How I cleared PMP in 50 days…

I am Shubham Goel, currently working as a Technical Manager, having 11+ years of experience in Product Development, Project/Product Management, and Agile Software Development. I am also a Licensed Scrum Master from Scrum.inc and have 6+ years of experience in Agile way of working.

After delaying for almost 2 years, I decided to pursue PMP certification and registered for the training in Dec 2018.

I was happy that I took a bold step towards the end of the year, and was looking to complete the PMP certification as one of my new year resolution 😉

I took the training from ProThoughts and they were amazingly helpful throughout the process 😊

Why PMP?

Project Management has fascinated me since the time I started working in the IT industry. I enjoy working in a process-oriented environment. Moreover, I also believe in creating and implementing correct processes. In my current job, I play multiple roles and one of them is all about project management. I joined this certification to learn the required tools and processes which will help me deliver successful projects with high business value with customer satisfaction.

All about Planning

As per my experience and the research I did, it is recommended to give the exam within 1–2 months after training.

However, due to my other work priorities, I officially started my preparation from 1st June 2019 (after 6 months of training).

A short summary of what I did:

1. I studied 2–3 hours on weekdays, and 4–5 hours on weekends.
2. Completed the Chapters from the study material provided by the trainers. It is basically the summary from PMBOK.
3. Revised Knowledge Areas, Formulas, and core concepts.
4. I started reading Chapter 1 from the study material, and then the same chapter from Rita. I skipped the exercises at the back of the chapter at this point.
5. Started Rita again (2nd time) from Chapter 1. This time I completed the exercises as well.
6. I completed Rita again (3rd time) and compared my gaps in the exercises from point 4.
7. Completed 1st Mock test which was provided from the training provider and scored ~124.
8. Studied the chapters from Rita as per the gaps in point 6.
9. Completed 2nd Mock test and scored ~128. Repeated point 7.
10. Completed 3rd Mock test and scored ~142. Repeated point 7.
11. Completed 4th Mock test and scored ~132. Repeated point 7.
12. I bought a set of 2 exams from Udemy and completed them twice to compare the results. I gave these in 3-weeks (total 4 tests).
13. Gave the mock 3 & 4 once again before 2 weeks from the exam.
14. Reviewed mind maps to have a clear understanding of Inputs, Outputs & Processes & Tools.
15. Revised the concepts and formulas from the pocket cards.

Exam Tips:

1. Make sure the registration is done well in advance. The application approval takes time.
2. Don’t over study. There is no end to the exams and questions and materials and videos on the internet. It will only confuse you.
3. Stick to the book from Rita. It is called the bible of PMP.
4. The material from the training provider was highly informational and helpful.
5. Don’t skip activities from Rita. They will help you clear your concepts.
6. Every morning, I used to write the Knowledge Areas and the Processes. This helped to understand the linking and the flow. I also used to write the formulas to ensure full marks in Numerical.
7. The exam will not allow you to take anything, except your id proof and the locker key. I was even asked to keep my handkerchief out. The exam section is audio & video recording. This may be different now considering the virtual way. Please be sure to read about it online.

Last but not least,

• Keep a positive approach. Don’t try to learn things, try to understand them.

All the best to all the PMP aspirants 😊