It’s that back to old school feeling all over again. You are going to prepare for an exam and you make your personalized study plan to have a smoother review in the process. But there are some changes and you are in school anymore. You are in the real world of business and it’s time to apply project management when you are arming yourself for a PMP® certification exam.
How to prepare for the PMP® exam in the project management way is easier since you already have the basic knowledge of the field. This article will cover just that.
Some Things to Keep in Mind—How to Prepare for the PMP® Exam Using the Project Management Route and How to Prepare for the PMP® Exam Using the Approaches You Have Already Known
Preparing a study plan that is almost similar to a project plan isn’t that complicated as one thinks. Just like starting out a project, your study plan should have the timeframe, mission, and daily or weekly goals to help you keep on track while preparing for your PMP® exam.
How to prepare for PMP® exam should be a breeze. And with building your study plan with the applications of a project plan organizes your goals and a list of terminologies and other data that you will encounter in the PMP® credential exam.
So what are the specific details to include in your study or review plan? It’s still up to you, but this article will give you the most important components that should be present in your plan so that you won’t end up pulling your hair preparing for the PMP® exam.
How to Prepare for the PMP® Exam—Components for Your Review Plan
The following components below will help you how to prepare for the PMP® exam using project management-based approaches. You don’t need to include all you have encountered during your project management days—infusing some elements on your study plan will help you study better and prepare with less hassle for your PMP® exam.
Evaluate Your Mission
Preparing for the PMP® exam means you have to be motivated enough to determine what will drive you to get that certification.
Ask yourself how this certification will affect your overall welfare; your job, your life, even your financial status. When you have a clear goal in mind, this is where you will fully understand what PMP® certification really means to you.
Build a Day to Day Study Schedule
PMP® exams take time and you have to think about the same thing for your test review as well. Devote your time and free your calendar to build your own daily study schedule so you are well-prepared for the exam. Don’t forget to prepare your study materials as well. Ensure that you find a quiet spot to study with zero distractions.
Create a goal in mind. Say, how many pages are you planning to review today? Don’t just study non-stop—take a break once in a while so you can approach your review again with a fresh mind.
Facilitate a Weekly Goal
This will help you monitor your goals that you have fulfilled from your daily goals. If you devote 3 or 3 hours studying the PMBoK® Guide, you will be able to finish one chapter for a week. This will give also give you more chance to test yourself with the practice PMP® exams.
Keep track of your progress by jotting it down or create a graph to represent how far you have come. It is up to you at this point, provided you update them show there are changes present.
Find a Place to Study
Find a place where you are comfortable and won’t get distracted by noise or people. A coffee shop is a good place to study, but if you are easily distracted by people, then this is not an ideal place to review. Assess yourself and your preference in terms of environment and atmosphere.
Preparing for a PMP® exam should have zero distraction; this means no TV show marathons while studying or sneak chat with a friend on Facebook or Skype. Put your whole focus for preparing for the PMP® exam—the chat and Game of Thrones binge watching can wait.
Mind the People
A lot of people will be affected with your schedule especially you have your schedule full in preparing for the PMP® exam; this includes your friends and family. Let them know when you’re free so you at least get to spend time with them. Make them understand how the PMP® exam and certification is important to your career growth and development.
Learn How to Adapt
Changes are inevitable and your schedule and plan are no exceptions. Learn to adapt to these changes and make the necessary solutions in case you come across with issues. Ensure that these changes won’t disrupt your PMP® exam preparation.
So those are the important components to keep in mind while preparing for your PMP® exam. Makes sure to remain consistent with it so as not to lose track of your progress. The fourth article will tackle the study materials you can use during your review session.
PMI, PMP and PMBoK are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.