Shiv, here is my brain dump about PMP exam itself 🙂 – all the specific resources I used including videos, books, and few study insights I discovered along the way.
Specific PMP videos I found helpful
A) PM Primer
Earned Value –
Critical Path Method
Also Read: Akhilesh Dubey reveals the study method he used to 100% PMP success, and a downlodable sheet.
B) Saket – Izenbridge
Seven Basic Quality Tools
Resource Leveling and Resource Smoothing
PMP : Configuration Management
C) Prime Project Mgmt
How to effectively Read Question –
Also Visit: The (awesome) set of videos Shiv used to pass his PMP exam on the first attempt.
PMP Books I Used
HeadFirst – I read this first.
This book is easy to read and understand.
I found it to be very helpful to understand the concepts with good examples. Please make sure you don’t miss any of the exercises in this book. I would recommend this as first book in your study sequence.
PMBOK – This is the second book I recommend you read
PMBOK is a mandatory reference for PMP.
When I read it for the first time, I found it difficult to understand.
I kept it aside and started with HeadFirst. I studied it post Headfirst and found it to be a very resourceful and easy to grasp.
Please make sure you read Glossary atleast once if not twice. It will be a real help.
Also, During my revision, I followed different pattern i.e. instead of going chapter by chapter, I went through all the processes based on the process group.
PMP Mock tests I took
I figured that mock tests will give me a sense of real exam, so I invested money and effort in this. I recommend not to neglect this part of your study.
- Oliver Lehmann – 75Q – 55% (25 days before exam) Free
- PMPforsure – 100 Q – 61% – Paid
- PM Study – 200Q – 69% Free
- Simplilearn – 200Q – 67% Free
- HeadFirst (download PDF)- 200Q – 79% Free
- PMPforsure – 200Q – 61% – Paid (Name has been changed to pmzest.com/)
- Oliver Lehmann – 175Q – 76% – 4 days before exam Free
- PMPforsure – 100Q (1 Day before exam) – 76% Paid
- Scordo – 800Q (Throughout Preparation)- 80% Free (Mid level difficult but excellent resource)
- PM Entrance – Free. I used it for a couple of days before the exam. Good Stuff.
- PM Exam Simulator (use coupon code OCT17 for 10% discount now) – Took Few Questions
- PreparePM – I could not actually attempt this test.
Also Read: Plethora of PMP study resources – Shiv’s curated list
My PMP Tips
- Register & apply as soon as you decide to take the exam. This will be one of the factors that will force you to focus towards PMP study. Trust me.
- Don’t try to go through multiple books to find the best one. Stick to PMBOK and one reference book (Rita, Headfirst etc).
- Practice as many PMP mock tests as you can. This will help you to understand the structure of the various type of questions and help you judge your exam preparation.
- Take few practice tests during same time of the day as your exam slot. For example, my exam was scheduled at 12:30 PM. I took all full-length practice exam during that period.
- Practice maths questions without fail.
- Focus on Quality & Procurement Knowledge Areas. Very Important.
- The exam is not tough but tricky. So don’t stress, just focus on learning concepts and taking practice tests.
- Don’t lose focus and time. Prepare your own timetable with a study plan. In my case, I wrote my 15 days study plan on white board and kept in my study room.
- READ EACH AND EVERY QUESTION VERY CAREFULLY. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. CHECK FOR “IS NOT”, “IS”, “IS NOT TRUE” “IS TRUE” etc.
- Read point #9 again.
That’s all I have to share.
I wish you all the success,
Mayank Bajpai, PMP
