PMP Guide
PMP Guide
PMP Guide
ULTIMATE GUIDE
For Passing the PMP
You’ve probably heard from others that the exam is rough, and it takes a lot to conquer the first time.
Yet, you’ve probably seen others bragging about how they got all Above Targets (AT) the first time
around and swear by their approach.
I will let you know right now, there is no magic formula for passing. What there is, is a whole lot of
PMP’s out there, including myself who’ve done things the hard way because everyone told them it was
the only way to pass. I am here to tell you, there are many ways. I want to help you find yours.
I am a total advocate of working smarter not harder, so if there is a quicker, better and easier way to get
the same result - - I’ll share it! You don’t need to spend 8 months preparing like I did.
Without:
When we decided to write this guide, we wanted to fill the gaps left on the market by other providers.
We’re not teaching PMP material (unless there is enough interest), instead we’re creating the
SUPPLEMENTAL information we wish was around for us when we were preparing for the exam.
While some of the information within exists to paint a complete picture for our readers, most of the
guide focuses on the areas that no one talks about. Like how to fit studying for the exam into your life
with your job, family and all of life's other responsibilities. Despite all the material on the internet, I still
talk to aspiring PMP’s who are frustrated, overwhelmed and unsure where to begin.
And then, sometimes, I talk to others who hit a plateau in their practice exams scores. They’re nervous
because they set a date and the date is fast approaching. These professionals and are a nervous wreck
trying to determine whether they should put off the exam 2 days before because and eagerly are
posting on reddit asking, “Am I ready?”
There’s no resource that dives DEEP into the topic. That addresses the emotional and psychological
impacts preparing for an exam of this stature has on a person and their life for the 4 months or so
they’re in study mode. If you don’t have the right mind-set, it will affect everything else – how you feel,
how you study and even how you balance all the demands of your time.
Collectively, we’ve spent hundreds of hours surveying professionals who’ve were preparing for the
exam, and those happily passed and were eagerly adding “PMP” behind their name on LinkedIn. We’ve
heard the successes of those passing the first time around and landing awesome new jobs. We’ve also
heard from the stressed who were on their third attempt and desperately trying to pass without waiting
a whole year before they could try again.
I want to share their advice; lessons learned and provide you with some awesome tools so your journey
can be all smooth sailing from here. And when you high tide, we’ll show you ways to re-navigate and
keep sailing forward. This won't be a “Top 10 tips to Passing the PMP” kind of article. It's an ultimate
guide!
I know why there isn’t a guide like this out there yet. It’s an INSANE amount of work to go beyond the
surface information.
And it’s exactly why I’m super excited to write it and share it with you.
We promise to provide alternative perspectives and help you by providing techniques, tools and
resources to aid in your studying. Life is stressful enough; if we can make your study journey just a little
less painful, then we’ve done our job. That is why we created this guide to give you a taste of the
exclusive content we typically reserve only for our subscribers.
At a minimum, we suggest doing a quick once over that way you know the types of challenges you may
encounter. If you’re unlike the majority and don’t face struggles on choosing resources, fighting for time
to study, procrastination, or understanding what to study and what you don’t have to, then you won't
need to reference those sections later. But you’ll know they’re there and you’ll have a Playbook if that
changes.
Most importantly, take action! Look at some of the different techniques and strategies that have been
shared and see if they can be incorporated into your study strategy. Remember, if something isn’t
working - - don’t continue, try something else.
Yet, you’re here since you realize that obtaining the PMP is important because:
If it did resonate with you, but you have a game plan that looks like the following:
You’ll have to acknowledge that our material will challenge those ideas. Keep reading with caution.
You may identify with a lot of the “invisible scripts” below. If you can’t be honest with yourself and
realize that all the hearsay isn’t realistic, or a smart move in general, then I’d suggest that you
immediately go to Step 5: In the top right-hand corner, click the “X”. Our material isn’t for you.
PMP COMMON MYTHS
INVISIBLE SCRIPT WHAT IT MEANS
I am going to just memorize everything I don’t know how to study; I want to take the exam
quickly and as easy as possible with the least
amount of effort
Everyone else uses Rita, Prep Cast and/or the These resources must really work and if it works for
PMBOK so I will too everyone else, it will work for me.
The PMP content is useless in the real world I’ve never used half this stuff at work, and I will
probably never need it. I’ll learn it for the exam.
All I need to do is get my PMP Having my PMP will open doors and someone will
reach out, offer me an awesome job with a great
salary and I’ll be set! I just have to pass the test.
You can’t pass without the PMBOK PMI tells me I need to read the PMBOK to pass, so I
have to read it. I hear it is boring, but it is the only
way to be sure I read the correct material.
I’ll become a PM when I get the PMP The PMP means I am a good PM and I’ll know all
there is to know about project management.
About Us
Hey, what’s up? Echo and Joey here and we’re the founders of Your PM Sidekick!
We help ambitious and experienced professionals, from business and technical fields, prepare to take
the PMP exam with focused supplemental material that fills in the gaps left by other material on the
market. We do this by helping aspirants understand the content by leveraging real-world case studies to
apply the material and provide time management techniques to avoid burnout and increase information
retention. All of this to help you achieve your personal goals of getting a high paying, flexible role as a
PMP, allowing more time for travel, hobbies and a higher salary.
Chapter 2: Getting Started
Although they may seem straightforward, I continually get feedback from those I talk to, asking
clarifying questions about the requirements. Let’s start there.
Eligibility:
The PMP is not a certification you can choose to take without any project management experience. To
be able to sit for the exam you must fall into one of the below categories.
• 4-year degree, 36 months of experience leading projects, AND 35 hours project management
education/training
— OR —
Application:
If you meet the academic and practitioner requirement, then you must submit your application
demonstrating you meet the requirements before sitting the exam.
• The application will require information about where you’ve worked, your roles and
responsibilities, and project durations. In addition, you’ll be asked to include information about
the institutions you’ve attended, courses that have been completed and your qualifying hours.
Exam:
The test includes a 200-question, multiple choice exam which you’ll have 4 hours to complete.
• 175/200 are graded and your score is determined using an Above Target, Target, Below Target
and Needs Improvement scale.
• The other 25 questions are questions that PMI is testing. As the test taker, you will not know
which questions are being graded and which are strictly for PMI testing use only.
PDU’s:
Professional development units (PDU’s) are measurement of professional development; 1 PDU = 1 hour
of learning.
• The PMP certification holders are required to maintain 60 hours of professional development
every 3 years
For more specifics, head on over to PMI’s site: https://www.pmi.org/microsites/site/official-pmp-guide
Common FAQ’s
Q: If I did a research paper or thesis, does this count as hours towards the PMP?
A: While a ton of hard work goes into educational work such as a thesis, it does not align with the
PMI definition of a “project.”
Q: I am an engineer with 8 years of experience. I have been doing project execution throughout
my career – but I do not have a ‘project manager’ title. Is that okay?
A: If you can show that you’ve led projects from start to finish, then you should be fine. The role
would really need to be a leadership role. If all the projects were execution only, that could raise
a red flag. I see a similar question arise as it relates to military
Q: Can classes I took in college count towards the 35 credit hours of training?
A: Are they relevant to project management? If so, then Yes! Topics such as scheduling, planning,
risk, scope, etc would work just fine. Even general classes like Intro to Project Management.
A: Typically, 5 days. The wait time can seem long, but it beats the DMV’s processing time. Am I
right?
Q: Is there a minimum amount of time I have to wait to schedule the exam once my application is
approved?
A: Nope! You can schedule to take the exam right away, provided that there is availability at a
facility near you.
Application template
I remember putting my application together before I started studying for the PMP. Most of what
guided my decision about preparing for the PMP was what everyone else recommended.
When it came time to start my application I looked around for some free templates online. Even
while I was waiting to have enough document-able experience, I started looking at templates. I never
started because they were either too complex, or only captured some of the information that was
needed, which would lead to separate data collection elsewhere.
So I did nothing.
I was so frustrated and fearful that I would get audited if I didn’t have everything perfect.
So, I waited until I had enough experience and searched for templates...again. And wasted more
time. I finally made the decision to create my own. Working harder than I needed to.
I shared with him my...rough around the edges excel file that I used to collect my information. I
shared all the secrets I knew and learned through my excessive research, because I wanted to be sure
the application wasn’t hell for him like it was for me.
In general, a lot of people seem to feel this way about the application.
In fact, after talking with dozens of PMP aspirants, these were the things I’d hear when it came to the
application:
“The application was hell for me. I didn’t research properly how to fill out the application and my
experience write ups were written more like a narrative than going by the five processes. I
immediately got notice that I was being audited. I called PMI and they said they’d look over my
application and let me know if my write up was okay. It wasn’t. They closed my application and told
me to reapply, noting that I would be audited again.”
“The damn application. I’ve tried to put it on paper sooo many times. I’m terrified I’m going to be
audited and fail. I second-guess my worth and experience a lot, it’s a problem.”
“I had to submit my application twice, the first time I got the audit notification and I called PMI kind
of panicking because I was like, oh my God, I, I know I did my writeup wrong. After that I googled
what the right description should look like and mine did not look like that. I wrote it in more of a
narrative format then addressing each of the processes and the outcome and my role”
The application is a struggle, and pain point for a lot of people, when it doesn’t need to be. There is
plenty of time for stress when it comes to the exam.
As Joey began his application, he chose to build a template, taking into consideration my lessons
learned and the pain points of others. He used his own template to submit his application and
shared it with a small group of subscribers who are in our Slack group. The feedback was compiled,
and we have a newer and improved version that we are happy to share.
If you’re just starting your application, download the Application Template & checkout the article
for Application Tips.
You excitedly submit your application for the PMP. Then…you are chosen for an audit.
Damn it.
I was one of the “lucky” ones who didn’t get audited. I’d like to think it had a bit to do with luck,
research and some preparation.
While I cant help with the luck part (no winner – winner chicken dinner here), I can bestow upon you
the research, tips and tricks that helped me get the approval to sit for the exam.
Aside from meeting the experience and timing requirements (which I won’t get into here, but you
can read about here and here), aspiring PM’s are blown away when I share these two unknown tips
with them.
In an effort to document my experience and the experience of others, I have talked to quite a few
folks and stumbled across online forums where PMP aspirants have discussed their experience with
the application audit.
What did I discover? There was a clear pattern. These applications lacked good project descriptions
and did not align to the PMI/PMBOK way.
Or this one:
They both talk about their experiences and how they come up short when it came to writing good
project descriptions. Since this was a topic I had researched thoroughly before completing my
application, I didn’t make those same mistakes and I’m here to help you avoid making them too.
Disclaimer: Since I took the exam in November 2017, some of the application requirements have been
updated.
What I did notice is that PMI gives better tips for completing the application. The two minor
differences I read, is that PMI wants the description to include an outcome of the project and accepts
abbreviations such as Initiation, “IN.” This will save on character count for the description. More on
that shortly.
The description has to be clear and concise and be more than 100 words. The application will not
allow you to submit until you can write a project description that is >100 words; with the averaging
being 200-500 words for all eligible projects.
PMI does not understand your project lingo at work, so avoid it. Write PMI/PMBOK using the guide
below:
I have compiled three examples of answers that I have used successfully through PMI’s application
screening. Take a look below:
Example 1:
Objectives: Move business functions to a SaaS platform, which included setup & implementation
of data integrations and modules.
MC: Changes to scope, schedule or budget were addressed with the project leaders in progress
meetings
Example 2:
IN: A meeting was held to identify key stakeholders for the roll out
PL: Project plans were created to outline high level and detailed work packages
EX: Progress meetings were held weekly with the project team and as needed with stakeholders
MC: The performance was monitored daily to ensure all aspects of the plan were on track
Example 3:
PL: Outlined the scope and work assignments in a meeting with the team and subcontractor
MC: Time sheets were monitored and checked weekly to keep the resource budget on track.
Initiating:
Planning:
Executing:
Closing:
• Archive documents
• Close project or phase
• Obtain administrative closure
• Document lessons learned
• Obtain final acceptance of deliverables
So I have been babbling on awhile now. Are you pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down? (Love those dad
jokes/puns by the way)
Let’s recap!
While PMI states that audits occur randomly (and I’m not saying they don’t) these are they key areas
of the application that those who have been audited said they didn’t do, and those who have said
they weren’t.
Audit
If you are selected for an audit, PMI will notify you and ask you to provide supporting information.
For more details read up on the audit here.
Study styles
Perhaps the issue is that you aren’t studying according to your study style! Learn more below!
If you’re not sure what your study style is, take the quiz. Then checkout the Study
Styles Report here. Some of the information below is from the report, but the
report contains additional details to understand how you learn best, useful
resources, study tactics and the do’s and dont’s that align best with how you
absorb information.
I think it’s fair to assume we all start our PMP journey in a relatively similar way. Make the trek to
Google, read about the 475,000,000 different resources available (obviously exaggerating here. Mostly),
then overthink it all.
After that, scour Reddit for the more answers. This is usually incredibly helpful. Validates some of our
own assumptions, answers questions we have about sp ecific resources, and we feel a bit better.
Awesome.
After the massive internal debate, and exhausting analytics and dart throwing, we decide on our
resource (or in most cases many resources). Order everything on Amazon Prime so we can study ASAP.
In a couple of days our books arrive.
You begin vigorously reading through the material. This goes great for a few folks. For everyone else,
you think - “What the hell is wrong with me? None of this is sticking, and I’m miserable!”
Fortunately, it’s not you. Well, it could be you, but it’s unlikely you. The issue is that people begin their
PMP journey based on what others tell them to do, and not necessarily what works best for their study
style. We spend so much time trying to figure out the best way to make our studying efficient. We try
every trick, hack, tip, blood magic scroll we read about, but almost no time trying to understand
ourselves better.
It’s an awful place to be. We’ve been there. However, instead of trying to push forward through the
dark days, we’ve decided to understand ways to make it work better for us. And if you’re reading this,
you want the same.
STUDY STYLES!
Ok, it’s not the answer, but it is one that will help. A lot.
It may be common sense to think “some things work for others that don’t work for me”, and vice versa.
It’s not until you try to understand your own style that you can begin making your study sessions work
WITH you instead of AGAINST you. Naturally, this will make it less of a chore, increasing the likelihood
of maintaining consistency with your studying.
Before we discuss the different styles, know that there are MANY different theories about study styles,
some quite verbose and complex. The PMBOK is complex enough, so we chose to simplify this a bit, and
avoid adding another thing to worry about during our journey.
• Visual
• Auditory
• Reading/Writing
• Kinesthetic
Now, it’s important to note a few things before reading through the different styles.
1. These are just guidelines. Even though you may fall more towards one style, it doesn’t mean
this is the only way. Use the guidelines, but be creative.
2. Humans are complex. It doesn’t matter which way a personality or, in this case, a study style is
split. There’s a good chance you fall into more than one category. A “hybrid” of sorts. And
that’s ok. Again, these are just a guideline to help us focus.
3. We’ve included a few suggestions for resources based on some of the styles. By no means are
these suggestions meant as the “best for your style”. These are based on our own experience,
some research, and feedback from many past PMPs as well as in-progress PMPs.
a. Also note that some of the resources span different styles. That’s intentional. Many can
work for different study styles, sometimes in different ways.
b. You’ll note some have suggested resources, some don’t. We could write a whole book
on the different resources. We aim to give direction, but there will still be some leg-
work on your part to find some.
4. We suggest reading through each style, and not just your own style. The quiz that brought you
here isn’t an exact science. It’s based on your personality and study preferences to give you an
idea of what study style you align with. However, as it was mentioned above, there may be
another style that resonates with you, and could help you with your journey.
a. For example, based on the quiz, I’m a visual learner. But reading through the different
styles, I realized I have a bit of the ol’ Kinesthetic style in me. I’ve adopted both of the
styles, and it’s working out quite well for me.
5. Most importantly – have fun with this. Don’t be afraid to try different things.
The study outline is the most fluid and natural approach possible to build a solid foundation and
continue to add to that knowledge as you work though the different process groups and knowledge
areas.
Few notes:
Week 2
Process Group Planning
Knowledge Area(s) Integration Management, Scope Management
Processes 4.2 Develop Project Management Plan
5.1 Plan Scope Management
5.2 Collect Requirements
5.3 Define Scope
5.4 Create WBS
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Read the chapters 5 10
Watch the eCourse (Optional) 3 6
Take the section exams (Optional) 2 4
Total Time 10 20
Week 3
Process Group Planning
Knowledge Area(s) Schedule Management
Processes 6.1 Plan Schedule Management
6.2 Define Activities
6.3 Sequence Activities
6.4 Estimate Activity Durations
6.5 Develop Schedule
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Read the chapters 5 10
Watch the eCourse (Optional) 3 6
Take the section exams (Optional) 2 4
Total Time 10 20
Week 4
Process Group Planning
Knowledge Area(s) Cost Management
Processes 7.1 Plan Cost Management
7.2 Estimate Costs
7.3 Determine Budget
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Read the chapters 5 10
Watch the eCourse (Optional) 3 6
Take the section exams (Optional) 2 4
Total Time 10 20
Week 5
Process Group Planning
Knowledge Area(s) Quality Management, Resource Management,
Communications Management
Processes 8.1 Plan Quality Management
9.1 Plan Resource Management
9.2 Estimate Activity Resources
10.1 Plan Communications Management
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Read the chapters 4 8
Watch the eCourse (Optional) 2.5 5
Take the section exams (Optional) 2 4
Total Time 8.5 17
Week 6
Process Group Planning
Knowledge Area(s) Risk Management, Procurement Management,
Stakeholder Management
Processes 11.1 Plan Risk Management
11.2 Identify Risks
11.3 Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
11.4 Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
11.5 Plan Risk Responses
12.1 Plan Procurement Management
13.2 Plan Stakeholder Engagement
Week 7
Process Group Executing
Knowledge Area(s) Integration Management, Quality Management,
Resource Management
Processes 4.3 Direct & Manage Project Work
4.4 Manage Project Knowledge
8.2 Manage Quality
9.3 Acquire Resources
9.4 Develop Team
9.5 Manage Team
Week 9
Process Group Monitoring & Controlling
Knowledge Area(s) Integration Management
Processes 4.5 Monitor and Control Project Work
4.6 Perform Integrated Change Control
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Read the chapters 2 4
Watch the eCourse (Optional) 1.5 3
Take the section exams (Optional) 1 2
Total Time 4.5 9
Week 10
Process Group Monitoring & Controlling
Knowledge Area(s) Scope Management, Schedule Management, Cost
Management, Quality Management
Processes 5.5 Validate Scope
5.6 Control Scope
6.6 Control Schedule
7.4 Control Costs
8.3 Control Quality
Week 13
Process Group Closing
Knowledge Area(s) Integration Management
Processes 4.7 Close Project or Phase
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Read the chapters 1.5 3
Watch the eCourse (Optional) 1 2
Take the section exams (Optional) 1 2
Total Time 3.5 7
Week 14
Process Group All
Knowledge Area(s) All
Processes All
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Take Full Exam Simulator 4 8
Review Exam Results 2 4
Total Time 6 12
Week 15
Process Group All
Knowledge Area(s) All
Processes All
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Brush up on weak areas 4 8
Take section specific exams 2 4
Total Time 6 12
Week 16
Process Group All
Knowledge Area(s) All
Processes All
Material Time (hours) Pomodoro Session(s)
Take Full Exam Simulator 4 8
Review & brush up 2 4
Relax 0 0
Total Time 6 12
Exam Tips:
• Exam tips/Looking back Brain dump - worthless for me. I practiced a crazy brain dump. The
process map, cost formulas, breakdowns, etc. The questions never worked out that I sat down,
consulted my brain dump, looked up the information and clicked the right answer. Either the
information is in your head already or it's not. I wouldn't be concerned if you haven't practiced a
brain dump sheet.
• The interface was basic, didn't have glitches, but it didn't have the option to strike out choices
that Prepcast had. Also the time counts down in total minutes, so if you check your pace a
certain way keep that in mind. While Prepcast was close, I would say the exam has challenging
wording. It was frustrating, but try to visualize the scenario and think what steps would you
take. Someone posted great advice here recently saying that if you come across a question
worded poorly, don't get worked up over it, think of it as a question PMI is testing out and do
your best.
Chapter 3: Studying
What to expect
I’ll go out on a limb here and say the only things to expect, with any certainty, is frustration, exhaustion,
boredom, and overwhelm.
Ok, that may be a bit harsh, but it’s not that far-fetched. The PMP journey is no small feat, and without
a bit of preparation and setting expectations, the list I mentioned above is inevitable.
What you can (well…should) expect is putting in a lot of effort. Studying when you don’t want to,
carving out personal time to study, and learning a lot about yourself and your study habits along the
way. The PMP is tough. There are no shortcuts, or hacks. You can definitely make things easier on
yourself (which is discussed a lot in this chapter), but it will still require blood, sweat and tears. And
coffee. Lots of coffee.
There is no way to guarantee that anyone will pass the PMP on the first try. Anyone that tells you
different is trying to sell you something. I have no problem with people selling things to help out with
the PMP journey, but if they include that as a guarantee, even a 99% guarantee, it raises a red flag.
There are far too many variables in play to make such a guarantee.
With that said, it’s obviously very possible to pass on the try. I did it. I know many others that did it.
But there are no magic spells to make it happen. To pass on the first try means putting in the work to
ensure you have a strong understanding of the content. Note – I said understanding. This doesn’t mean
memorizing.
If you employ some of the tips we provide, have a plan, and are prepared to work your ass off, then you
can absolutely pass on the first try.
I’ve mentioned a number of times within this guide that I spent close to a year talking with aspiring
PMP’s. I wanted to understand what drives them to get the PMP, and the challenges that often get in
their way throughout the journey. Today, I want to share with you what those top challenges are.
Chances are you are/will experience them yourself. Throughout the rest of this chapter, I’ll be taking you
through solutions to the top challenges faced by working professionals seeking the PMP certification.
In no particular order, here are the top concerns I heard repeatedly during my year of research and
discovery. I’ve also mentioned where that information can be found in this guide:
In Chapter 2:
• Study Plan – How to craft a manageable study plan that can be committed to and followed
which requires less re-reading (like the folks that say “Read Rita or the PMBOK 3 times!”)
In this Chapter:
• Time & Productivity Methods – Finding time to study while managing work, family and other life
responsibilities, and why short sprints vs cram sessions improve concentration and require LESS
study time.
• Retaining Concepts – How to understand, comprehend, and retain the wealth of concepts
covered on the exam using fun and easy techniques that can be used immediately.
• Loss of Motivation, causing Procrastination – When you feel studying is boring, lacking intrinsic
rewards, frustrating, difficult, unstructured or ambiguous and lacking in personal meaning.
In Chapter 4:
• Exam Ready – How to know when you’ve reached proficient knowledge to take the exam
I spend a lot of time on the internet these days. Sometimes on my desktop or laptop and other times on
my phone. Sometimes I am productive, sometimes I just get lost in the depths of forums and Facebook
groups. This time, navigating my way around all topics involving:
• PMP Study Prep
• Project Management
• Accountability Partners
• Peer Pressure
• And…Workouts
Ha!
Let me explain.
Value of accountability
When it comes to accountability in our lives, its everywhere. Probably more than we realize.
That’s probably why it only took a few minutes of scrolling though project management and PMP
forums/groups to see over 100 recent comments from aspiring PM’s already who already see the value
in an accountability partner to help them study and pass the world renowned PMP certification exam.
So what does an accountability partner (AP) look like? How will I know when I found one? Let’s take a
quick trip down memory lane….and I’ll share one of my most memorable experiences to illustrate what
my AP looked like.
When I was more of an avid gym rat than I am now, I use to pick up my friend every morning around
5:30am so we could get to the gym by 6am sharp, get an hour work out in and get to our jobs or grueling
college lectures.
We hated waking up early (her more than I. She was such a night owl).
The last thing I wanted to do was hit snooze and go back to bed knowing how pissed she would be. Or
even send her a disappointing text as she is waiting out front in the cold waiting for me to swing by her
place.
In a way, it was probably the only thing that kept me in the habit of staying in shape and managing my
time well with all the other responsibilities.
On weeks when she was out of town or unavailable, my gym attendance was practically nonexistent. I
didn’t care if I let myself down, I cared about letting her down.
She was my accountability partner and she gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get my workouts in.
Aha!
Our pattern of morning workouts worked. Due in part to our commitment to each other and our regular
gym days, where we showed up and got our workouts in (because it sure as hell wasn’t out of my desire
to wake up that early).
If you do participate in any project management related groups or are thinking about subscribing, it is
worth posting about looking for a study partner. You’ll be surprised how many fellow aspirants respond!
There are people all over the internet and within your community who need an accountability partner
for one reason or another.
Regardless of who your accountability partner becomes, your chances of achieving your goal
skyrockets just by having one.
Now this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to forgo an accountability partner for a mentor, they
work too – – it is just a different dynamic.
A mentor, or coach, tends to have more experience and knowledge of a topic. They can give you the
push you need and keep you on track with your goals, with more of a systematic approach. An
accountability partner is figuring it all out with you; pains, struggles and successes where their level of
knowledge likely falls in line with yours.
Dr. Robert Cialdini, a well-known social psychologist, often discusses “social influence” and decision-
making. His studies show that 1) peer pressure is powerful, and 2) the closer we are to the person or
group we are comparing ourselves to, the more likely we are to be influenced by them.
All along, the term “peer pressure” has had a negative connotation. It turns out that if you look at the
glass half full – – peer pressure can be healthy in peer-based partnerships and/or menter relationships.
• Nail down a time and method to communicate on a regular basis (set by you and your partner)
• Discuss weekly wins
• Challenges
• Goals heading into the next week and how you plan to achieve them
The most difficult step is the first one. Go find yourself an accountability partner.
Time management
More doesn’t always mean better...
…especially when we talk about the time required to study for the Project Management Professional
(PMP) certification through PMI.
Would you rather try to squeeze in 10 hours of ineffective study (cram sessions) when you’re half-awake
or while the kids are running around the house, or have 4-5 hours of high quality, high focus study?
The secret is all about a person’s “study form.”
A persons “study form” can be improved by implementing easy productivity tactics, no-brainer time
management techniques along with putting simple study practices into place, so good patterns emerge.
I love this example by Andy Crowe from his book “Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2% know that
everyone else does not.”
“Practices does not make perfect. Endless repetitions of a golf swing with an incorrect stance will never
lead to the long-distance drive, the consistency, or the accuracy you want. Practicing bad handwriting
will not eventually produce a beautiful script. Practicing the trumpet with a flawed embouchure will not
produce the pure tone or precision the musician craves.”
If your study practices leave you feeling frustrated and discouraged, I urge you to try a few of these
tactics.
Even the busiest person can incorporate these techniques TODAY and get IMMEDIATE value.
These aren’t hacks or some fad. These techniques will improve your study form and have been making
many business professionals and productivity lovers get more done.
Time Management
I nerd out to blogs, participate in forums and groups chats with aspiring PM’s and those who are looking
at the exam in their rear-view mirror. I have also spoke to a lot of these ambitious individuals personally.
When you talk to enough people, patterns emerge.
In this case, on of those patterns was “time management,” and how it is one of the most common pains
aspiring PM’s are faced with when studying.
• Time management and energy. I have a full time job and it was time consuming and energy
consuming. I don’t have a weekend life, can’t participate in anything, if i go celebrate it takes
away from studying
• So having a little kid, my daughter and I was having almost no time to start at this. I have like
four hours per week. so yeah, that’s my biggest challenge
• Really kind of finding that balance is to say that I’m consistent in when I’m sitting down because,
you know, I find if I go a couple of days without having looked at it then, oh gosh, probably get
back to go about finding that consistent, consistent pattern.
• I’m reading material and not remembering it a day later
You know what fascinates me? There is commonality between the struggles PM’s face. However, there
are some who manage to study and pass in a fraction of the time. But how?!?! We all have 168 hours in
a week, no more, no less than anyone else. So I decided to dive deeper into time management,
productivity, etc to find out tactics that some of the most productive people swear by, so you too can
also get more studying in while leveraging easy strategies to create good “study form.”
or
We all have 168 hours in a week, no more, no less. I decided to dive deeper into time management,
controlling information overload and productivity to find out how so many others get things done and
make it look easy.
I am sure anyone who has already taken the PMP or is studying the material now can relate. Well it just
so happens I came across a time management technique called “The Pomodoro Technique” that
addresses a lot of the challenges of getting more done while staying effective.
The Pomodoro Technique essentially focuses on small sprints of 25 min of concentrated/focused work
(without multitasking) and then taking a 5 min break, increasing the length of breaks after every few
sprints. Since the brain begins to lose concentration after about an hour or so, small intervals
can improve concentration and the ability to retain information, which has been said to be
motivating?!?!
Now I consider myself somewhat of a productive person. I mean I somehow managed to get through
grad school, had a full-time job (that required regular travel), maintained a social life all while staying
consistent at the gym. However, when I studied for the PMP back in 2017 I had to study. Something that
I didn’t have to do a ton of through my academic career.
I was also constantly trying to scrape enough time together to study. My study sessions were
inconsistent. This forced me to do a lot of re-readying, causing my journey to be a lengthy one. I only
wish I had known about some of these techniques that I now use for work and have easily incorporated
them into my routine and found them to be very effective. As you begin to do this, I think you’ll be
amazed at how fast 25 minutes will go by.
My business partner (and my guinea pig) who is studying for the PMP is applying this tactic himself. He
gave it a try after I raved about how much work I got done within a few sprints. He tried it for two weeks
while studying and here is what he had to say:
“I thought my study sessions were going pretty well. Although, after an hour or two, I
began dozing off and reading words but not comprehending nothing. Breaking sessions
up with Pomodoro changed that completely. It allowed shorter, more productive study
sessions. Which meant more time doing things more enjoyable than studying for the
PMP. Which is pretty much anything ever.”
-Joey Freitas
Productivity Techniques
Have you heard of “The Rule of 3?” It is all about starting small and leveraging a SIMPLE technique that
works WITH the way our mind has always been programmed to work, making the technique more
memorable.
Using the as an gym example, if you are trying to get back in the habit of working out – starting out by
saying you’ll working out 5 days/week right off the bat, will probably result in you quitting shortly after.
Instead, you can achieve the same result by making it a goal to go to the gym 1-2 days a week for a few
weeks and then anything after that is a bonus, even if you can eventually work up to 5 days a week after
a month or two.
Starting small gives you immediate wins more often by starting and staying small.
Think about a project with no milestones for months. It’s hard to feel a sense of progress of
accomplishment.
Start by taking your study plan, looking to see what is up next for the day and the week and breaking it
down to look something like this:
Day:
Week:
Yet it was one of my biggest takeaways from the Andy Crowe book I mentioned earlier in this article.
Like many of you, who continually find yourself overwhelmed by the wealth of information in the
profession, and the level of information we receive and process daily as a project manager.
The same can be said, when it comes to studying for the PMP exam. Even though we all magically
hope reading the material will suddenly make it all “click.”
After a number of conversations with others pursing the PMP, there was more of an underlying reason
so many others were struggling with the amount of information there is to consume too.
• I really did not pick up good study habits in school so I had a really hard time with this.
• I just feel exhausted from studying and trying to learn everything
How do you learn to study? How can we feel less exhausted by consuming material?
Despite a large number of PMP aspirants having very impressive academic backgrounds and holding
several degrees, many are still trying to figure out how to study.
For starters, it helps if you understand your study style, if you don’t know yours click here. After
answering 20 simple questions, you will get a summary and some tips on what will work best for you.
The second is to know and take advantage your Biological Prime Time (BPT) a concept that author Chris
Bailey discusses in his book, The Productivity Project. Find out when you have the most energy and
tackle your highest impact tasks at that time. Bailey suggests that time management isn’t simply just
about time, but its even more so about monitoring your energy and attention as well.
Once we know how best to study and when our optimal study time is, it is time to study. Although each
study style will have recommendations on how best to study for you, there is also a ton of merit to a few
others I think are worth mentioning; you’ll see why shortly.
In the last section, we talked about using the Pomodoro technique to retain information. When used in
combination with some of my favorite easy to use methods during your pomodoro sprints, it can help to
further extend the minds ability to remember new material.
Summary
Phew….we got through it all.
So in summary, studying is all about quality over quantity and overall effectiveness. Trying to cram in
hours of study, wont necessarily be more effective than someone else who has better “study form” and
retains information easier.
To retain information, try the pomodoro technique and work in sprints, taking a short break between
each one. If you get overwhelmed, set yourself up with 3 outcomes you’d like to achieve by the end of
the day, or end of the study session and solely focus your time and energy into those.
Speaking of energy, its important to study during hours where you’re at your peak. Take advantage over
your study style and exploit it. When all else fails, reading aloud, teaching what you learned to others,
and simply summarizing each key section can trigger multiple parts of the brain that are not only
effective, but increase the memory and retention of the information you’re consuming.
Remember, we all have the same 24 hours in a day/168 in a week, and by implementing no-brainer
tactics like these, you can begin to immediate results and high returns of your time by your next study
session.
You confidently open your PMP study book, you hear a notification on your phone and decide checking
out the latest trailer to “Captain Marvel” sounds like a lot more fun than reading about procurement
source selection criteria.
Or maybe you are sitting there with a cup of coffee to try to figure out what all these ITTO’s are all about
and how to commit them to memory when your child starts yelling across the room.
“UGHHHH, I can’t get anything done around here!” You close the book and tell yourself that tomorrow
you’ll try again.
Sound familiar?
• Boring
• Lacking intrinsic rewards
• Frustrating
• Difficult
• Unstructured or ambiguous
• Lacking in personal meaning
Why? Because that is how are minds are. We are constantly at war with the part of our brain saying
focus! And the other saying, wooohoooo over here, it’s me the internet! Because it can be so much
easier to give into the side that seeks pleasure and fun, than the hard stuff. We skip the things we claim
are a priority in our lives, much like the PMP. Thus, pushing it aside or making it a lesser priority.
A recent survey conducted by Your PM Sidekick found that one of the top pain points of a professional
studying for the PMP was time management, specifically trying to balance all life’s responsibilities while
studying. Digging deeper, the study found that the top reasons why studying was put off was because
the material was boring and lacked intrinsic rewards. Just in case, I’ll include some techniques to combat
them all.
It is important to note before continuing on, that the concept of common reasons for
procrastination and key ways to regain control were inspired by “The Productivity Project”
by Chris Bailey. The application of those concepts and how they apply to the PMP were
researched and developed by “Your PM Sidekick” and the author of this article.
Before you get to thinking…
“I’ll do it later”
Try catching yourself when you begin to procrastinate. Once you pinpoint that you’re starting to be
resistant and feel yourself gearing up for the war in your mind when it comes studying for the exam vs
watching cat videos on Facebook, you can take the pre-planned action to combat those triggers which
can make studying a little more attractive.
Boring
For anyone who has cracked open the PMBOK, we can easily agree. Yet I find there are still some die-
hard PM’s who swear by the book. If you ask me, I think it has a lot to do with how we like to receive
information. For instance, I am a visual learner - - I enjoy a book with pictures, graphs and charts. I love
even more to find patterns in the material that help me make sense of it all, then I go to town with post
-its and highlighters. Turns out, I’m among the most common learning style there is.
o When the material aligns with my learning style, or I apply my learning style techniques to the
material it is more enjoyable and less boring. If its less boring, we might stick with it a little
longer until our mind convinces us to binge watch Netflix’s Stranger Things before the new
season.
o Curious about your learning style, click here to find out what yours is and a few tips for
making your study sessions more rewarding.
o Go to your favorite café, order yourself a drink and that delicious dessert you’ve been eyeing
and get to work. It will make it a little less boring, am I right?
o Rewards yourself every time you flex the focus muscle and you’ll be surprised at the willingness
you may have to continue. In the book, “The Productivity Project,” the author suggests giving
yourself a set dollar amount for doing a task then you spend that money unapologetically on
yourself. Assign an amount to each section of the chapter, or an amount to the chapter itself.
o Enjoy a night on the town! If you’ve been making tough decisions about your time, that
probably means there have been a few sacrifices that have been made to make more room for
study. Reward yourself with the “thing” you’ve been sacrificing. You deserve it.
Frustrating
Studying for the PMP can be undoubtedly frustrating at times.
From a macro perspective, there is frustration that stems from a common thought that none of the
information is used in the real world.
Others are frustrated on a more micro level because they’ve been audited, previously failed the exam,
are getting conflicting information from various resources, receiving inconsistent scores on practice
exams, finding it hard to make time to study in a distraction free environment, or just having trouble
retaining the information.
o Think back to school when you were in class learning about a topic you loved. Yes, it was still
school but learning the material and preparing wasn’t so bad. Now compare that to a subject
you despised. Everything was torturous and harder wasn’t it? If you think the exam and material
is pointless, you’ll probably be frustrated throughout the whole process. Find something to
make it more enjoyable.
o Try the Pomodoro technique, I have a more detailed article about it here. The idea is that if you
work in small sprints, taking frequent breaks - - the information is more digestible and not so
bad. The approach improves memory also. Commit to a session or two and afterwards if you
feel like you’re on a roll, “go on with your bad self”
Difficult
We often view something as hard when we don’t know how to take the first step and we admittedly do
not like not knowing how to do something.
o Research the PMP. Determine the requirements and collect the information you need (e.g info
for the application or selecting the resource to use). Pair that with a visit a coffee shop during
your prime time when you have the most energy. Knowledge is power here.
o Get an accountability partner; sometimes information that is hard for you is easy for someone
else (or vice versa). Rather than remain hung up on a section, or topic you can touch base with
your partner or coach who can help propel you though the hard parts.
Unstructured or ambiguous
Think about a project you worked on. It included a plan with actions for those on the project to take.
Everyone had their marching orders on what to do and when. Why? To keep things moving and avoid
wasting precious time. The same goes for a study plan. Imagine wasting 30 minutes trying to recall
where you left off, what you learned and where you should begin. It’s especially helpful if you aren’t
consistent in your studying. I think we can all agree we’ve been guilty of that
�
o Define a detailed system, and/or study plan to create structure to your study journey.
o Need ideas, check out these examples here and here.
o Always include the next action. Doing so can be extremely helpful and take the guess work
about what is next, never leaving anything ambiguous so no time is wasted.
Summary
We all procrastinate, its human nature. Even the most successful people put off doing things that are
important. To some degree, it is completely okay. However, when we always allow our mind to choose
fun over work, we give into our emotions for temporary satisfaction, at least that is what we think we’re
doing. Rather than accomplish what we intended to do, our short term satisfaction leads to us feeling
guiltily instead. The opposite feeling, we sought out when giving into our emotions. So the next time you
find yourself procrastinating when it comes to studying, remember some of the pre-planned action you
have in place to make studying a little less painful or simply just do it anyway at least for a few minutes.
And remember, the sooner you get the PMP, the more time you have for scrolling through Instagram or
playing candy crush and you can do it guilt-free.
You know those people that set out to do something, research for days, then find a way and stick to it?
Whether it’s to learn something new, complete a household task, create a new workout plan….or
prepare for the PMP, they find the “best” way that others talk about, then they mirror that. Then they
refuse to change it because “it’s worked for others so it has to work for them”. They drudge through
miserably because they think they have to.
I know who they are. Because I’m usually one of them. It fucking sucks.
What's my point?
From my own experience, as well as talking to others that have gone through their own PMP journey,
I’ve learned that it’s very common that people are afraid of change. They’re either afraid to challenge
the status quo. Or they’re afraid to change things up in the middle of their journey. Usually terrified it’ll
screw with their study plan and waste time.
Humans can be change adverse by nature. But sometimes we have to fight against being comfortable to
improve.
We have to kick that fear in the face and change things up if we need to.
Look – I’m not saying we should be fickle about our studies. And I do think it’s important to use lessons
learned from others to make your journey less terrible. The problem arises when these aren’t used as
guidelines, but rather used as rigid plans that we fear to adjust for ourselves.
Also, it’s important to understand that some days will be shittier than others. I’m not advocating that
someone should pull the rip-cord on a plan at the first sign of
pain/distress/boredom/struggle. However, if you find yourself struggling for consecutive days,
ultimately destroying your motivation, then it’s time to re-think your strategy. And more importantly,
not be afraid to change it.
What do I mean?
Some of you may have already read my article about my own PMP journey. I talked in more detail about
my initial plan, my notes, my resources – the whole lot. I changed a few things up along the
way. Yay! Small wins!
However, at some point, after trying to power through losing motivation because I wasn’t enjoying what
I was doing, I completely re-wrote my study plan. I didn’t start completely from scratch, but I definitely
came close. The plan I was using was already somewhat unique, but it still wasn’t good enough for
me. I was trying to talk myself into just “sticking with it”.
Eventually, I finally said “Fuck you, fear!”, and scrapped what I was doing.
I narrowed my resources down to just Scott’s book. I changed my plan to include more small quizzes
and checkpoints along the way. I scrapped Rita’s book almost entirely, planning only to use it as a
reference. Also, this meant going back to the beginning of Scott’s book to review a lot of what I already
read and take more quizzes. This sounds a LOT like starting over. It almost was. But I needed to do
something to make the journey suck less.
Your journey is going to take even longer if you try to fight through the lack of motivation and forcing a
plan that doesn’t work for you. It may seem counter-productive to scrap everything and start over, but
it’s damn near a guarantee that you’ll stay focused and motivated, and retain more if you’re not
miserable.
Like I mentioned above, you should still consider lessons learned from others, but don’t etch that shit in
stone.
It’s hard to find comfort to pull the trigger, set a date and actually take the exam. I know this, from not
only my own personal experience, but also because every single person I talk to says “How will I know
when I am ready?” or “I don’t feel ready, should I push my exam date back?”.
So know that if you get to this point, it’s completely normal. And chances are you’re one slight change
away from being all set to take the exam.
Here are a few rules of thumb to check off your list to be sure you’re ready to crush the big day:
Study gaps
Study gaps are essentially the areas you’re struggling with. These are typically easy to identify in two
ways:
1. Lack of experience: As a practitioner there has been little exposure to these types of processes
or knowledge areas.
2. Low Scoring Sections: Through a number of exam simulations, the output of those exams show
areas where you recognize common topics that are low scoring.
I had connected with an aspiring PMP on reddit months back. She let me interview her about her
struggles, and her experience studying. In return, I scheduled a number of sessions with her (for free!)
to let her pick my brain and help her review her exam simulator scores.
She was taking the exam for the 3rd time and was understandably stressed and overwhelmed and was
trying to build up her confidence again. She confided in me and shared that her experience didn’t
extend into topics like budgeting and procurement, so she had an obvious gap she had to fill.
She sent her exam results with questions, trying to understand why her answer wasn’t correct. Right
away I noticed patterns before we even jumped on the call to talk.
Patterns:
With this advice I suggested, she began to see some improvement. But it wouldn’t be enough. She had
to do more. So we started talking about tactics:
Tactic:
She continued to update me for a while and then went dark. I reached out and she said she was still
studying and taking my suggestions. A month or so later, I got a random email saying she passed! What
a relief for her!
When both myself and Joey leveraged these techniques, we both saw a jump in our stagnant scores.
We were in the 60’s then jumped into the 70’s where we finally took the exam and passed.
You might notice a lot of providers require a higher recommended percentage hit before sitting for the
exam. Understand that they want to be able to say they have a 99.99999999% pass rate, so they ensure
their students over prepare so they can maintain that pass rate. I don’t have anything to sell you, so a
pass rate for bragging rights is pretty meaningless to me. I just want you to succeed for yourself.
With that in mind, perhaps you’ll take my word for it. Keep in mind that PMI does not publish a pass
rate. However, generally speaking, we believe it unofficially hovers somewhere around the low to mid
60’s.
If you’ve been reading the ultimate guide thus far, then you know we put together a sample study plan
that touches on my recommendations above. Yay for timesavers and less planning!
Chapter 5: Taking the exam
When you do schedule your exam, you’ll get an email with instructions on where to go, what to bring,
etc. It’s not overly difficult.
But…it can be intimidating. When I first walked in, it reminded me of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld.
There were grumpy people directing everyone on where to go, and what to do. Their patience wasn’t
exactly overwhelming.
They didn’t yell “No soup for you!”, but this is about what I felt.
Ok, it wasn’t as bad as that, but when accompanied by the already overwhelming nerves, the intensity
was amplified. The process wasn’t too terrible, in all honesty.
It’s worth noting, that there are many other folks taking other exams. It isn’t just a bunch of PMP
aspirants.
When I walked in, I had to stand in line at the main desk. They were checking people in, giving them
their “numbers” and a key to a locker to store your stuff. Then you sat and wait to be called to the exam
room. Pretty simple, right?
You’ll then get a key to a locker, where you dump everything for the duration of the exam. Water
bottles, snacks, phones, jewelry, children, pets…everything goes in the lockers.
After waiting a bit, you get called back for the “pat-down”. It’s pretty much exactly what the police do
before arresting someone, but they are much nicer. They go over the rules, hand you a calculator, blank
paper and a pencil, then walk you inside the testing room. They’ll discuss everything you need to know,
and you’re off to the races.
In the past, there was an allotted amount of time for a brain dump. This meant you had 10 minutes or
so to write down as much information as you could before the exam starts. Formulas, Process Maps,
whatever your little heart desired. This was great since it didn’t cut into the 4 hours of test time.
You’re no longer allowed a brain dump period before the exam. You sit down, go through the quick
tutorial, then the test starts, as well as the timer. During the tutorial, you cannot write anything down.
No notes, no brain dump, nothing.
Now, if you want to do a brain dump, you have to do so after the timer starts. It’s now cutting into your
valuable 4 hours for the exam. And here lies the controversy.
One of the biggest arguments for the brain dump is writing down EVM formulas. I often hear folks
suggesting to know them by heart, and spend the first few minutes writing them down so you have
them handy during the exam. The thought is when you stumble across an EVM question, you use your
already written down formulas, versus having to think about them from scratch each time.
That’s fair. I understand the reasoning for that. But… (there’s always a but)
There honestly aren’t a lot of EVM or math questions during the exam. I may have had two or three. I
used to think that maybe I just got lucky, but after talking with many folks, I heard the same. There just
doesn’t seem to be a huge focus on math questions on the exam. So, is it really worth burning 5-10
minutes of the exam time to write that down?
There are a handful of other reasons that people use to support the brain dump. I’m not saying they’re
wrong, and I’m right. I am saying that the emphasis put on the brain dump is far too great. If you think
it could help you, and not add pressure to shaving the time off the exam, then by all means, brain dump
away.
However, it’s absolutely not a required thing. I didn’t do it, and when asked, I tell people not to bother
with it.
That wasn’t me though. I felt like I was failing the entire time. And according to about 99% of the
people we’ve spoken to, they felt the same (99% isn’t an exact number, but it was absolutely most of
the people).
This is a shitty feeling. It’s mentally distracting, and it allows negative thoughts to pour into your psyche.
It’s tough to avoid thinking about all the people you may let down (in your own mind) or having to tell
your boss you failed. If you’re anything like me, your brain will want to spiral into chaos and negativity.
The best advice here is the simplest – don’t let that happen. Just don’t.
I knew this was a potential feeling going into the exam. I heard it from many. There were a few times I
began to slip into deep negativity. I had to step out of myself and give myself my own pep talk and talk
myself off the ledge. Make myself keep pushing through.
I felt like Brad Pitt and Ed Norton in Fight Club, where I was essentially kicking my own ass for wanting to
give up.
Feeling like you’re not doing well is very, very common. Know that going in and be ready to talk yourself
down when you begin to slip.
There’s a chance the results come back, and you don’t pass.
Before you hit that button to submit the test, you must know – It’s ok if you don’t pass. Sure, it’s what
every single one of us want. And I think we should prepare our asses off to pass the first time. But
failing isn’t the end of the road.
Failing just means you learned. It’s not always the most comfortable way to learn, but it’s learning
nonetheless. It’s human nature to avoid failure. However, you have to know and understand, that
failing just means you’ve learned through experience. You now know what to expect the second (or
third, or fourth) time around. You’ll know which areas are your weak points, and what to focus on when
you tackle the exam again.
Now, go ahead and hit that button. As soon as you do, you immediately get the results. Either way,
you’re walking out of the room with your PMP, or with a better idea of how to pass the next time you
take it.
Chapter 6: Post PMP
Career Guidance:
Resume & LinkedIn Tips
Resume
• Profile tips
• keywords
• How I find jobs, opportunities, etc
Interviews:
Common interview questions I received (When a PMP is required for the role)
Walk me though the project lifecycle.
Are you familiar with fixed fee vs time and material contracts?
Tell me about a time when you had an upset customer and how you handled it.
PMI ® Certifications
Handbook
Table of Contents
This handbook contains information on what to expect when you apply for one of the globally
recognized and highly valued PMI® certifications. This handbook applies to all testing modalities.
This handbook contains information pertinent to the PMI products listed above. If you are interested in
one of the Discipline Agile Credentials, please go to https://www.pmi.org/certifications/agile-
certifications
OR
TM
If interested in Project Management Ready , please go to https://www.pmi.org/certifications/pmi-
project-management-ready for more information.
PMI requires that all certification applicants read this entire handbook. The purpose of this handbook is
to provide you with important information about the policies and procedures for obtaining and
maintaining your certification.
“PMI”, the PMI logo, “Making project management indispensable for business results”, “PMBOK”, “CAPM”, “Certified Associate
in Project Management (CAPM)”, “PMP”, “Project Management Professional (PMP)”, “Project Management Professional”, the
PMP logo, “PgMP”, “Program Management Professional (PgMP)”, “PMI-RMP”, “PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-
RMP)”, “PMI-SP”, “PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)”, “PMI-ACP”, “PMI Agile Certified Practitioner”, “PfMP” and “Portfolio
Management Professional (PfMP)” are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
Application Processing
To be eligible to sit for a credentialing exam, you must document certain education and professional
experience requirements in the online PMI application. Please refer to the appropriate certification Exam
Content Outline for more specific requirements
Once your online application has been processed and determined to be complete, PMI will send an email
notification to you requesting payment. Follow the directions in the email you receive or go to myPMI.
The submission of an application indicates your agreement to comply with the terms of the audit process.
All applications are subject to an audit, although only a percentage of applications are selected for audit.
If your application is selected for an audit, you will be notified by email prior to payment of the certification
fee. The electronic audit notification provides detailed information on how to comply with the terms of the
audit.
During an audit, you will be asked to submit supporting documentation such as:
- Copies of your diploma/global equivalent
- Signatures from your supervisor(s) or manager(s) from the project(s) recorded
in the experience verification section of the application
- Copies of certificates and/or letters from the training institute(s) for each
course recorded on the application to meet the required contact hours of
professional education
PMI provides you with 90 days to submit the requested documentation. If you are able to provide the
necessary documentation to meet the terms and requirements of the audit process, the audit should take
about five to seven business days to complete.
You can send your completed audit forms by regular postal mail or express courier service, to the
address below. Please send all materials at one time, in one envelope. Sending audit documents
separately can cause delay in the audit review timeframe.
PMI
Attn: Certification Audit
14 Campus Blvd.
Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA
If selected for audit, you may not continue with the certification process until you have complied with
the audit requirements.
Once you successfully complete the audit, your one-year examination eligibility period starts.
Incomplete submissions will not be processed and will result in failure of the audit. If you choose not
to comply with the audit, it will result in an audit failure and a one-year suspension period to apply for
any of PMI’s certifications.
NOTE: Please be advised that while the selection process for an audit is primarily random, PMI
reserves the right to select any candidate to be audited at any time, including after the certification
has been bestowed. If you fail to meet the audit requirements after attaining the certification, you
are not entitled to a refund.
The CAPM Exam is also available in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Turkish.
The PMP Exam is also available in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesian, French, German,
Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese and
Turkish.
Single Language Exams are protected under the PMI Test Security and Confidentiality rules.
For translated exams, the examination will be entirely in the language you choose. This includes all screens
before and after the examination. If you would still like to see the questions and answer options in English
during the exam, there is an exhibit button on the screen for each question that will show the question and
answer options in English.
Please note, PMI cannot change the language for an existing examination appointment. If you schedule
your examination in English only, but will require a different language, you must cancel your examination
prior to contacting PMI to request one.
Exam Accommodations
You may request the administration of any PMI examination to be modified due to disability, handicap
and/or other conditions that may impair your ability to take the examination. There are no additional costs
for test accommodations.
NOTE: Record your need for exam accommodations as part of the payment process.
Additional information can be found at https://www.pmi.org/certifications/certification-
resources/process/accommodations).
Once your request is submitted, you must forward supporting medical documentation to PMI by fax (+1
610 239 2257) or email (certexamdelivery@pmi.org). No requests for accommodations will be
considered without supporting documentation. You will be unable to schedule an examination until your
accommodations are approved by PMI.
PMI is unable to add any accommodations onto an existing examination appointment. If you do not
request accommodations during the examination payment process, but will require them, please contact
customercare@pmi.org as soon as possible. If you have already scheduled your examination, you will
have to cancel the appointment prior to requesting the accommodations. There are no exceptions to this
policy.
NOTE: If you require an exam accommodation, you may not be eligible to sit for an online
proctored exam.
Due to the above, you will be required as part of your application to take an examination to certify that you
are not on any list of designated parties maintained by the US government, that you are not in any way
affiliated with the governments of countries subject to comprehensive US sanctions, currently Cuba,
Syria, North Korea, and the Crimea Region of Ukraine, and that you are not ordinarily or permanently
resident in countries subject to comprehensive US sanctions, unless the US government has authorized
the provision of such examinations to persons ordinarily or permanently resident in those countries.
Export control and sanctions laws may change from time to time, and PMI reserves the right to
implement any changes or additions to these restrictions as appropriate.
The exam eligibility period (the period of time during which you are able to test) is one year. You may
take the examination three times within this one-year eligibility period should you not pass on the first or
second attempt.
PMI cannot guarantee or reserve seating at the testing centers or an available time for an online
proctored test appointment. PMI recommends that you schedule the examination as soon as you
determine the date on which you want to take it and at least three months before the expiration of your
eligibility period.
NOTE: You must retain the unique PMI Eligibility ID located on your scheduling notification. This
number will be required to register for the examination.
Please save all examination scheduling verifications and correspondence received for your
records.
Examples
Please note: If you are within 30 days of your scheduled appointment, you will need to contact
PMI Customer Care for assistance. The cancellation policy still applies.
If you are within 48 hours of your examination, you will not be able to cancel or reschedule your
appointment and you will forfeit the entire exam fee if you do not show up.
Emails to the exam delivery vendor or PMI are not acceptable forms of communication to reschedule or
cancel your examination appointment.
If you have internet connectivity problems, or experience any issues rescheduling or canceling your
examination online, call the vendor directly to reschedule or cancel your appointment. Do not call the
testing site to reschedule or cancel the examination.
Starting 2021, China candidates need to follow the timeline and policies on
CITEF’s website for rescheduling, cancellation and extenuating circumstances.
For more information please visit CITEF website (http://exam.chinapmp.cn) for
any questions or requests.
After the refund is processed, the application will be closed, and the eligibility period will no longer be
valid. If a scheduled exam is canceled and rescheduled outside of 30 days from the date of purchase, up
to 48 hours prior to the scheduled testing date, there is a rescheduling fee applied. Within 48 hours of the
scheduled testing date, all fees and the ability to reschedule are forfeit.
PMI will NOT provide you with a refund in the following instances:
If your one-year eligibility period has expired and you have not scheduled the exam, you will not
receive a refund. You will forfeit the entire fee. You will not be able to use the initial fees for
anything else. If you still wish to obtain the certification, you will have to reapply and submit all
associated fees again.
If you have scheduled the exam and did not take it, nor provided the necessary
cancellation/rescheduling notification to PMI’s testing administration partner, you will not receive a
refund. Again, you will forfeit the fee and not be able to apply it to anything else.
NOTE: You can send a request for refund to customercare@pmi.org or by fax to +1 610 482 9971.
No-Show Status
Failure to notify the exam delivery vendor or PMI within the specified time periods to reschedule
or cancel your exam and failure to meet a scheduled examination appointment will result in a
no-show status. If you reach a no-show status, you will forfeit the exam fee and have to pay
the full reexamination fee in order to schedule another examination.
Data Forensics
PMI uses independent third-party security vendors, including psychometricians (statisticians), to
conduct forensic analyses on test administration data. These analyses are designed to protect the
validity of the examination by looking for evidence that suggest a candidate’s score may not be a true
measure of their knowledge or ability. PMI reserves the right to hold, invalidate, or cancel any score
identified as potentially invalid on the basis on these analyses alone. Any candidate whose score is
invalidated or cancelled on the basis of statistical evidence alone shall be entitled to a free retake of
the examination, although PMI may place date, time, or location restrictions on the administration.
Statistical evidence may also be used during either an investigation into potential misconduct or a
disciplinary action. However, statistical evidence alone shall not be sufficient to accuse a candidate of
misconduct or take disciplinary action against a candidate without additional evidence. Note that
while this policy applies to statistical evidence, forensics analyses may uncover other types of
evidence that are not considered statistical and which are sufficient to take action against a
candidate, which may include but is not limited to the cancellation, invalidation and revocation of the
exam, and further action as determined by PMI in its sole discretion.
The CSA is a reminder of some, but not all, of the security related policies that the candidate
previously accepted during their application. Failure to agree with any or all of the CSA will result in
the immediate termination of the candidate’s testing sessions.
Reporting Misconduct
All PMI members, volunteers, credential holders, and candidates are required by the Code of Ethics
and Professional Conduct to report any violation of PMI rules and policies. Reports of potential exam
misconduct may be made directly to PMI’s Exam Security team by emailing examsecurity@pmi.org
with the relevant details.
If you do not provide the appropriate and/or matching identification, you will not be permitted to test. If
you still wish to take the exam, you will be required to apply for reexamination and pay the reexamination
fee in order to take the exam at a later date, when valid identification is available.
Email: customercare@pmi.org
Fax: +1 610 482 9971
Attn: Name Change for Exam
Please send any name change information as soon as possible. PMI is unable to guarantee that any
updates can be made to the name within five business days of a scheduled examination.
Check-in procedure
On the day of your examination, please arrive a half hour before your scheduled appointment. You
must sign in, present the required identification, and provide your unique PMI Eligibility ID. You will be
required to have your photo taken and provide a signature during the check-in process. You may also be
asked to provide the confirmation number received when scheduling the appointment.
Items such as sweaters and jewelry may be worn into the testing center, but cannot be removed once
you have entered the testing room.
You will be provided with a locker on the day of your examination to store your personal belongings.
Once your items are stored, you will be unable to access your locker until you have completed your
examination appointment.
If you will require any personal items in the testing room due to a medical condition, such as food,
beverages or medication, you will need authorization from PMI prior to scheduling your examination
appointment. Please review the Exam Accommodations policy for additional information on obtaining
authorization.
Once you have completed the check-in process, the testing center administrator will provide you with
either a booklet of scratch paper and two pencils or two erasable marker boards, two markers and an
eraser. Which of these two note-taking items is provided is dependent on the testing center’s available
supplies; candidates will not have a choice between scratch paper and the marker boards. Calculators
are built into the computer based test (CBT) exam; however, you may raise your hand at any time during
the examination and request a hand held calculator. Hand held calculators will be provided to all
candidates taking a paper based test (PBT) exam. If you require additional scratch paper at any time
during the examination, you may raise your hand and request it. The testing center administrator will
remove the used scratch paper and provide you with a fresh booklet. Candidates may only have either
one booklet of scratch paper or two marker boards at their testing terminal at any given time.
You will then be escorted into the testing room by the testing center administrator, who will seat you at
your workstation and begin your examination. On the first screen, you will be asked to verify both your
name and the examination you are taking. Once this information is verified, the examination tutorial will
begin. A clock is built into the CBT exam, and will begin to count down as soon as the tutorial has begun.
A candidate may exit the tutorial at any time; if a candidate does not voluntarily end the tutorial, once the
15 minute time window has elapsed, the tutorial will automatically end and the examination will begin.
There is one scheduled break during the examination. If you wish to take an unscheduled break, you may
get up from your terminal and exit the testing room. All candidates will have to sign in and out of the testing
room and present their government-issued identification documents upon each entrance and exit.
All examination appointments are monitored by continuous audio and video recording.
If you observe any irregularity in the testing center, or experience any issues during your examination
appointment, you are required to raise your hand and inform the testing center administrator as the
issue is occurring.
Testing Aids
Test candidates are prohibited from bringing calculators and scrap paper into the test site. However, these
items will be provided for you by the test center on the day of the exam:
Calculators are built into the CBT exam and will be provided to those candidates taking a PBT
exam
Writing materials for taking notes during the examination, either:
o Scrap paper and pencils, or
o Erasable board and markers
A virtual white board is available via the vendor’s system for those candidates sitting for an online
proctored test (OPT) exam
PMI® Certification Handbook – revised 7 December 2020
2000-2020 Project Management Institute Inc. All rights reserved. 17
Exam Policies and Procedures
Check-In Procedure for Online Proctored Test
Please refer to the exam delivery vendor’s website on how to properly access your online proctored exam.
For Pearson Vue, please visit: https://home.pearsonvue.com/Clients/PMI/OnVUE-online-proctored.aspx
For ATA, please visit: https://vip.eztest.org/client/pmi/home/index
CAPM Fees
Exam Administration PMI Member US Dollars Euros BRL INR
Type Status
Center-based testing (CBT) member $225 €185 R$1,230 ₹17,377
Online testing (OPT)
Center-based testing (CBT) nonmember $300 €250 R$1,822 ₹23,169
Online testing (OPT)
Reexamination CBT/OPT member $150 €125 R$911 ₹11,585
Reexamination CBT/OPT nonmember $375 €315 R$2,277 ₹28,961
CCR certification renewal member $60 USD only R$364 ₹3,475
CCR certification renewal nonmember $150 USD only R$911 ₹11,585
PMI-ACP Fees
Exam Administration PMI Member US Dollars Euros BRL INR
Type Status
Center-based testing (CBT) member $435 €365 R$2,113 ₹25,196
Online testing (OPT)
Center-based testing (CBT) nonmember $495 €415 R$3,006 ₹38,229
Online testing (OPT)
Reexamination CBT/OPT member $335 €280 R$1,831 ₹19,404
Reexamination CBT/OPT nonmember $395 €330 R$2,399 ₹30,506
CCR certification renewal member $60 USD only R$364 ₹3,475
CCR certification renewal nonmember $150 USD only R$911 ₹11,585
PMI-RMP Fees
Exam Administration PMI Member US Dollars Euros BRL INR
Type Status
Center-based testing (CBT) member $520 €430 R$3,158 ₹30,120
Online testing (OPT)
Center-based testing (CBT) nonmember $670 €555 R$4,069 ₹51,744
Online testing (OPT)
Reexamination CBT/OPT member $335 €280 R$2,034 ₹19,404
Reexamination CBT/OPT nonmember $435 €365 R$2,642 ₹33,595
CCR certification renewal member $60 USD only R$364 ₹3,475
CCR certification renewal nonmember $150 USD only R$911 ₹11,585
PMI-SP Fees
Exam Administration PMI Member US Dollars Euros BRL INR
Type Status
Center-based testing (CBT) member $520 €430 R$3,158 ₹30,120
Online testing (OPT)
Center-based testing (CBT) nonmember $670 €555 R$4,069 ₹51,744
Online testing (OPT)
Reexamination CBT/OPT member $335 €280 R$2,034 ₹19,404
Reexamination CBT/OPT nonmember $435 €365 R$2,642 ₹33,595
CCR certification renewal member $60 USD only R$364 ₹3,475
CCR certification renewal nonmember $150 USD only R$911 ₹11,585
PgMP Fees
Exam Administration PMI Member US Dollars Euros BRL INR
Type Status
Center-based testing (CBT) member $800 €655 R$3,886 ₹46,338
Online testing (OPT)
Center-based testing (CBT) nonmember $1,000 €815 R$6,073 ₹77,230
Online testing (OPT)
Reexamination CBT/OPT member $600 €490 R$3,279 ₹34,754
Reexamination CBT/OPT nonmember $800 €655 R$4,858 ₹61,784
CCR certification renewal member $60 USD only R$364 ₹3,475
CCR certification renewal nonmember $150 USD only R$911 ₹11,585
PMP Fees
You are granted a one-year eligibility period in which to pass the examination. During the eligibility
period, you may take the examination up to three times as candidates do not always pass the
examination on their first attempt. Gauge your time carefully to ensure your eligibility period will allow
for an exam retake, if needed.
Reexamination fees apply to the second and third attempts to pass the examination.
If you fail to pass the examination three times within your one-year eligibility period, you must wait one
year from the date of the last examination you took to reapply for the certification. However, after failing to
pass a certification examination three times, candidates may opt to apply for any other PMI certification.
If your eligibility period expires without you passing the examination, you must reapply for the
certification.
All certification related complaints must be reported within 30 days of the event/incident cited, made in
writing, and sent to PMI:
Via email at certcomplaints@pmi.org or
Via postal mail at 14 Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299, USA
All complaints should include evidence supporting the reason for the complaint and the nature of the
request, including all reasons why the action or decision should be changed. A complaint must include:
Name and e-mail address of the complainant;
Name against whom the complaint is made, if applicable;
Reference to the PMI certification policy and/or procedure that was not followed; A
description of how the policy and/or procedure was not followed; and
Any applicable evidence that supports the complaint.
We will acknowledge, in writing, your complaint within 3 days of receipt. If a complaint is missing any
necessary information, you will be informed and allowed an additional 30 days to supply the missing
information. If the required information is not submitted within that time, the request will be closed.
The review and validation of the complaint will occur in a constructive, impartial and timely manner. You
will be notified of the outcome within 3 business days of the decision being made. A record of the
complaint, including any subsequent action(s) taken, and the decision made will be maintained by PMI.
All information pertaining to the complaint will remain confidential.
You have the right to escalate your complaint within 10 calendar days of the notification of the decision
rendered. The escalation request should be submitted in writing and can be sent via email or mail to one
of the addresses listed above.
A decision around the escalation will be communicated to you within 10 days of PMI’s receipt of the
escalation request, unless circumstances warrant a delay. If a delay is expected, you will be notified.
All certification related appeals must be reported within 30 days of the event/incident cited, made in
writing, and sent to PMI Certification Appeals:
Via email at certappeals@pmi.org or
Via postal mail at 14 Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299, USA
To request an appeal you must submit a request and include evidence supporting the reason for the
appeal and the nature of the request, including all reasons why the action or decision should be
changed. An appeal must include:
Name and e-mail address of the appellant;
A description of why the appeal should be granted; and
Any applicable evidence that supports the appeal.
*Disciplinary decisions affecting membership of existing members are evaluated under a separate, Board approved
appeals process in accordance with PMI's Ethics Complaints Process.
Certificate
You may download a digital version of your certificate.
Digital Badge
You have the option of receiving a digital badge. You will contacted by the digital vendor about your digital
badge eligibility.
Participating in professional development and learning activities allows certification holders to earn
Professional Development Units (PDUs), fulfilling the continuing certification requirements and ultimately
growing and developing as a practitioner.
We know that each individual has different professional needs and desires. The CCR program is
designed to be flexible so that it can adapt to those needs and allow you to customize your CCR
activities. The CCR program provides a general framework and guidance—you determine your ultimate
CCR and development path.
For details and instructions on how to earn and track PDUs in CCR, download the CCR Handbook
PMI members have determined that honesty, responsibility, respect and fairness are the values that
drive ethical conduct for the project management profession. PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct applies those values to the real-life practice of project management, where the best outcome is
the most ethical one.
All PMI members, volunteers, certification holders and certification applicants must comply with the
Code.
Please visit the Code of Ethics page to download and read our code.
PMI.org
© 2020 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. “PMI”, the PMI logo, “CAPM”, “PMP”, “PfMP”, “PgMP”, "PMI-ACP", “PMI-PBA”, “PMI-RMP”, “PMI-SP” and
“Powering The Project Economy” are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc. (4/20)