Everything You Need To Know About PMP Exam

Everything You Need To Know About PMP Exam

A Basic Starter on PMP Exam

The Project Management Institute provides certifications to professionals in order to be ever dynamic and ready to the changing demands of employers and projects. Every promising career is based on a solid and good project and this is where skilled project managers are needed. With the help of the PMP exam, a professional may be certified to be globally reliable when it comes to handling projects. This certification also applies not only to project managers but also to anyone who is essentially involved in a project.

What is PMP?

The PMP, otherwise known as Project Management Institute, Certification is a proof of a professional’s talents and expertise on project management. It is an unbiased mark of excellence that shows the credibility of an individual in any industry. Its certification is globally recognized which makes any certification holder fit and qualified for better career opportunities in the field of project management.

How do I get the PMP certification?

For a detailed and step by step process on how to be PMP certified. The following are your guidelines:

  • Take time to read the Project Management Professional Credentials Handbook.

This book explains everything that you want to know about the procedures to be done in order to take the PMP exam and soon become a PMI certified project manager.

  • Assess your eligibility requirements.

This refers to the requirements that must be considered in order to be eligible to take the exam.

  • Become a PMI member or a member of your local PMI chapter.

While this is not a requirement, being a PMI member will give you numerous benefits and allow you to increase your stakes in passing the PMP exam. In fact, once you are a member, you enjoy a huge discount off your PMP exam fee. At the same time, you get the chance to meet with fellow aspirants for the PMP exam which will allow you to form study groups and thus increase your chance of passing.

  • Sign up for the PMP Exam.

This is the part where you need to have an actual exam date. In order to do so, you may register in the PMI website. Fill in your application and submit to PMI for approval. After which, you will be provided with a confirmation number.

  • Prepare for the exam.

There are many ways for you to prepare for the exam. You may have a copy of the PMBOK Guide which is considered as the main reference for the PMP Exam. It is also recommended to answer as many mock PMP exams as possible. This will test your ability to answer and assess how well you have answered them.

What are the requirements for me to be able to take the PMP exam?

The PMP Certification is actually based on your level of education. Thus, this presupposes that anyone can qualify to take the PMP exam regardless if you have a degree or not. The following are the details for the PMP exam qualification:

 

Eligibility Requirements

If you are a Bachelor’s Degree or any of its global  equivalent

If you have a high school diploma, associate’s degree, or any of its global equivalent

Experience in project management

3 years or 36 moths of non-overlapping professional project management experience

5 years or 60 months of non-overlapping professional project management experience

Hours spent in directing and leading projects

4,500 hours

7,500 hours

Education in project management

35 hours of formal project management education

35 hours of formal project management education

 

Is it worth getting the PMP certification?

Yes. In fact, the following are the main advantages and benefits that you can get with a PMP Certification which makes all the effort in getting one worth it:

  1. It increases your chances of getting hired.

Being a holder of a PMP Certification, you are considered as a professional in your own field. Thus, when you are looking for a job, this should provide your potential employers solid proof that your abilities are reliable and competent. Thus, it gives you that level edge among other competitors when scouting for work.

  1. It adds credibility.

It is not easy to earn the PMP Certification because candidates have to undergo rigorous studying in order to complete the course. Being a holder of the PMP certification in itself gives you that feather in your cap.

  1. It improves your career growth.

The course in PMP certification provides you with new set of skills and expertise that will better hone you to be a more effective professional. It further expands your leaning and thus provides you with a good foundation for you to make it to the top of your career.

  1. It keeps you well abreast to modern industry trends.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is always keen on providing the latest trends in order to keep up with the increasingly dynamic industry. As a PMP Certification holder, you learn more on the latest trends in project management.

  1. It allows you to establish a good network of PMP professionals.

Creating influential relationships can also boost your career in project management. As of date, there are over 700,000 PMP Certification holders and if you are on, you get to have the opportunity to meet professionals of the same field and allow you to find project tie-up and recommendations.

What is the exam duration and the passing rate for PMP exam?

The PMP exam is a four-hour exam. It consists of 200 multiple choice questions. However, out of the 200 questions, there are 25 questions that are not scored. It is advised that the candidate should be keen on answering all the questions as the 25 unscored questions are randomly placed and that no one knows which ones of the questions are unscored.

In order to pass the PMP exam, one should be able to have at least a passing rate of 81%. This means that out of the 175 scored questions, the candidate must be able to have at least 141 correct answers. Based on the high passing rate and the extensive coverage of the course, one could say that the PMP Exam can be quite difficult so it is best to make the necessary preparations for the exam.

What is the exam syllabus of the PMP?

In order to know what a PMP exam is like, the coverage of the exam presents the following domains where the questions are based. The following illustrates the domains covered together with their corresponding topics and weightage:

Domains Covered

Topics Included

Weightage

Initiating Domain

Analytical skills

13%

Benefit analysis techniques

 

Elements of a project charter

 

Estimation tools and techniques

 

Strategic management

 

Planning

Change management planning

24%

Cost management planning

Project budgeting tools and techniques

Communications planning

Contract types and selection criteria

Estimation tools and techniques

Human resource planning

Lean and efficiency principles

Procurement planning

Quality management planning

Requirements gathering planning

Scope deconstruction tools and techniques

Scope management planning

Stakeholder management planning

Time management planning

Workflow diagramming techniques

Executing

Continuous improvement processes

31%

Contract management techniques

Elements of a statement of work

Interdependencies with project elements

Project budgeting tools and techniques

Quality standard tools

Vendor management techniques

Monitoring and controlling domain

Performance management and tracking techniques

25%

Process analysis techniques

Project control thresholds and tolerance

Project finance principles

Project monitoring tools and techniques

Project quality best practices and standards

Quality measurement tools

Risk identification and analysis techniques

Quality validation and verification techniques

Closing domain

Archiving practices and statutes

7%

Compliance

Contract closure requirements

Closeout procedures

Feedback techniques

Performance measurement techniques

Project review techniques

PMP Exam Prep Checklist

 

What is the exam fee for PMP?

The PMP exam is a computer-based exam wherein the average cost for such exam which would earn you 35 Professional Development Units (PDUs) would range from $300 to $5,000 depending on the country.

However, if you are a member of the PMI, the exam cost would only be $405. For non-members of PMI, it would be $555.

Should you wish to retake the exam, the re-examination fee for members of PMI is at $275 while for non-members, the rate is $375.

How does a PMP Certification differ with PRINCE2 Certification?

A lot of professionals in the industry consider PMP certification as more valuable than the PRINCE2 Certification. In the same way, there are also other professionals who value the latter over the PMP Certification. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer as to which is the best certification because each of them have their own strengths and opportunities.

The PMP Certification is basically more on knowing the skills and knowledge required in order to successfully manage and implement a project from conception to delivery. On the other hand, the PRINCE2 Certification is specifically focused on the processes and the general framework entailed in order to properly execute certain projects successfully especially in a controlled environment.

Know and value the worth of your PMP certification

Indeed, it really pays to earn the PMP Certification. Not only it is globally accepted but it does provide that unbiased and fair proof of expertise that any project clients would want for a project manager. This exam will thus provide the professional with the right credibility and kill needed in any project management endeavors.

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Tom Burgess

Tom Burgess

Tom is the Senior Exam Consultant in PMPQuizBank