Preparing for an exam requires a lot of time, effort and patience. The Project Management Professional exam is a tough exam and requires a lot of effort and hard work. You will have to prepare for months to pass this exam. There is a lot of data and knowledge which you will have to learn along with the practical application of the information. Let’s not forget about the fact that PMP is one of the fastest growing certifications globally, the number of aspirants is on a rise so, you need to keep this in your mind that there is a tough competition going on. Let’s discuss some important tips for PMP Exam preparation.
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Master the PMBOK Guide
The PMBOK guide is published by PMI. It contains all the conceptual knowledge you need to have. Divide the book in different parts and sub-parts and make a goal to complete one part every week. Start with the PMBOK guide and then move on to other study materials. It will improve your understanding of each topic. Other guides teach the same topics from different angles. So, going through everything again and again will make you a master of the topics. Prepare a plan for daily and weekly milestone. Don’t just memorize everything. Focus on concepts because the PMP exam tests how can you apply these concepts and ideas in various scenarios. After finishing the PMP guide don’t jump on re-revising it. Take a break and start again it will help you capture better. You also need to be up to date with new project management concepts.
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Refer to other guides
The other guides available in market are also very useful as PMBOK mostly focus on conceptual knowledge and theory of facts therefore a good PMP textbook is required. Good study materials will help you pass the exam with ease. There are practical questions in the exam which tests your ability to apply your knowledge in real life difficult scenarios. Many study materials start from the basics which is good for you as you will be able to understand the processes better.
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Attend PMP Exam Preparation Workshops
PMP exam preparation workshops will result in being very helpful to you. You will meet many other PMP aspirants and sharing thoughts and advice will be beneficial. These workshops usually fulfill the 35 hours of training course which is a prerequisite for taking the PMP exam.
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Practice Questions and Write Mock Tests
Practice variety of questions. There are different types of questions in exam – short and direct, lengthy, formula based, scenario based, etc. Solving practice questions will help you identify all the different kinds of questions. Just the theory will not be of much use you need to get a grip of practical questions too. As you know the exam is 4 hours long and consists of 200 questions of different difficulty levels. Write practice sets and get an overall idea of the exam and how well you’ve prepared for it.
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PMP Exam simulator
A simulator will make sure you gain conceptual as well as practical knowledge. It gives you an experience same as the real exam day. The question pattern and proportion will be same as PMP Exam. PMP exam simulator are up to date and is professionally designed.
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Managing Time
It is important to manage your time during preparation of the exams. Prepare schedules and timetable accordingly. Prepare the study schedule well before time so you can adjust the timing if you will be busy on a certain day. Plan ahead. Don’t sit and study for hours continuously it will not be very fruitful instead take breaks after each hour. This way your body will be relaxed and you will absorb the topics better. While taking mock tests keep in mind the time limit and try to complete the exam within 2 hours. You will develop a habit of completing the exam in time.
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Participate in study groups and discussion
Join a study group of PMP certification aspirants. You can ask them for help if you have a doubt in a particular question. It will save your time, you need not to spend time researching and finding answers. This mutual help will be beneficial for all the members. You can also keep updating each other if you get to know about any new programs or new changes in the course. It will become easier for you all to prepare for the exams.