Preparing for PMP Certification

Preparing for PMP Certification

Organizations are increasingly accepting the Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential as a formal requirement for career progression. Individual project managers will also appreciate the possibility of confrontation of their knowledge and experience with the global standard. The successful exam and getting the certification PMP® is undoubtedly an essential factor in managing exciting and responsible projects under appropriate conditions. Getting a PMP® certification will help top project managers pull themselves out of the average to move their careers. The preparation for the exam helps to increase the experience. Another advantage is in broader knowledge of tools and procedures. The PMP® credential allows you to identify yourself in front of colleagues as someone who excels in project management. In this spirit, certification is understood, and certification has been completed by more than 100 000 project managers worldwide. The exam is the product of the Project Management Institute (PMI), a global professional organization of project managers. The pass of this test is recognized as evidence of the highest quality of preparation and experience.

Candidates interested in PMP® certification must meet several criteria divided into two categories. In the first category are candidates who have an education of at least a bachelor’s degree. They must demonstrate an active experience in project management of at least 4 500 hours and at least three years over the last eight years. In the second category, applicants with secondary education only have to demonstrate practice in project management of 7 500 hours and at least five years during the last eight years before applying. The standard requirement is the consent of the ethical code of the project manager (manifested in the form of signature) and to pass the exam. We will, of course, help prepare the necessary statements in case of interest. In addition to complying with the mandatory qualification requirements, you should know about project management optimally at the level of information contained in PMBOK®, before checking in and thus before registering for a certification course. Finally, you should be able to communicate in English at least to the extent that you can read the technical texts (especially PMBOK®), understand the question, and correctly understand the significance of the proposed answers.

About the test

The test is performed electronically on the computer and is held in an independent center. It consists of 200 questions with four answers. A large percentage of questions is called Situational, i.e., those that examine the knowledge of theory and its correct application and proper project management habits. There is a time limit of 4 hours on the exam, i.e., an average of 1.2 minutes per question, indicating that the candidate should have the theory and practice sufficiently experienced. The questions and answers are in English or some other languages. The PMP test fee is 555 USD for non-PMI members, for members is reduced to 405 USD.

Preparatory Course

We know that it is often tricky for heavily busy project managers to be off for three days, so we also organize intensive courses on the weekend. The duration of the course in working days is three days (two days are devoted to teaching and third to individual consultations), the intensive weekend course has the same range of hours, but is shortened to only two days. The maximum number of participants in the course is limited to 6 persons to ensure a truly individual approach. Preparation within the course focuses on the following headings:

• Recapitulation of the principles of project management according to PMBOK®,
• Familiarization with other topics that are not entirely covered by PMBOK® but are subject to testing (e.g., some methods of risk management),
• Adoption of methodologies, not enough used in Europe, although this should be the case (e.g., measurement of progress by added value)
• Introduction of methodologies, where certification is based on other practices than in the US (e.g., logistics),
• Tricks to choose the correct variant (linguistic etc.).

One of the essential training components is the opportunity to test the exam anywhen and anywhere. Each student receives a program that simulates the test several times on their computer (for more information see here). Questions differ slightly from those from actual tests, but it is verified that they are similar. When repeating the test, the questions change – we currently have about 2500 in the stock. But what is essential: for each answer, the student will immediately get detailed information whether he has answered correctly, why his answer is correct or wrong, and which is the correct answer. Each question provides information about why the right question is correct and why the wrong answer is wrong – and this explanation makes the program unique. Self-study with a test program simulating the exam proved to be a highly effective continuation of the preparatory course. It resulted in a hundred percent success in the actual exam. Here you can find a more detailed description of the program.

We do not compete with the competition in price but in quality. What differentiates this course from others? It is designed to lead to a successful exam pass on the first attempt! Therefore, it focuses primarily on what will lead to success in the test. It focuses on essential topics in terms of tests, not those that are “pleasant to teach”.

The basis for success in the exam is the knowledge of the standard Project Management Body of Knowledge, which is a piece of common knowledge. This knowledge is a condition for effective participation in the course, too. Participants will receive a handbook with recommendations for exam preparation and several games that consolidate and fix knowledge and information about project management processes. All these benefits are included in the price.

Some 140 participants have already successfully completed the course. See how the participants rated this course (the evaluation of the previous participants is here).

Price and dates of the preparatory course

The price is 950,-Euro per person plus VAT. The price does not include the cost of the exam itself or the eventual PMI membership fee. Please send us your request, and we will send you a course date near your location. Use our contact here.