Welcome fellow PMP holders and/or PMP aspirants,
I recently passed my exam with AT in all process groups on the first try and would like to share my experience so that I might help those who have yet to walk this beaten path. I should start by saying that no single strategy will apply to everyone seeking to pass on the first attempt, but there are certainly some best practices that I believe helped greatly improve my chances.
1.) Process of Elimination: Being able to easily identify incorrect options was a tool I used quite frequently throughout the exam to improve my odds. I feel the PMP Exam Simulator helped me employ this tactic with great confidence by supplying questions that require greater consideration than what I faced on the actual exam. By simply knowing what is an input and what is a tool or technique will help you capture that low hanging fruit.
2.) Formulas: Whether it was luck of the draw or meant to be I ran into very few questions which required the plethora of formulas to answer correctly. However I was prepared by having the majority of them memorized which is something that might be easier for some and difficult for others, but I did have some techniques which aided in their memorization. With EVM there are quite a few that have a common theme especially when related to cost or schedule. When you pair cost with AC and schedule with PV you can reliably build quite a few of the listed equations (ie. CPI=EV/AC, CV=EV-AC / SPI=EV/PV, SV=EV-PV). You can also see that they all have EV as the first piece so just knowing that can assist you in rebuilding these equations come test time.
3.) The PMP Exam Content Online: This is another crucial piece to understand which I feel can easily become overlooked. This step by step breakdown is something you won’t find in the PMBOK, but is required in order to understand what some of the questions are asking. I don’t believe memorizing the whole thing is required, but there are definitely critical steps that you need to understand like what to do once the project charter is approved or after the project management plan is approved.
4.) Diversify Learning Content: This was something that I believe truly set me on the path to success. I received my training through a web based course which included an exam feature and if I had simply taken that into the test I’m sure this review would be much different. I decided to pull from the PMBOK, a prep book, and finally the PMP Exam Simulator. Each had its own point of view regarding the content which helped me to expand my scope of thinking and be able to attack the questions from different angles instead of relying on a single avenue of approach.
I believe that these lessons helped me to achieve my certification on the first try and I’m sure that there are others who have similar conclusions. At the end of the day getting into the right mindset and having confidence in your acquired knowledge are small but critical points that need to be present while taking the exam. If you have yet to take the exam then I recommend having an inquisitive mind and find content that helps you better understand the PMP content. For those who have achieved their credential I would like to say congrats on your accomplishment and get to work!
