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Another ‘Woohoo!’ time it was for me last Saturday, as Syed Yaseen, my student of PM Exam Last Mile Prep program sent me a message on Skype that he just passed his online PMP exam.

“What’ your score, Syed?”, I asked excitedly. “Just missed what you told me on our first call – All 5 Above Target – by a whisker”, he said.

4 Above-Target and 1 Target score, that too after he advanced his exam date by whole 2 weeks, was nothing short of incredible. 

Let us hear Syed Yaseen’s incredible PMP® journey in his own words..

What made you take up PMP®?

PMP® is the most coveted and globally recognized credential. Most employers seek project managers as highly skilled who are PMP® certified. Above all the learning you get after PMP® is so practical and can be applied to your multiple projects. This is truly worth every second you spend learning this.

Most of the people that I discussed with told me there is mathematics in PMP® and is very difficult etc. All these were proved to be wrong during my learning journey on PMP®.

I did consider other project management certifications over PMP®, although it appeared to be the most difficult one. It was my wife whom I am so thankful for, because she convinced me that there is nothing impossible or difficult. And this is what she helped me understand “sometimes you win, sometimes you learn”. There was no talk or thought of failure.

I am happy that I chose PMP® over others, more than being certified I thoroughly enjoyed the learning process and pushed my own limits.

What benefit you’d expect now that you are PMP certified?

As part of my work I have been partly responsible for some of the knowledge areas (Procurement, for instance), but never had any idea of what happens end to end. PMP® not only taught me all aspects of Procurement, Risk, Quality, and Resource Management but also how you can manage them the right way on a project.

I am 100% positive that being PMP® certified will create great opportunities and also will help me at my work place to apply the knowledge I have gained.

With multiple Cloud Computing certifications, being PMP® certified will help me take on challenging projects in my career.

Also read: “How Ashish fulfilled his 7-year old dream with online PMP exam last week“

Which study resources did you use?

PMBOK is the holy grail of PMP® certification. But this itself is a book of knowledge and may not be very easy to understand. Hence, many aspirants choose reference book, and I chose Rita Mulcahy. The exercises at the end of each knowledge area is really important and shouldn’t be skipped. It sets a baseline when you plan your revision and mocks.

Above all, I was so satisfied and lucky to have come across Shiv Shenoy’s PM Exam ‘Last Mile’ prep program. It not only wraps what is needed from exam point of view but will help you reassure your learning.

In conclusion my references were –

• PMBOK (cover to cover once)
• Rita’s book (cover to cover twice)
• PM Exam Last Mile prep program (end to end twice)
• Mock exams (chapter-end exercises and 5 full length mocks from Cornelius and Oliver)

I cannot stress enough the importance of taking as many mock exams as possible.

After taking each mock exam I would spend time to ensure that I understand why I choose the right answers and what went wrong for the questions that I got wrong. I call this ‘postmortem of mock exam’. This is really important to have the right thought process built for this exam.

How did you approach the online PMP® exam and what was your study plan?

For many 2020 is a year to forget/delete, but for me 2020 is the year I will never forget. [continue reading…]

A great way to de-risk your exam is by leveraging PMP experience of successful PMPs. Avoid their mistakes, take their wins. Considering the not-so-great PMP experience of online exam, this article should really help you navigate the rough waters.

For a detailed coverage of all aspects of the online exam check out this webinar where I shared 21-point 3-part checklist to download.

Marcin Stanczak has an an Engineering degree in the Environmental Protection, Masters degree in Biotechnology and Masters degree in Process Engineering. Since 2014 he has been working for one of the world leading companies in the waste water treatment sector. Marcin lives in Germany and in his free time he likes hiking and spending time in European Alps.

Let us learn about his ‘interesting’ online PMP experience.

What made you take up PMP?

I am constantly looking for continuous development both in my personal and professional life. I simply enjoy learning new things. At a certain point in my career I was looking at what I can achieve, how I can develop my project management skills, what can make me a better manager.

While doing some research I read about a few certificates like PRINCE2, IPM, and PMP. However I still had the impression that none of them is worth doing and spending my hard earned money, to tell you honestly.

Then I experienced that one of my colleagues owns PMP-title. And I decided to talk to him whether it is worth doing, how does it fit to our business and to what our company is doing. He recommended me to pursue PMP.

I also had a discussion with a person who is a speaker and trainer for a project and risk management and who is also provider of a PMP preparation course. He explained me very well what the difference between PRINCE2, IPM and PMP is. And it just confirmed my choice that PMP may be the most suitable for me and my career.

The upcoming changes in the PMP exam expedited a bit my decision to apply for the PMP exam.

Which study resources did you consider?

First and foremost I had to complete 35 learning hours in order to apply for PMP. There is a plenty of courses, but thanks to my LinkedIn premium account I could obtain a free preparation course from Ms. Sandra (Sandy) Mitchell.

With that the first milestone had been reached.

Thanks to my PMI membership I received the access to Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide i.e. PMBOK. However it was written in a very difficult language for me so that I could not continue reading it.

At that point I got Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep book (ad). It was the right choice and this book made my PMP preparation a nice journey.

Also read: How ‘Last Mile’ program helped me pass PMP exam – my dream of 7 years!

How did you approach the exam and what was your study plan?

Well, I have a 2 hour drive every day and I did not want to spend all my free time for PMP preparation. That’s the reason I gave myself 5 months for it and I studied mostly during the weekends. [continue reading…]

Multiple reasons to celebrate this week! One of them, most important for me, being that Ashish Kumar Lall – student of PM Exam Last Mile Prep program passing the exam.

Ashish works as a Delivery Head with an MNC, and has 14+ years of rich Project Management experience.

As we sat for this interview, his exam experience gave me goosebumps. Probably one of the closest calls I’ve seen with the exam. But then as they say, all is well that ends well!

By the time you finish this story, I’m certain that you will have got at least one rock solid study tip, technique, or insight to use in your own PMP preparation.

Why PMP?! 🙂

Oh Shiv, you have no idea what PMP meant to me. When it comes to knowledge + credibility + continued PM knowledge updation, nothing comes close to PMP certification.

My dream of acquiring PMP certification started 7 years ago. But I could not pursue it very seriously because of family commitments, business requirements, business trips and a couple of times losses of my very close family members. And it always got pushed out. But this time by God’s grace I was able to pursue it until the very end and to finish it on a successful note.

I am a constant learner. In the past I have taken ITIL and Microsoft certification exams. In the future, I would continue to keep this learning spree going with other relevant certification exams.

What was the benefit you expected from PMP?

Working as a Project Manager, this credential has always been a coveted credential and I always aspired to achieve this feat.

PMP will not only have given a thorough understanding of all-round Project Management areas (initiation to closing, and all the knowledge areas – in PMP language) but also help me to be recognized within my team, organization, clients, and industry for Project Management work.

This will also help to lead more critical and strategic projects in the organization and grow up for higher responsibilities.

Also read: The incredible story of Pitabas getting PMP at 64, using PM Exam Last Mile Prep program!

Which resources helped you?

I used the following –

• PMBOK for reference
• Rita Mulcahy (ad)
• Simplilearn (review)
• Shiv’s PM Exam Last Mile Prep program extensively for the preparation

How did you approach the exam and what was your study plan?

It took me close to 3 months to prepare for this exam, this period can be shorter if one can give more time on a daily basis.

The first round of the study was just to get a hang of all the complex content and to get a general understanding.

the second round was to solidify the understanding and gain a grip on the material. This is the time I signed up for PM Exam Last Mile Prep program which helped me a great deal.  The cheat sheet was most effective before the exam.

My weekly one-on-one calls with Shiv kept me motivated to go through till the end. Thanks to you Shiv for being so cooperative and prompt in helping me – be it on weekly calls or emails. This truly helped me keep going till the very end. [continue reading…]

“Benefits of PMP certification go beyond the exam. PMP is already helping me with networking, … I see that my colleagues have trust in me and value my opinion”, said Dayana Rangelova as she shared how she prepared for her exam and what insights she discovered along the way.

Dayana lives in Sofia, Bulgaria, and works as an Operations Project Manager in the IT sector, mainly focused on digital transformation. She loves renovations and is very interested in home design.

What made you choose PMP?

I believe that I should keep learning new skills and adjust to the business environment, which changes with every passing day. In order to keep up with the fast pace you must invest in the better version of yourself.

In my former role I was working as a Technical team lead engaged with Quality Assurance in different projects and initiatives for product improvement. Then I worked as a Business Analyst and again my day to day duties were interconnected with project work and performance.

Two years ago, I developed a plan to renovate my house. Then I realized that my activities can have a more structured approach and form. I started searching for information which can help me to organize more.

And then I came across PMP content, began studying for the PMP and thus my journey begun.

I picked PMP because it is acknowledged by different industries as the most useful certification for Project managers with demonstrated experience. PMI updates the syllabus to bring in best practices from the real life to the exam, and maintains high standards of this certification.

Benefits of PMP certification are immense. Although I did consider PSPO and PSM because my working environment is flexible and with agile approach you can be more adaptable to changes, then I decided to proceed with PMP certification exam.

Also read: Vicky Adam’s smart prep strategy to pass the exam without breaking a sweat!

What was the core benefit you expected from PMP?

I wanted to understand best practices and from the mistakes people have done. The core benefit is knowledge and implementation of what you have learned.

PMP is already helping me with networking – I have met many people with interests in my area of expertise. At my workplace I am engaged with more complex projects and I see that my colleagues have trust in me and value my opinion.

What did you use for the exam preparation?

Some of the study material I used are – [continue reading…]

“My online PMP exam experience is quite memorable, as I took it in spite of few butterflies in stomach, considering it was introduced recently” said Vinay Mishra as we began chatting after his PMP exam success.

Vinay is the founder and CEO of RoboTECH Worldwide Inc, and also works as a Sr. IT Project Manager (Consultant) for a leading bank in the US. Vinay is a BE, MBA and likes to travel and spend time with family and friends. Vinay lives in Canton, Michigan with his parents, wife and two little boys. In his free time he can be found bungee jumping, skydiving, or paragliding!

Vinay is a student of PM Exam Last Mile Prep program and passed his PMP exam on the first attempt, taking it online. I know! There is so much of hesitancy in people with online test, with so much of murmur going around.

The myths we busted and 3-part checklist shared on the webinar last week had inputs from Vinay’s experience as well. You will enjoy this ‘PMP Lessons Learned’ interview of Vinay, and hopefully, take a gem or two to incorporate in your own exam preparation – be it online or in the test-center.

What made you take up PMP, Vinay?

I wanted to get PMP certification for quite some time as I’ve been a project for quite some time.

Last year I completed Product Owner certification from Scrum Alliance considering the dynamic trends in the Information Technology industry. And PMP was a natural next step for me to take.

When PMP online exam was announced I decided to take it as I could avoid going out, and cut the tense exam hall experience altogether.

What was the benefit you expected from PMP certification?

I feel learning should never stop – especially for a project manager, as there are many newer methodologies and practices being used as the challenges of the businesses grow.

Getting certified and maintaining PMP is a great way to consistently learn and grow with Project Management Institution. One of the key benefits is the overall PMBOK guidelines which acts as a baseline for the exam and helps you succeed in the longer run.

Last but not the least getting PMP certified adds a lot of value to career growth. It also opens up lot of possibilities for networking as well as landing opportunities that test one’s mettle as a project manager.

Which study resources did you consider, and eventually used for the exam preparation?

I shortlisted few after some research and finally invested in the following. Let me also share how I used them in my preparation.

• Shiv Shenoy’s PM Exam Last Mile Prep Program & one-on-one weekly coaching. I went over the video modules + other supporting easy-on-brain modules – it is phenomenal.
• PMBOK Guide 6th Edition – I referenced this in 3 rounds
• PMP Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy 9th edition (ad) – again, referred thrice
• Head First PMP (ad) – occasional reference
• 1000 Challenge PMP Questions 100 Questions per Knowledge Area – Mohit Arora
• Challenge Mock PMP Tests 1000 Questions to Challenge for your PMP- Mohit Arora
• Other sample mock exams (you can find few recommendations here)

[continue reading…]