How to Plan and utilize 4hours of PMP and other PMI Exams

If you are a good project manager, then defiantly you better understand the power of proper planning. If you plan well, things will go well hopefully.
You should also properly plan for the 4 hours of the pmp exam, if you are new test taker, you must be saying, man is this a joke, there are 4 hours and I have to complete 200 questions, very simple !!
We are sorry, its not that simple as you may be thinking.
There are no schedule breaks on the exam, which means, if you spend time in toilet or taking tea or any drinks or if you are a smoker and smoke a couple of cigarettes in one hour during the exam, the clock will not stopping ticking for you, and there are high chances that you may get short of time during the exam.
So isn’t it wise to plan the exam in advance and fully utilize the 4 hours of pmp exam.
You can plan it according to your project management skills but I will give you a couple of tips.
1: Distribute the questions on hours and minutes.
We know the pmp exam has 200 questions and 4 hours. So how to plan:
A: In hours:
1 hour = 50 questions
4 hours = 200 questions.
B: In Minutes:
1 hour= 60 minutes.
4 hours= 4*60= 240 minutes.
Means for every question, you have one point some seconds.
If you give one minute to one question
1 min= 1 question.
you still will have 40 minutes left.
2: Concentration.
This is very important to know about your psyche, if you are a type person that could concentrate through out the 4 hours of the exam and is normally distracted or loose concentration while taking breaks. Then do not take a break. But if you are opposite to the above then do take regular breaks, but again the breaks should be the plan breaks keeping in view point 1.
So it’s wise to plan in advance to what kind of strategy to adopt on the pmp exam and other pmi exams, so be on top and not getting short of time. This post is also one of the work in progress post and will be updated as I recall other strategies and also while receiving feedback from other professionals.
Now it’s your turn to answer below questions:
What strategy you had adopted when you were appearing for the pmp and other pmi exams.
What strategy have you planned for taking on the exam.

Tips for passing the PMP certification exam

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, sponsored by the Project Management Institute (PMI), is the most recognized and respected certification credential in the field of project management.
To achieve PMP certification, each candidate must satisfy all educational and experiential requirements established by PMI, agree to adhere to a code of professional conduct, and must demonstrate an acceptable and valid level of understanding and knowledge of project management. The PMP certification examination tests this knowledge. PMP-certified professionals must also demonstrate ongoing professional commitment to the project management field by satisfying PMI continuing certification requirements program.
Tips on taking the PMP exam
The PMP certification examination is a computer-based exam that is offered at PMI locations in the United States, Canada, and in other countries worldwide.
The exam is based on information from the entire project management body of knowledge. The “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK), which is published by PMI, provides an outline of the topics covered.
The four-hour exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions with four possible answers (a through d). The participant needs to correctly answer 137 of the questions (68.5%) to receive a passing grade. Because the exam is computer based, participants can find out how they scored by reading the detailed report on performance that is available when the exam is completed.
The examination covers the five groups of project management processes and professional responsibility. (See Figure A).
Figure A

Breakdown of Questions by Process Group Process Group Approximate Number of Questions Percentage Initiating 17 8.50 Planning 47 23.50 Executing 47 23.50 Controlling 46 23.00 Closing 14 7.00 Professional Responsibility 29 14.50

Questions on the PMP exam are grouped by project management processes.
The basic PMP exam is not industry specific. The PMI Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ), which tests your knowledge of a particular industry, can be added to certify your expertise in Information Technology Project Management, Establishing a Project Management Office, and Project Management in the Automotive Industry.
Tips for taking the PMP exam
Passing the PMP exam requires extensive preparation. Use the following tips and techniques as part of that preparation, which should also include developing a comprehensive understanding of the PMBOK concepts and terminology, practicing previous exam questions when possible, and attending a few project management-training courses.
Question-oriented tips

• There are certain questions that contain extra information. This information is irrelevant and it does not relate to the correct answer. Beware of such questions and remember it isn’t necessary to use all the information provided to answer the question.
• Each question has only one correct answer. You need to select the most appropriate answer. Beware of choices that represent true statements but are not relevant. Be sure to read all the options before you select any one.
• You need to answer the questions from a PMI perspective—not from your own perspective, which you acquired through experience. Remember that PMI is trying to present an ideal environment for project managers that might be different from your own experience.
• Beware of answer choices that represent generalizations, which may be characterized by words such as always, never, must, or completely; these are often the incorrect choices.
• Look out for choices that represent special cases. These choices tend to be correct and are characterized by words such as often, sometimes, may, generally, and perhaps.
• The correct answer may not be grammatically correct.

PMI concept-oriented tips

• The project manager takes an active approach to the job by not waiting until a risk materializes and becomes a problem. This is an extremely important concept that might affect many questions on an exam. The project manager does not escalate problems to upper management or to the customer before fully analyzing them and identifying options. When answering a question related to what the project manager should do in a specific situation, you should rephrase the question to: What is the first thing the project manager will do given such a situation and given his or her proactive nature?
• Assume that lessons learned and historical databases are available. This might not be true in a real life situation.
• PMI does not approve adding extra functionality without benefits or gold plating.
• Project managers have all kinds of soft and hard skills.
• The Work Breakdown Structures (WBSs) are wonderful tools.
• Roles and responsibilities need to be properly defined.

General tips

• You should memorize all formulas, especially the Earned Value and PERT.
• Practice eliminating the completely implausible options first.
• There is no penalty for guessing; thus, do not leave any question blank.
• There will always be those situations where you have no idea what the question is asking. Use educated guessing to select the most appropriate option. Remember, you have only 80 seconds for each question. If you do not know the answer of a question, mark it and move on and revisit it later if you have time.
• Answer the questions based on the PMBOK concepts first, then consider your experience. If they are in conflict, the PMBOK wins.

Who recognizes the PMP certification?
Major companies and government agencies worldwide recognize the PMP certification. Several Fortune 1000 companies demand that all of their employees or subcontractors that are engaged in project management activities should be PMPs. In other words, the PMP certification has become a market differentiator; companies that do not have PMP certification programs are at a competitive disadvantage.
Some of the major companies that support project management certification include AT&T, Bell South, Bell Core, Bell Atlantic, US West, Motorola, GSK, Novartis, Citibank, IBM, EDS, HP, ABB, Pacer International, Barclays, Microsoft, BBC, NCR, Eurotel, Shell, BP, and many others. Government agencies supporting PMP certification include the U.S. Defense Systems Management College, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Canada’s Department of National Defense.

PMP Application Details

After registering with the PMI Website you’ll need to enter your information to verify that you meet the PMP eligibility requirements/prerequisites above. Once submitted, most applications are reviewed and approved within 5 business days.
The PMP application has a number of sections. Most sections are self-explanatory but a couple sections require more attention.
1. Contact Address – Basic contact information < />
2. Contact Email and Phone – Preferred email and phone contact information
3. Attained Education – Submit information about highest level of education attained
4. Requirements – Submit information about highest level of education attained. You must meet the PMP prerequisites listed in the PMI PMP Handbook.
Overview – Summary of PMP Requirements

• Worksheet – Summary of Qualified PM Experience Months, PM Experience Hours, and PM Education Hours. This information is pulled from your PM Experience and PM Education information below
• PM Experience – This is the main section to qualify your experience for the
• Candidate provides the Project Title, Date, Total Hours, and Direct Role for each project submitted. You will need to submit enough projects to qualify for 36 months of non-overlapping project management experience and the total project hours based on education level attained.
• PM Education – List completed project management education information
• Candidate provides the Course Title, Institution name (must be a PMI REP!), Course start date, Course end date, Total hours, and Qualifying hours for each educational activity. You will need to submit enough projects to qualify for 36 months of non-overlapping project management experience and the total project hours based on education level attained.
• Please note – you will need to earn your PDUs BEFORE you apply for the PMP. cPrime Training Center is a proud Educational Provider and provides PDUs for every course.

5. Optional Information – Referral (if any) and if you’ve taken a PMP Preparation course presented by a PMI chapter
6. Certificate - Enter your name as you would like it on your PMP Certificate
7. Agreement - Review and accept the PMI Certification Application/Renewal Agreement
8. Review & Submit - Review the summary of each section and verify that you meet the qualifications.

10 Suggestions for PMP Aspirants

First of all congrats for those all aspiring to be a PMP… for it is a great certification and also a greater responsibility when you handle projects.
Here are the guidelines.
1. Register in PMI.ORG site for PMI membership by paying around 130
2. Being a PMI member will get you access to PMBOK handy guide which is very helpful for PMP.
3. Then contact any local PMP training centers…I did attend the boot camp with www.knowledgehut.com class in Singapore which was very good. The material and guidance given was great.
4. Now is the time you can buy books to assist you in your preparation. I would recommend Andy Crowe’s PMP Pass on First Try or Rita for reference. PMI site itself got lots of books and being a PMI Member gets you free access to 24*7 book store where you can find reference material on subjects like Risk Planning, Earn Value Management and Procurement
5. Once your finish attending mandatory training (boot camp) with any of the quality training providing institutions (my favorite is knowledgehut), please register for the exam having a date in mind. Check the PMI site for exam fee details.
6. Exam application itself is a lengthy process for you to map all your relevant project experience and education evaluation and the 35 hours mandatory course certificate you get from the boot camp. So have your details drafted out clearly as you start filling in the application form.
7. Now that you set your D Date in calendar and pay the exam fee to the nearest centre through prometric website. Concentrate on your preparation
8. Read the 42 processes in the given order carefully. Concentrate and recognize the flow of each process and their inputs and outputs along with tools and techniques. Once you are done with it, write down the formulas at least 5 times to memorize. This will help you during the exam
9. Read PMBOK study material thoroughly once
10. Now is the time to take the online practice exams with 4 hours for 200 questions. Take this practice test seriously, for these tests help you get used to the exam tension. Check the online knowledgehut Mock Exams.
The Day before the exam, relax, read the process chart, formulas, glossary for definitions, eat well, and sleep early.
On the day of the exam, keep yourself tension free, eat a good breakfast and schedule a exam around noon so that you will have time to revise your formulas and processes chart and head to your exam centre well in advance. Don’t forget to take your photo id card and the exam letter you received from the prometric centre. Besides everything put your experience and common sense and attention to best use for it will help clear PMP on first try with your preparation and experience.
During the exam, try taking a break for 2-3 minutes after every 1 hour. This will not only help you get refreshed but also help you concentrate better during the rest of the exam. Try not getting distracted with anything around you. Use the tutorial time to brain dump any formulas or processes that you would like to refer during exam in the sheets given to you in the examination centre. Maintain utmost integrity and fullest attention in the best of 4 hours of your life that would bring in the most valued and cherished three letters behind your name: PMP!!!

Should I put PMP after my name?

Once one obtains their PMP, also known as Project Management Professional status, the question is how do I let others know I now have this status? The 4 main places are:
1. Your business card. Once you obtain your PMP status order up some new business cards
2. The signature line in your email address. I would also recommend including an embedded hyperlink to your LinkedIn page.
3. The signature line or username on various websites you visit (message boards, LinkedIn, Face book, Twitter)
4. In your resume after your name, and within the education section.
PMP status not only means you passed a test, it means you have been managing (or working as a team member) projects for several years and that you are willing to continue with continuing education to keep that status. This is also part of branding yourself.