.

What would it take to pass PMP exam? Not much, if you follow the PMP advice by Atul Mishra, who recently passed the exam. You’ll be amazed how simple and straight forward his approach is.

Why did I choose PMP?

I strive to learn new things constantly. I went for PMP exam for personal development and for new opportunities that I can land with the project management qualification under my belt.

The study resources I used

It is a fact that too many cooks spoil the broth. A simple google search for PMP study resources bring over 780 thousand results, so it is easy to get overwhelmed. However, some research is needed to shortlist few and then stick to it.

After some research I zeroed in on three resources:

• PMBOK guide,
• Rita Mulcahy’s PMP accelerated learning study book, and
• PM PrepCast (an awesome video course).

Also Read: Noorulayn explains how she passed PMP with 2 weeks of dedicated study!

PMP study approach I took

After subscribing to PM PrepCast, I started listening to it almost immediately. I would listen to video lessons during my commute and whenever I get a break during work, to maximize my study time.

This is the strategy I followed – [continue reading…]

Project management is an incredibly complex field, where no one approach solves all problems. While different project management methodologies are used across industries , some of them are chosen for wrong reasons. While common sense is not commonly found in some of the decisions, there are times you look back and feel proud of your own decisions.

While the insights you gain from your own experience help you make better decisions and get ahead in your career, some of the insights that statistics unearth can be extremely useful for you to take certain decisions.

[bctt tweet=”108 must-know project management statistics for you – some of these may make you fall in love with your profession all over again.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Here are 108 project management statistics grouped under seven buckets.

• Job prospects & Salary
• Productivity
• PM Maturity
• Agile
• Risks/Failure causes
• Use of technology
• Certification

Can you guess which bucket has the most number of statistics?! 🙂

Take a guess, and let us get started!

Project Management Statistics: Job Prospects & Salary

[bctt tweet=”According to PMI’s Salary Survey (2018), PMP credential holders earn 23% more than those without it.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: PMI

[bctt tweet=”As of September 2018, the average salary of project manager in the US is $90,337.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: Glassdoor

[bctt tweet=”In the United States, in Information Technology sector Project managers with 4-6 yrs of experience sector get highest jump with avg base salary of $76,954″ username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: Glassdoor

[bctt tweet=”Project management related workforce in the US earn 82% higher than non-project management related workforce.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: ThinkTankConsulting

[bctt tweet=”In the United States, Project Manager on Agile projects on an average, earns $84,134.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: Glassdoor

[bctt tweet=”About 30% employees feel stressed about finances and let it impact their focus and productivity at work.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: Bank of America

[bctt tweet=”Women agile software developer in the US earn on an average, $93,439 while men agile software developer earns $101,584.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: Payscale

[bctt tweet=”The leading sector in project-oriented job openings from 2017-2027 is Manufacturing and Construction, at 9.7 million jobs. Followed by IT, Finance & Insurance, and Management & Professional services.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: PMI

[bctt tweet=”Largest number of project management jobs in project-oriented industries from 2017 to 2027 are going to be created in China, India, US, Japan, and Brazil – in that order.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]

Source: PMI

[bctt tweet=”From now till 2027, every year 2.2 million new project manager jobs will need to be filled.” username=”pmexamsmartnote”]
[continue reading…]

This week Carmen Boles-Mata, a veteran of 25 years of experience is sharing her unique PMP exam preparation approach. It hasn’t been easy for her. But she is a Strategic Planning Coordinator, so you can count on her efficient PMP study plan to get results for you!

Go over Carmen’s PMP study approach and prep advice below, and you’ll have a battle-hard proven plan to use for your own PMP or CAPM preparation.

With that, over to Carmen!…

What triggered PMP

I recently accepted new position in the company I work with. I decided to be better prepared for the new role with formal knowledge of project management. My core work will involve direct management in some of the knowledge areas of PMBOK, so PMP was a perfect certification for me to gain new skills.

The resources I used

Now I know that many PMP students struggle with choosing the right set of resources. I had my share of headache too, but I do think that some amount of time spent on research here will pay rich dividends once you dive headlong into study.

After some research I zeroed in on the following resources –

• PMBOK guide
• Rita’s PMP Exam Prep
• ProXalt online course
• Numerous online mock tests
• PM Exam SmartNotes
• The PMP Study Program that Shiv and Dan offered (Note from Shiv: The updated program is here)

My advice for PMP aspirants on this topic would be to go with the study resources that you can connect with. Even when you get recommendation from others, spend some time researching what is the right fit for you.

Study approach and Plan

I utilized the first 3 resources from my list during the time I was submitting my application.

Also Read: How Ashish Lall used PM Exam ‘Last Mile’ program to pass his PMP exam.

I attempted exam once and did not pass. Realizing I had to utilize the efforts invested in studying for that attempt, I decided to take up my second attempt without a big time gap. [continue reading…]

“…It will be a valuable tool in your PMP toolkit.”
– Wayne A Dunlap, PMP
Project Manager, U.S. Army

I originally published this book when PMI updated PMP exam in 2016. It was a labor of love, triggered by the insistence of PMExamSmartNotes blog readers.

It was also a tribute to hundreds of PMP® students that kept faith in my methods and approach to the PMP® exam and embraced them.

The book was very well-received and and many people that used the book to pass their PMP® exam wrote unsolicited testimonials.

This is what Cornelius said about the book –

“This is probably one of the important books you will need to have in your PMP® prep arsenal. Shiv Shenoy has been helping students prepare for PMP exam through his blog and coaching.

I’m glad to see him bringing out this book to help students prepare for the new PMP exam […]”

– Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
Author of The Project Management PrepCast

And within days of the release the book went on to hit #1 Best Seller ranking in all the 3 categories that it was listed in, both in the Amazon US first, and the it hit #1 Best Seller ranking in Amazon Canada store front! [continue reading…]

My Background

I am an IT (Information Technology) Project Manager in one of the leading MNC having total of 14.5 years of industry experience. I moved to management role 4 years back.

PMP Trigger

I chose to do PMP, an aspired certificate of every Project Manager to enhance my Project Management experience. I had a passion towards project management. The thoughts of doing PMP started at the end of 2016 but did not pay serious attention.

Finally the dream came true when I decided to pursue the PMP exam with more determination, and passed it on my first attempt!

Study plan & Resources

Initially I was studying PMBOK for about an hour everyday. But then I soon realized that I was going nowhere because I found PMBOK to be a dry read. I was finding it hard to understand the concepts at the first go. [continue reading…]