She’s an entrepreneur. She wanted to be able to manage her projects better.
PMP was her goal.
She faltered the first time.
She got up and went ahead all cylinders firing.
She drew courage from a much stronger reason than the logical one that triggered her PMP dream.
One of the success principles we teach in our free PMP Study Blueprint course is to tie your PMP goal with an emotional event or need. You’ll see its power in a bit now.
In this interview Carole Swift shares every strategy, technique, and approach she used to realize her PMP dream. For instance, using PMP exam prep simulator as a learning tool.
By the time you reach the end of this post, my hope is that you would have picked up a gem or two to use in your own prep.
If you needed any help with your prep, get in touch with me right away.
-Shiv
What event triggered your desire to take up PMP exam?
I actually had not thought of taking the PMP until visiting my friend and her husband one summer.
Her husband Eric and I were talking about how important it is to continually better ourselves and grow. We were discussing my career, what I liked about it and what my frustrations were.
After listening to me and asking questions, he announced that I should become a PMP.
We spoke briefly about the structure it could add to my project management methods, and said I would do it; I would get my PMP.
He was battling stage 4 cancer and had many other issues to be concerned with, but looked me straight in the eye and said “You will?”. I said “Yes I will”, knowing he knew what he was talking about.
What I did not know is what it really meant or how challenging it would be.
That was the last time I saw Eric as he passed a few months after I had gone back home.
The PMP exam application alone was a challenge but I got through it as I had many projects I had managed. I studied so hard for the PMP and failed the first time to my shock. I felt I let everyone down, myself, my family who put up with me and Eric.
The fifth edition was being changed to the sixth edition so I bought the sixth edition PMBOK (you can get a softcopy for free by becoming member of PMI) and started studying again.
Many times I thought why am I doing this again?
Oh yes, because Eric told me I should.
I changed my strategy and dug in deeper and Friday, February 4th I took the PMP exam and was staring at the screen that said I passed.
I stared at it for 5 minutes before I got up to leave.
Also read: How a US Army veteran cracked PMP exam.
I am a firm believer in engaging the lifelong learning process and was in pursuit of a certification similar to what I do in the US Army. The PMP Certification was it. After years of putting it off I decided to complete it, especially as I head toward transitioning out of the military.
I have been into Project Lead role managing Projects in IT infrastructure for some time and a bit tired of not having a good ‘system’ of managing projects effectively.
After working for several years in technical field and taking up management role, I was thinking about how could I enhance my career.
