What is PMP Certification ?

Free Sample PMP Certification Quiz

What is PMP Certification

Many would agree that experience is the best teacher and that remembering a task you’ve done is a lot easier than remembering one you’ve only read about. There are a lot of PMP certification preparation guides that have hundreds of pages of text that just doesn’t seem to make any sense. A lot of project managers who don’t have much experience in the field of project management may find those books difficult or even impossible to understand. The best thing you can do to prepare for the Project Management Professional exam is practice, practice, and practice. No matter how many project management courses you attend or PMP books you read, the best way to remember the information you will need during the test is to solve as many practice tests and questions as possible.

A lot of websites sell sample PMP exam questions that can be quite expensive, so if you’re just looking for a free Project Management Professional certification quiz you can take to see how well you’re prepared for test day, then you need to try and solve the following short quiz:

Quiz:

1. What are the cost types in modern quality management?
a) Costs of good quality – costs of bad quality
b) Planning costs – assurance costs – control costs
c) Planning costs – doing costs – checking costs – act
d) Prevention costs – appraisal costs – failure costs

2. You recently took over the assignment for a project. The project charter has been developed. What is an appropriate next step for you?
a) Develop the risk register.
b) Develop the project milestone schedule.
c) Develop management plans.
d) Get approval for the project management plan.

3. Being assigned as a project manager, you noticed during executing that conflicts arise in the team on both, technical and interpersonal level. What is an appropriate way of handling conflicts?
a) Conflicts distract the team and disrupt the work rhythm. You should always smooth them when they surface.
b) A conflict should be handled in a meeting so that the entire team can participate in solution finding.
c) Conflict should be addressed early and usually in private, using a direct, collaborative approach.
d) You should use your coercive power to quickly resolve conflicts and then focus on goal achievement.

4. The concept of the _________ states that changes related to one requirement—scope, time or cost—will at least influence one other element.
a) Three-point estimation
b) Triple constraint
c) Three wise men
d) Three needs theory

5. What does the term Best practice often refer to?
a) A standardized set of deliverables, like plans, reports, and checklists.
b) A set of Tools and techniques that a project manager should master.
c) The concept of State of the art applied to project management.
d) A specific sequence of work, described in terms of Soft logic.

6. The Communications management plan is a document, which includes descriptions of:
a) Project level performance reports
b) Activity level status reports
c) Stakeholder communication requirements
d) Responsibility assignments

7. _________ are/is usually not a manifestation of unique organizational cultures and styles.
a) Shared visions, values, norms, beliefs, and expectations
b) Individual traits and attitudes of co-workers
c) View of authority relationships
d) Policies, methods, and procedures

8. Which of the following is generally not regarded as an element of active listening:
a) Making eye contact
b) Paraphrasing
c) Interpreting the information
d) Interrupting when appropriate

9. When should Lessons learned be organized?
a) During the project lifecycle and at the end.
b) At the end of the project during closing.
c) After the end of the project at a project post-mortem meeting.
d) Lessons learned can be organized when there is time available.

10. According to Bruce Tuckmann, which are the stages of team development?
a) Honeymoon, rejection, regression, acceptance, re-entry
b) Forming, storming, norming, performing
c) Tell, sell, consult, join
d) Direct, support, coach, delegate

Answers:
1. (d) Monitoring and controlling
2. (c) Planning
3. (c) Executing
4. (b) Executing
5. (d) Executing
6. (c) Planning
7. (b) Project life cycle and organization
8. (d) Planning
9. (a) Executing
10. (b) Executing

What is the PMBOK Guide? – PMBOK Guide Overview

What is PMP Certification

There’s a lot of good information online that will help you get your PMP certification. There is also a lot of confusing information as well. One of the titles every single project manager is bound to hear of sooner or later in their career is the PMBOK Guide. A lot of project managers don’t really understand what this guide is. Some of them think it is a PMP prep guide, others believe that to get the PMP certification you will need to pass an exam on PMBOK, which can be studied for in the PMBOK Guide. Others may even think that it is a book on project management or PM case studies. Well, the PMBOK Guide isn’t anything like that at all.

PMBOK Guide Overview

The PMBOK Guide (A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge) is a book published by the Project Management Institute which includes the standards and guidelines of project management. The PMBOK Guide is intended to be a reference guide for every topic related to project management. This guide is intended to provide project managers worldwide with a standard set of guidelines and rules with the purpose of standardizing all project management practices around the world.

You have to understand that you will not find any PMP training or project management tips or exercises in this book. The other thing you need to know if you’re going to be taking your PMP exam soon is that the PMBOK Guide does not cover everything you need to know for the test! Also, you need to know that the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is different from the PMBOK Guide. The Project Management Body of Knowledge is simply the body of all knowledge that has to do with project management standards. The PMBOK Guide simply covers as much of that knowledge as possible in an easy-to-read format.

You can’t learn anything about from project management from the PMBOK Guide, nor will you be able to use it to study for the PMP test. Project Management Professionals only use the PMBOK Guide as a reference which helps them look up certain facts they need. Experienced project managers will not find the information in the guide very difficult to understand, while beginners in the field of project management may find it difficult to understand anything from the book.

So if you were previously thinking of buying the PMBOK Guide to study for the Project Management Professional Certification exam or learn a few things about project management, don’t. Unless you have at least a few years of experience in managing high level projects and a solid educational background in project management, you won’t understand much of the text.

PMI publishes a new version of the PMBOK Guide every four years, along with other project management standards and frameworks books.

Project Management by Harold Kerzner

What is PMP Certification

Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by Harold Kerzner is one of the most popular and comprehensive project management books in the world. Dr. Harold Kerzner has trained thousands of people in the field of project management through his numerous courses, seminars, speeches, and books. His most popular book to date, Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling serves as an excellent project management reference and training guide for the PMP exam. The book is uses an easy to follow style that makes it suitable for project managers with all levels of experience.

Kerzner provides compelling explanations for every topic covered in the book and uses logical reasoning to make you understand why certain questions have certain answers. One of main issues people have with Harold’s book is that it is too long and that it doesn’t contain enough real life case studies. In other words: it’s boring. Many believe that it can’t be used as a PMP study guide and that it should only be used as reference because of its length. But Harold never intended it to be a quick study guide for you to read before taking the exam. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a book about project management that covers almost every single topic on the subject, then this is the book for you.

Harold later released a book which contains only real life cases and scenarios to address the issue people had with his first book. Experienced project managers will see the use of Harold’s reference book when they are facing a problem at work and need a quick answer from the book.

If you’re looking for a guide that focuses specifically on the PMP exam and doesn’t go into much detail, then Harold’s book may not be for you. But if you’d rather just buy one big book that contains practically every single topic and subject on project management than buy multiple small ones, then you will be doing yourself a great favor by purchasing Harold’s book.

Conclusion: Harold Kerzner’s Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling is an excellent project management reference for project managers of all levels. However, it is not a good choice for anybody who is looking for a self-study PMP certification guide to prepare for the Project Management Professional certification exam.

PMP Exam Study Guide Review

What is PMP Certification

PMP Exam Study Guide by Kim Heldman is a comprehensive 650 page PMP certification preparation book that has practical advice and tips on how to pass the exam. This well known study guide uses a variety of proven techniques to make sure you understand how all the information you learn can be applied on the job. The book uses real word scenarios and examples to show you how each topic covered is relevant to a project manager’s daily activities and duties.

A lot of project managers would agree that the most difficult part of becoming Project Management Professionals is finding the best way to study and prepare for the PMP exam. The overload of information caused by the enormous amount of prep books and training courses makes the process of preparing for the PMP test a lot harder than it really is.

Kim Heldman PMP Exam Study Guide follows an organized approach to introducing the required material so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of information intake at any time. Sample questions and exercises appear at the end of each chapter to reinforce the key topics you’ve learned and to help you decide if you’re ready to move on to the next chapter.

The book also makes use of tear cards that show you where each topic for the official exam can be found in the book. The biggest bonus to Heldman’s guide is the CD that accompanies the book. This CD includes the entire book in PDF, searchable format, all the PMP mock tests, questions, and answers, and over 2 hours of audio which aims to help you master certain project management skills.

One problem with Kim’s book though is the immense amount of information it contains. Some project managers may find this useful and consider a reference book, others who don’t have much time to prepare for the PMP exam will probably find it a bit too much to go through.

As long as you still have a few months before you exam test date, going through this book and solving all the exercises and questions is highly recommended. Studying from the largest amount of books and taking more than one PMP training course is vital if you’re serious about passing the test on your first time.

The skills and knowledge you acquire while preparing for the test will also greatly benefit you at work as well, so the best way to not feel bad about “wasting” too much money on prep guides and courses is to consider the time and money you spend an investment.

Conclusion: Kim Heldman’s PMP Exam Study Guide is one of the most comprehensive Project Management Professional certification training books available and is highly recommended for anyone who has sufficient time to prepare for the PMP test and would like to make sure he is getting all the knowledge he needs.

PMP Certification, A Beginner’s Guide Book Review

What is PMP Certification

PMP Certification, A Beginner’s Guide is a PMP preparation book by George Angel which has been used by hundreds of project managers around the world to prepare for the PMP certification exam. Angel is a PMP with over 30 years of experience in the project management field and is the founder of a project management training and consulting business.

Finding a good book to study from for the PMP exam can be quite difficult because of the large number of options available. You can go for training courses, online programs, bootcamps, or simply the route of self-studying to prepare yourself for PMIs exam. The cheapest and most comfortable option a lot of project managers decide to take is studying alone at their own pace which gives them the ability to focus their efforts on the topics they find most difficult. When taking a course with other people you may find yourself unable to keep up with them, which is why a lot of project managers prefer to study on their own.

PMP Certification, A Beginner’s Guide covers the material in the PMBOK Guide and includes highly detailed information on the most important project management processes and knowledge areas. The book uses proven strategies to teach you how you can take a project from the beginning stages to its successful completion.

George uses a real-life case study throughout the book to relate key topics to a real life scenario where they are used. The book is split into several sections like Ask the Expert which includes a bunch of bonus tips and material that is very helpful and the Try This section which provides you with exercises that use a hands on approach to show you how the skills you learned can be applied on the job.

Conclusion: Using real life examples to simplify key topics and material, PMP Certification, A Beginner’s Guide is easily one of the top Project Management Professional certification books that any project manager will find useful, whether their aim is to receive the PMP certification or to simply review certain ideas and subjects and brush up on their knowledge.

Ultimate PMP Exam Prep Guide Review

What is PMP Certification

PMIs PMP certification is one of the most popular credentials in the world and one of the toughest to obtain as well. The only way to receive this credential is to pass the official PMP certification exam by PMI which is composed of 200 questions and is 4 hours long. Hundreds of training programs and preparation books can be bought online or found in bookstores due to the popularity of this certification. There’s also a lot of training bootcamps that go for upwards of $2,000 that can help prepare you for this exam. The majority of project managers usually go for the self-study path of preparation and learn the material they need at home by solving exercises and sample PMP mock exams.

One of these popular choices is Timothy Bergmann Wes Balakian’s Ultimate PMP Exam Prep Guide, a project management book that provides you with the information and tips you need to pass the PMP exam on your first go. Timothy is world-known speaker and trainer who has over 30 years of experience in project management and has created several PMP preparation courses and books which have been used by thousands all over the world.

Wes Balakian Ultimate PMP Exam Prep Guide was written based upon the exact teaching techniques used in project management classrooms which gave students a 99% pass rate on the PMP exam. The book follows the latest PMBoK Guide very closely to ensure that you learn the essential topics and concepts needed for the PMP test.

Ultimate PMP Exam Prep Guide provides you with the required material in an easy-to-understand style and includes a large number of sample questions and tests to help you get a feel for the real test. Solving sample PMP questions is a great way to really see what you need to focus on for test day and is the preferred training method for thousands of project managers.

The best thing you can do when looking for books on project management is to not limit yourself to one or two but instead keep your options open and purchase multiple books and prep guides. Why? Firstly because there is no single “perfect” guide that covers all the material on the subject of project management, and secondly because each book covers the material in a different style. For example, you may purchase 10 books but find that only one of them uses a style that makes it easy for you to understand.

Conclusion: Wes Balakian’s book is a great way to prepare for the Project Management Professional certification exam for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on expensive PMP training seminars but still wants to get the information needed for the test.

Six Steps to Becoming a PMP

What is PMP Certification

There are hundreds of websites and resources that offer information and tips on how to pass the PMP certification exam, but one of the most common problem project managers face is not knowing where to start. Hundreds of project management training websites and programs exist that will help you pass the PMP exam, but almost none of them guide you through the process from start to finish.

Earning a PMP certification is well worth the time and effort you spend on preparing for the test and satisfying the requirements. You will acquire a bunch of new skills after doing some formal training which will help you solve a lot of everyday problems a lot more quickly. In addition to learning new techniques, you will also become more respected by others in your field and will be able to find a high paying job more easily
Before going ahead a buying every book and course you can find, you need to make sure that you satisfy the Project Management Professional certification requirements set by PMI. These educational requirements and professional requirements must be met before you can apply for the PMP certification.

As long as you follow the next 6 steps, you should have your PMP in about 4 months. Not everyone studies at the same rate or is able to comprehend specific material equally, so it might take you more or less than that depending on your experience and strength of will. There is no doubt that you will need to train for the test though if you’re thinking about passing.

Step One: The first thing you need to do immediately is sign up for a PMI membership. The PMP exam fee is cheaper for members and you will also get access to the PMBOK Guide which you will be needing anyways. You’ll also receive access to a lot of useful resources and project management publications that will help you with you preparation.

Step Two: The second thing you need to do is fulfill the 35 project management contact hours prerequisite. There are several ways you can do this that range from $100 online courses to $2,500 7-day bootcamps. If you ask a lot of managers their opinion on this matter, they would definitely tell you to go for the $189 Management Square online course which will really prepare you for the exam and give you the 35 contact hours required. The Management Square’s PMP online course is the most economical and practical option to earn your contact hours and study the required material for the test.

Step Three: After completing steps one and two, you need to apply for the PMP certification online using PMIs online application system. This is just an application to show PMI that you satisfy all the requirements and are eligible to receive the certification. It will take approximately one week before PMI accepts or denies your application, after that you will receive an email instructing you to pay the examination fee and select a test date.

Step Four: Once your application has been accepted, you will have one year to take the exam. Spots are limited and get filled up pretty quickly, so the earlier you book your spot, the better. Booking at least two months in advance will give you enough time to get the proper project management training and study the material you‘ll need for the test.

Step Five: The fifth step will require the most work and time on your part. Now that your exam date has been scheduled, you need to start studying for the PMP exam. Get as much training as you can and solve as many sample PMP questions and mock tests you can get your hands on. Make sure you create an effective study plan while taking your test date into consideration. You wouldn’t want test day to come and not be prepared.

Step Six: Take the exam. After months of preparation and studying, it’s now time for you to take the exam. This is a 4 hour long exam with 200 questions, and although the exact passing score is not known, you should score at least 80% of the questions correctly to pass.

That’s it! Just follow those six simple steps above and you should have your PMP certification in a few months time from now. Now go ahead and start out with step #1 and be sure to check out our other PMP training articles and tips.

The PMP Exam Book Review

What is PMP Certification

There are hundreds of PMP training courses and exam guides available that all claim they will help you pass the exam on your first try. A project manager with just a few months of experience may find it very difficult to choose the best prep guide because there are so many options and opinions out there. One of the most popular choices among project mangers is Andy Crowe’s PMP in Depth prep guide. Andy Crowe is a Project Management Professional who has helped thousands of aspiring project managers become certified through this training programs and exam study guides.

PMP in Depth is rated 4.5/5 on Amazon based on hundreds of ratings and reviews, so it is definitely an excellent buy if you’re looking for the short answer of whether you should get it or not. Keep reading if you’re looking for a more in-depth overview of what you’ll find inside.

This book is among the most comprehensive sources of PMP test preparation available and walks you through everything you need to know about the PMP certification exam and how to pass it. Thorough explanations of project management subjects and highly detailed notes of key project management tasks are also included in this popular prep guide.

Like many other PMP books, The PMP Exam by Andy Crowe uses hundreds of sample exam questions and exercises to drill the information into your mind making it practically impossible to forget. All the process, inputs, outputs, and tools are covered in great detail throughout the book which follows PMI’s PMBOK Guide very closely to ensure you will know all the material needed for the test.

Andy Crowe does a very good job at structuring his book in a way that makes learning the material an almost intuitive process while making sure you learn everything you’ll need to know to pass the test on your first attempt.

The book includes a PMP mock exam at the end to test your knowledge of the required concepts and to help you decide if you’re ready for the real exam. Many people have claimed that the scores they received on this test and their actual test score were within a few points of each other, so the mock exam is a very good indicator of whether you are ready for the real test (just make sure you get the required passing score).

A lot of training and review is required to pass the PMP test, but the absolute most important thing you’ll need is: practice. The questions on the PMP exam aren’t asking you which answer is correct, because all of them are. What they want you to do is select the best possible answer out of 4 choices. The more practice you get with Andy’s “The PMP Exam: How to Pass On Your First Try” book, the better you’ll be able to select the correct answer.

Conclusion: This is the preferred Project Management Professional certification training book for thousands of PMs and we highly recommend you get it, read it, and pass the test.

Head First PMP Book Review

What is PMP Certification

Passing the PMP certification exam requires a lot of dedication, effort, studying, and training no matter your level of experience with project management. The Project Management Professional status is considered one of the toughest certifications to achieve but is also one of most respect as well. Taking the PMP exam just for the purpose of adding three letters after your name isn’t the only benefit of this popular credential. A higher salary at work, better project management skills, and a respect from your boss and colleagues are all the added benefits of obtaining this status.

The following review of Head First PMP, a PMP preparation book by Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene will help you decide if this book is worth your time.

A project manager who carries this credential shows employers and clients that he is serious about his job and that he knows what he’s doing. Studying for the PMP exam will teach you a lot of new project management skills and will help you develop a lot of new abilities that will make your job a lot more fulfilling. The main problem is that the majority of training courses and programs available on the market are written in boring ways that will make the learning process a lot harder than it really is. Even experienced project managers will find the PMP exam difficult unless they get enough project management training and read up on test.

Head First PMP, a book on how to pass the PMP exam solves the problem many other books have by using new, cutting-edge techniques to deliver the information you need to know in creative ways that will help you memorize facts and ideas for ages. This popular publication among project managers follows the PMBoK Guide very closely and presents the material to you in an engaging manner that will not only help you pass the PMP exam on your first try, but also remember the information you learned so you can apply it throughout your career.

Jennifer Greene and Andrew Stellman use puzzles, games, exercises, problems, and on-the-job scenarios to deliver the information to you in the most visual and stimulating way possible. Their guide includes hundreds of sample questions and mock exams that will get you into test-taking shape in the quickest time possible.

The thousands of project managers who have used Head First PMP to pass the exam on the first go all attributed their success to the highly visual style of the book which helped them recall a lot of the information easily on test day.

Conclusion: This book should be on every project manager’s list who is looking for ways to prepare for the Project Management Professional Certification Exam. Not only is this one of the best PMP prep guides available, but it is also the most fun to use because of all the great jokes and drawings in the book.

What is the PMP Exam Passing Score?

What is PMP Certification

The Project Management Professional certification is one of the most prestigious credentials in the IT industry that every project manager should have. Ever since the PMI (Project Management Institute) introduced this certification, the process of obtaining it has undergone several changes over the years. But passing the PMP exam is still the only way for you to actually receive this credential. Quite a few years ago, you needed to get at least 122 of the 200 questions correct (61%) in order to pass the test, but nowadays finding out what the passing mark is can be quite confusing.

There are 200 questions on the PMP exam and you have 4 hours to complete them. PMI stopped publishing the passing score in their Project Management Guidebook a few years ago and to date nobody knows what the exact passing score or percentage is. The only thing you can do is solve as many practice tests as you can and get your hands on every single sample PMP test question you can find online, in books, or in magazines.

One thing PMI did release is the rate of test takers who pass the exam on the first time, which was on average 60% to 72%. The more training you get and the longer you spend preparing for the test, the less you’ll have to worry about what the PMP exam passing score is.

For peace of mind, as long as you are getting 80% of the questions correct when solving a sample PMP test, then you will most probably be able to pass the real exam on your first try. On the real exam there are actually only 175 questions that will be marked and the rest will be used to give the examiners testing data for the next exam. But since you don’t know which one’s won’t be marked, you’ll still have to solve all the questions equally!

You should also answer every single question, even if you’re entirely sure about the answer because questions answered incorrectly will not be counted as a negative. Eliminating answer choices will help you minimize your chances of getting a question wrong by guessing, but that’s still better than leaving it blank.

Studying and sufficient training are still the best ways to pass the Project Management Professional exam, so don’t skimp out on them if you want to succeed on your first try. Make sure you are 110% sure that you are ready for the exam before taking it or else you’ll just be giving PMI a free $500 for the cost of the test registration.

Check out several books and recommended forums if you’re looking for some good advice on what to study for the test and other general study tips.