How to Get PMP or CAPM Certified
Blueprint to passing your PMP or CAPM in 6 weeks
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THANK YOU
for being here!
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Meet Sulagno Das Chowdbury
• Passed his PMP in 2.5 weeks
• Consultant for a major insurance
company
• Attended this free training and took
action immediately
• Promoted to team lead
Meet Brian Burnett
• VP at Recycled Energy Corporation
• “Last Friday I took my PMP exam and passed
it. My training from ExamsPM was very
helpful and enabled me to pass the exam on
my first try. I began my training four weeks
ago and in that time I took the online training,
practiced with the online exams, applied to PMI to
be qualified to take the exam, and then took it. I
think your online experience is of very high
quality. Thank you very much for the great
training!”
Here’s What You Will Learn
• How the PMP/CAPM certification can help advance your career or
land your dream job.
• How to read the process chart properly
• Tricks to remember the PMBOK ITTOs 10X faster.
• How to fill in your PMP application and write your project
descriptions.
• How to choose the correct answer on your PMP exam
• How to get PMP/CAPM certified in 6 weeks or less
Can you relate to this?
• PMBOK is tough to read
• I don’t have time to study!
• I don’t know where to start
• I’m scared of failing the exam
• I don’t know how to balance home and work and studies
I often have test takers tell me that after they
read the PMBOK, they are totally confused and
have no idea what they just read.
"How the !@#$ do I remember any of this!?
Helena, everything sounds the same. I
read the whole thing and learned nothing
cause it's all so confusing in my head."
I’m going to show you the
fastest route to get certified.
You CAN do it.
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Before After
grab a pen and paper
Helena Liu,
[Link]., PMP
“As a project manager and business analyst/architect with 20 years
of professional experience, the subtle change I have noticed during
this economic recession applies to the level of scrutiny by which job
applicants are screened.
Having a combination of hard and soft skills coupled with
academic degrees typically opens doors and affords qualified
candidates opportunity. However, during this employment malaise,
the PMP continues to be a sought after credential, but only when
complemented with a particular industry experience.”
- Peter J. Harty, PMP, Change Manager
“I changed jobs last year and it was really easier then I ever imagined.
Now, I'm trying to change jobs again, and all the interviews and
opportunities are really good because I have the PMP credential. I
work with IT Projects in Brazil, and here, it's been really important for
companies to have project professionals certified by PMI.
This credential is getting an increased value within companies of all sizes. I
feel I made the best choice in my professional life when I decided to
become a PMP. We are sought, valued and respected.”
- Patrícia Couto, PMP
“I do believe it is worth it. Getting PMP certified has certainly helped me to get
hired for project management jobs, and will continue to help me throughout my
career, whether or not I choose to continue to work as a project manager.
I’ve met many great people interested in the field of project management by
involving myself with PMI activities and events, and have enjoyed learning more
about the doctrine of project management.
Putting PMP after my name in my email signature has given me some extra
credibility when dealing with clients, and has also sparked discussions about
project management with my peers. And looking back, I am proud of the time and
effort that I spent preparing for and passing the PMP examination.”
- Brian Crawford, PMP
Source: [Link]
“Using data sourced from job
aggregators [Link] and
[Link], 10.4% of employer-
posted Project Manager positions
require a PMP certification. "
PMP and CAPM makes you a
better perceived project manager.
HR managers perceive PMP-certified
project managers to be more capable
because they’ve spent the time and money
to go through the certification process.
You are probably
wondering, “How can I do
this for myself?”
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Agenda
Basic Exam Information
PMP Exam Eligibility
If you have a Bachelor’s degree If you have a High school diploma
3 years of PM experience 5 years of PM experience
4,500 hours of leading and directing 7,500 hours of leading and directing
projects projects
35 contact hours of formal PM 35 contact hours of formal PM
education education
PMP Exam Information
• 200 questions
• 175 marked and 25 unmarked
• 4 Hours to complete
• You can be Proficient, Moderately proficient, or Below proficient in
each Process Group
• Language aids available
Language Aids
• Arabic • French
• Hebrew • Russian
• Brazilian Portuguese • German
• Italian • Spanish
• Chinese (Simplified) • Turkish
• Japanese • Korean
• Chinese (Traditional)
PMP Exam Breakdown
CAPM Exam Eligibility
1500 hours of experience
High school diploma
+
23 Contact Hours
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CAPM Exam Breakdown
Agenda
Understanding and Memorizing the Process Chart in 10 Mins
10 Knowledge Areas
Integration
I
Scope Saw
Schedule Six
Cost Cars
Quality
Quickly
Resources
Rip
Communications
Carol’s
Risk
Rear
Procurement
Passenger
Stakeholders Side
Other Way to Memorize the Knowledge Areas
• “I Scoped Schedule, Cost, and Quality with Resources Communications as
Risk on Procurements to Stakeholders”
• “I Suddenly Saw Crows Quietly Reading Code and Referring to Poetic Songs”
• “Integrating Scope and Schedule will Cost our Quality Resource to
Communicate with Risk of Procuring Stakeholders”
• “I Suddenly Saw Cat. Quick! Romeo Can Run Pretty Swiftly”
• “I Saw Six Cars Quickly Rap Carol’s Rear Passenger Side”
5 Process Groups
Initiating In
Planning Physical
Executing Education
Monitoring & Controlling Mary Cries
Closing Constantly
The Phone Number Technique
766-436-3734
Fill in the corners
M-C-C-C-C-C-M-M-C-M
Agenda
Understanding the ITTOs
Plan Scope Management
• Determine • Document • Plan how
how scope how scope scope is
is defined is validated controlled
Scope Management Plan
Plan Scope Management
Inputs Tools & Outputs
• Project Techniques • Scope
management • Expert management
plan judgment plan
• Project charter • Data analysis • Requirements
• EEF • Meetings management
• OPA plan
Agenda
How to Fill in Your Application
Submit Your PMP Application
To start your application, go to
[Link]
The first portion of your application is
quite mechanical
Enter Your Identification Information
<insert screenshot>
Determining Your Hours
• Can be tricky when your projects happened a few years back
• Do a high level estimate
• Make sure your contact person (manager) agrees with your estimate
The 3 Step Process to Writing Winning Project Descriptions
Winning Formula for Project Descriptions
Step 1: First sentence should briefly describe the project and
your role on the project
Step 2: 2nd - 6th sentence should describe the tasks you’ve
accomplished within each of the 5 process groups
Step 3: Brief outcome of the project
Use PMI Terminologies
Before Edit
"The project is an ongoing project where I am required to be part of the
initiating stages, extensive input during the planning stages, fully responsible
for the execution of the project, partly responsible controlling and closing out
the projects. The project varies from network planing to new software
development. I am responsible for ensuring that all internally developed and
outsourced mission critical applications within the organization are
operational at all times and required to design, build, test and deploy new
applications."
After Edit
“This project automates the company's manual process for accepting work
requests. My colleague and I defined the scope of the system, created
delivery schedule, conducted weekly update meetings. We also procured
service providers to launch the web portal. When the project ended, I helped
create an online knowledge-base to archive all pertinent documents and
reusable codes. The end result is an online information management
system.”
Agenda
Choosing the Right Answer
Here’s a secret I want you to know
The PMP certification has
grown popularity and
prestige over the years
PMI has more resources
and people working on
certification development
than ever before
The group who are
responsible for updating
the PMBOK guide is
different from the group
responsible for developing
exam questions (the RDS).
The test writers are
interpreting the PMBOK
just like you!
There is a disconnect between
the PMBOK guide and the exam!
You must do as many practice
questions as possible!
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Minimum = 1000 questions with 2 full length exams
Suggested = 1500 questions with 3+ full length exams
Target score = 80%+
The FISK Method
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Types of Questions You’ll See
Formulas Interpretational
Situational Knowledge
FISK
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Formula Questions
• Windows-based calculator provided
• E.g. EVM or Procurement
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Interpretational Questions
• Interpret values and understand the implications
• E.g. What does it mean for the project is earned value > planned
value?
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Situational Questions
• Apply theory to real life situations
• You will be given a situation and you have to identify what’s relevant
and what is not
• Usually long-winded
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Knowledge Questions
• Demonstrate your knowledge of project management
• E.g. what is Pareto? WBS?
Test Taking Strategies
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Strategies to Choose the Correct Answer
• Think first • Unfamiliar
• Answer first • First impression
• Eliminate • Calculate first
• Skip • Guess
• Absolutes
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Think First
• Read the question and come up with the answer in your head before
looking at the answers provided
• No need to allow the wrong answers to crowd your head
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Answer First
• Read the answers first
• Then read the last sentence of the question
• Then read the entire question
• Works best for long winded situational questions
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Eliminate
• Drop the wrong answers
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Skip
• Sometimes, the correct answer to one question is given away by
another question
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Absolutes
• Be wary of absolutes (e.g. always, never, none, all)
• When are things done ALL the time or NONE of the time?
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Unfamiliar
• If you see a term you’ve never seen in the PMBOK or your prep
course, it is probably just there to confuse you.
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Calculate First
• If it’s a formula question, list out all of your variables, compare it to
your formulas, apply the formula to the numbers you have, and check
if your answer matches one that is in the answers.
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First Impression
• If you are unsure, go with your first impression
• Only change your answer if you are really sure
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When all else fails… Guess!
• Don’t leave anything blank
• There is no negative marking
Agenda
Create a Study Plan
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How to Pass Your PMP in 6 Weeks
Step #1: Watch lecture
Step #2: Read PMBOK chapter (optional)
Step #3: Do chapter practice questions
Step #4: Repeat until all modules are completed
Step #5: Do full length practice exams (at least 2)
