating Your PMP Brain Dump There’s no better catalyst for self realization than taking the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam. I’m kidding you, of course, but there is some truth in that the PMP exam day will illuminate that “you don’t know what you don’t know.”

The PMP® Exam is a ‘closed’ book exam. That means the only reference material you are allowed to carry into the testing facility has to be contained in your brain. But during your exam, your brain is going to be very busy interpreting the PMP exam questions and trying to apply all of the knowledge, skills and principles you’ve accumulated in your studies and work experience.

12 Easy Ways to Earn PDUs for PMP® Recertification

[Note: This is an update to the article “10 Easy Ways to Earn PDUs" that was published in July 2010. The update is necessary because Project Management Institute (PMI)® changed the categories, structure and policies governing Professional Development Units (PDUs). See http://www.pmi.org/en/GLOBALS/PDU-Updated-Category-Structure-Implementation.aspx.]

PDUs we need and PDUs we want. Professional Development Units (PDUs) dominate our minds, our conversations, and our spare time in the last quarter before our Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) deadline. With a little proactive planning we can all make the PDU procurement process much easier. The bottom line is that we want the fast and consistent path to our PDUs… and we want them now!

How do we accomplish this? By just ‘doing’ what ‘you do’. The easiest way to earn Professional Development Units is to leverage what you currently do. Here is a short list of PDU eligible activities that might already be part of your professional life.