Did you know, 9 out of 10 project managers are certified by Project Management Institute (PMI) & certified project managers have shown much better project success than non-certified project managers. And guess what? Certified project management professionals are amongst some of the highest-paid professionals in the world.
Sounds grea, doesn’t it? Well, If it does, then your next question should be- What exactly is this PMP, and how to get a PMP certification? Worry not! We have covered everything related to PMP in this step-by-step guide.
What is a PMP certification?
Project Management Professional (PMP) is a globally recognized & prestigious certification for project management professionals offered by Project Management Institute. PMP is a well-recognized and respected credential considered as a gold standard for project managers.
It helps the project managers to widen their scope of growth, and in recent times, PMP certification is a must if one wants to grow in the project management industry.
How To Become A Certified Project Management Professional?
As I said earlier, PMP certification is issued by PMI, and it has some guidelines and eligibility criteria for the individuals looking to get certified.
Eligibility Criteria for PMP certification-
If you don’t have any degree or you’re just high school passed:
- You must have a minimum of 5 years of work experience in project management.
- You must have spent 7500 hours leading a project.
- 35 PDUs/Contact Hours.
If you have are graduate or have a bachelor’s degree:
- You must have a minimum of 3 years of work experience in project management.
- You must have spent 4500 hours leading a project.
- 35 PDUs/Contact Hours.
In case you have are post-graduate, then:
- You are required to have a minimum of 2 years of project management experience along with 35 PDUs/Contact Hours unless you are a CAPM holder.
Once you meet the eligibility criteria, it’s time to book the test date and start preparing. The PMP exam is one of the toughest professional exams on this planet. The PMP Exam tests not only your project management knowledge but also your analytical and decision-making skills.
The PMP exam consists of 200 multiple-choice based questions. Out of these, 25 are just pilot questions that are not counted towards the final score. But the fun part is, you never know which questions are pilot questions as they are randomly placed in the question paper to test the analytical abilities of the candidates.
My Top 3 Tips To Ace The PMP Exam
Master the PMBOK Guide
PMBOK guide is considered as the bible of the PMP exam. From the PMBOK guide, you can learn all the terminologies, instructions, and standards required to become a perfect project manager. So, make sure to read the PMBOK before starting your actual preparation to grasp the concepts better.
Enroll in an Online Course or a Workshops
It is impossible to spend 10 hours/day studying for the PMP exam as a working professional. So, enroll yourself in an excellent online/offline course to make this easy for yourself. Go to a good training institute, and they will help you crack your PMP exam without a sweat. They will help you master concepts faster and efficiently. They will also help you achieve 35 PDUs.
Give Tonnes Of Mocks & Take Help of Online PMP Exam Simulators
No matter what kind of exam you appear for, practicing with a mock exam and simulators is very important and gives you an idea of where you stand in terms of preparation. This becomes more critical in an exam like PMP because PMP is a 4-hour long exam that tests your experience, knowledge, and professional abilities up to a great extent. PMP exam simulators replicate the same environment as real PMP exams, which further helps you become more comfortable with the actual exam.
Conclusion
PMP certification is an expensive, time-consuming, and challenging exam. But if you ask me, it is totally worth it as it sets you apart from the rest and makes you capable enough to handle bigger projects. Further, it helps you build the skills that can take you to senior management roles.
Balkrishan is eager and passionate professional with 5+ years of experience in IT, Advertising & Marketing. He is passionate about helping people understand the in & outs of the industry. He is also a Speaker and Trainer in the field of IT & Marketing.
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