PMP® EXAM – TIPS AND TRICKS

Approach to answering Exam Questions

• Concepts
• The PMBOK® Guide is
Always Right

• A Project Manager is
Proactive – Addressing
the root cause of the
problem so that problem
doesn’t come back

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Approach to answering Exam Questions

• Techniques
• Read the question
first

• Use your brain

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Approach to answering Exam Questions

• Techniques
• Bottom – up
approach

• Last sentence first

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Exam Preparation Approach

• PMBOK and PMP Exam Preparation

• 1st Iteration
• Read PMBOK (with markings / highlights)
• Read PM Exam Prep (Rita) (with markings / highlights)
• Practice Questions
• PM Study & Rita Fast Track – Identify weak areas
• 2nd Iteration
• Read PM Exam Prep (Rita) (Complete with focus on weak areas)
• Read PMBOK (Complete with focus on weak areas)
• Practice Questions
• PMStudy 1 Full Exam (200 Questions) and Identify weak areas
• Rita Fast Track (Process group wise) and Identify weak areas

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Exam Preparation Approach
• PMBOK and PMP Exam Preparation
• 3rd Iteration
• Read PMBOK (Review highlighted & focus on weak areas)
• Read PM Exam Prep (Rita) (Review highlighted & focus on weak
areas)
• Full length Exams (2 Exams, 4-5 days before the PMP exam)
• PMStudy 2 & 3 Full Exam (200 Questions)
• Rita Super PMP
• Head First PMP (Full Exam)
• Simpli Learn (200 Questions full exam)

• 4th Iteration - Review weak areas, Lessons learned (regarding

questions) and PMP Exam preparation manuals

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Exam Preparation Approach

• Miscellaneous Practice Questions

• Oliver Lehmann Resource #1: 175 questions based on PMBOK
Guide Version 4 (downloadable).
• Oliver Lehmann Resource #2: 75 questions based on PMBOK Guide
Version 4 (online).
• www.free-pm-exam-questions.com
• http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Question:
What topics are on
the exam and how
many questions per
topic?
PMP Exam: 200 Questions in 4 Hours

Domain % of
Questions
Initiating 13%
Planning 24%
Executing 30%
Monitoring & 25%
Controlling
Closing 8%
Total 100%

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 What this means
• “The PMP Exam is one mile wide and one inch
deep”
• You must know the PMBOK® Guide and have
experience in applying it on actual projects
• You must study everything and understand how it
“connects”

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Question:
Did the PMP Exam
recently change?
August 2011 PMP Exam Changes

• PMBOK Guide didn’t change

• Exam format didn’t’ change
• Score Report didn’t change
• Eligibility didn’t change
• From 6 to 5 Domains
– Ethics is now integrated in other 5

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Question:
Is the exam based on
PMBOK® Guide
th th
4 or 5 Edition?
 Answer:
Until June 2013: 4 th

After June 2013: 5 th

 Question:
How many questions
do I have to answer
correctly to pass the
PMP Exam?
Only PMI Knows…

• Passing score is not published

• Score is determined by “sound psychometric
analysis”
• Any numbers you see or read online are wrong
– Most often cited 61% / 62%
• Correct is: We don’t know

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Question:
How do I know that
I’m ready to take the
exam?
 80% Rule

• Each time you take a sample exam for the first

time: keep track of your score
• If you regularly get >80% of the answers correct
then you can consider yourself to be ready
• But this still isn’t a guarantee…

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

Question:
How can I memorize:

The Knowledge
PMBOK? Areas?
ITTO? Everything
Processes? ?
Don’t Memorize!

• Understand how the Process Groups,

Knowledge Areas, Processes fit together.
• Understand why an input is needed
• Understand how things fit
• Answer many sample questions

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

Plan the Exam Day
Recognizing Excellence in Project Management
You have devoted months
to studying for the PMP®
exam

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

You have spent your time,
money and effort

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

Don’t waste it by failing to
prepare for the ‘PMP-day’

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

How to prepare for your exam day

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Avoid
cramming
with a
overnight
study
sessions
Recognizing Excellence in Project Management
Take a whole
day off from
work

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Wear
comfortable
clothes

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

The day of the exam!
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 The check-in process
Arrive early
Bring ID
Bring confirmations
Photos
Names match?

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Do not bring
anything or
anyone with
you

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

Remember Murphy's Law?

Expect the unexpected

Concentrate on passing!
Recognizing Excellence in Project Management
 Ready, Set, Go!
Familiarize yourself
with the workstation
and watch the tutorial

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

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Review your answers
after taking the exam
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 Result will appear
(almost) immediately
after exam!
It just feels like it takes forever…

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 If you pass..
Congratulations!

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

 Congratulations!

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management

Recognizing Excellence in Project Management