Picture this:

Being a project manager when you were not getting good opportunities or your work didn’t get noticed, your dear friend told you about taking PMP certification. After joining the training, giving your blood and sweat, how would you feel when you couldn’t clear your exam due to a last-minute rush, despite sacrificing many good things.  

You might feel exhausted, demotivated, or you may think about switching your career to the greatest extent. But what if you get to know about some excellent tips, and when you apply them, you can clear your PMP certification on the first attempt.

You would be on cloud nine, thinking about a 25% hike in your current salary and full of new opportunities that keep knocking at your doorstep. The moment you embrace such opportunities, your work will start noticing, and you will be getting rewards for all your hard work.

We live for such moments, build self-identity, and don’t want their lives filled with beautiful moments.

But cracking the PMP exam is not easy unless you’re focused and acquainted with the latest exam pattern.

So this blog will throw light on the latest changes in PMP Syllabus and exam patterns, prerequisites, followed by five insane tips to clear your PMP certification in the first attempt.

Let’s dive in:

The PMI body, which conducts the PMP examinations throughout the world, is always in the research to bring the best and make the whole process robust for the new generation project managers.

Therefore, on June 30th, 2020, the PMI body released a statement that the last day to give the old version of the exam was December 31st, 2020. From January 2nd, 2021, everyone has to take PMP certification based on the newest pattern where agile concepts have the most weightage now.

The best part of PMP is that there are only 150 questions, and the time has been reduced from 250 minutes to 240 minutes. But when you see the other side, the questions are more challenging than the previous editions of PMP exam patterns. The focus is on three ECOs: People, Process, and Business environment, rather than the earlier five ECOs: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.

Prerequisites for PMP Examination Remains the Same After New Exam Pattern

But the prerequisites remain the same as earlier for the PMP certification. They are:

A secondary degree or its global equivalent, plus five years (7500 hours) of project management experience and 35 PDUs or more

Or

An undergraduate degree in project management or its global equivalent and a minimum of four years (4500 hours) of experience

So anyone who falls into either of the two categories is eligible for the PMP certification examination.

5 Insane Tips To Crack Your PMP Certification in the First Attempt 

Develop a Strategy That Works The Best For You 

 

Without a clear mindset, it’s always difficult to crack your PMP examination on the first attempt. Make sure you plan the whole thing and prepare to remain committed, and give your best effort. When you have a schedule, you stay dedicated, and it pushes you to be consistent.

It’s true, you will have office hours and a family to look after, but you can’t clear the PMP certification when you join the training and put zero effort from your end.

Create a plan with your mentor, dedicate an hour or more, and try to give 100% of what you plan to learn. If you pick two hours, make sure you give one and half hours to your new reading, and the rest 30 minutes to revise and try answering a few questions related to the topic.

Break down the entire syllabus into small targets, and stick to it. Track your everyday progress to know what’s remaining; it will encourage and push you never to give up.

Master PMBOK Guide Thoroughly At Least for Third Time

Why three times? Because the first time you read, you take the notes that you feel are important to you. The second time—you organize your notes better and add missing info that can cement your understanding. And your third read helps you summarize the whole book with minute chunks and remember the exact concepts that can help you solve any question infusing various ideas and getting concrete results.

Thus, finish your book reading at least three times before going for the first attempt. It is a healthy tip to get clear about questions you have to answer and how to respond.

Practice As Many Questions As Possible, Even Simulated Tests

When you have finished reading the book for the third time and get done with the training, the next focus is to solve as many questions as possible. Understand each question and the intention behind it; then, you can see your reasons will be more concrete, supporting your answers.

When you have hands-on experience with solving various questions, try out simulated tests to get real-time experience solving questions on a time basis. You’ll have effective time management when you finish 3-5 simulated tests. On the other hand, you can know your mistakes and rectify where you lag.

Use LinkedIn To Connect With Other PMP Certified Project Managers

LinkedIn is an excellent professional platform to build connections with people who matter a lot professionally. And when you connect with those people, you get two prime advantages with others. One, you get to know the industry inside out. And two, you get to meet thought leaders and imitate their footsteps to approach different projects.

Hold Your Nerve and Trust Your Journey and The Process

Sometimes there will be cases like you couldn’t stick to your routine, or you would like to give it a break. Or even your first simulated test didn’t go as you wanted it, or at your second mock test, you made some silly mistakes you shouldn’t have done.

In those difficult moments, hold your nerve and trust your journey. If you still insist on giving up, think about why you wanted to crack your PMP certification. Think about the career change you will witness with the best salary packages in the industry,

All these will help you to never look for a different option. On the other side, learn from your mistakes and prepare for the simulated tests before the final.

Final Words  

PMP is one of the best management certifications for project managers that opens many doors and opportunities once you crack it. Though the exam pattern is new, these five steps can help you prepare for PMP certification and clear in the first attempt.

Once you crack the exam, you will witness a different life; opportunities will start knocking at your doorstep. And even you will land the best job in the industry, having a rewarding career.