TOPIC: A Couple of PMP Questions Before I Schedule My Exam

Hey everyone,

I'm nearing the end of my PMP preparation and had two questions I was hoping those who've already taken the exam could weigh in on.

1. Has earning the PMP actually made a difference in your career?

I'm currently working as a Technical Project Manager and thinking about making a move in the near future, ideally to another tech company. For those who already had project management experience before getting certified, did the PMP help you land more interviews, negotiate better offers, or open doors that weren't available before?

2. What's the rule on writing notes during the exam?

One thing I'm confused about is the guidance around "brain dumps." I've heard they're not allowed, but I've also seen instructors recommend using the first few minutes of the exam to write down key formulas or process information before answering any questions.

Is that still permitted, or are there restrictions on when and what you're allowed to write? I want to make sure I understand the exam rules before test day.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Warren,

It is very subjective to ask if you had gotten more interviews based on having the PMP or not. I will say that my having a PMP was noted when I applied for the job I got now. I applied for many jobs, but only a few were project management jobs. I was one of the only ones that had a PMP is what I was told. However, I was hired based on my interview, showing humility and personability was the top reasons according to them. Good communication skills. I did not mention my PMP and I was not asked about it.

As far as the brain dump; I can't remember if it was banned or not but it didn't seem necessary. It's more important to understand how to interpret results than how to get them. "If you have an SPI of this and a CPI of this, what would it tell you about the current state of the project?" You get a lot of questions like that. If I remember, sometimes they even give you the formula.

In my opinion, I would not waste the brain power on memorizing formulas and instead on whatever you're scoring low on with your practice tests. Most of the questions involving formulas just ask you to interpret where an SPI less than or more than 1.0 is good or not.

HI Warren,

With regards part 1, “will getting a PMP help my career”, you can answer this yourself. Go on some job boards and search for the kind of jobs you are looking for, if you see PMP coming up as mandatory or desirable, part of the questions is answered. In regulated industries, in many cases you can’t get through the door for an interview without a PMP, in other industries its less of a requirement. But I recommend do some job searches and see how often PMP comes up as a required certification.

But even with a PMP experience still matters, a good job interview still matters, but PMP is not just a piece of paper, it is commitment to learning it’s an achievement to get through 4 hours of exams and it feels great when you finally get it.

As for your second question in the exam you get an online notepad where you can jot down notes. I think its just a matter of preference if you want to dump the formulas onto it. I found the online notepad a little tricky so didnt use it.