One crucial part of preparing for your PMP exam certification is picking your studying material. This step can be quite delicate and impactful as the selection of out-of-date resources, for instance, can result in an inaccurate invalid preparation. Additionally, with the various choices and the endless recommendations, deciding on which material to rely on for your studying can be confusing. To make the whole process as easy as possible, we set up some simple steps to follow in order to end up with the right preparation material to tackle your exam.
Start with setting a budget!
How much you’re willing to invest in your PMP certification will help you create an accurate study plan. Setting up a budget will determine how much and which material you’re going to tackle, it will also help you to estimate how much time it will take to get through all material, hence you will end up creating a precise studying plan and schedule.
Don’t leave anything out!
Your budget should cover all preparation resources including training, courses, simulators, etc. so you won’t be saddened by the need to purchase something else during your preparation.
Do your research!
Before committing to any PMP material, do some thorough research on the best resources you can rely on for your studying. This can be easily done by referring to PMP holders’ recommendations and experiences with PMP Bootcamps, online courses, simulators, etc. You’ll notice that a bunch of names are repeatedly mentioned as the best instructors and trainers in the field, so this should be an easy task.
PMP is not based on PMBOK!
A common misconception among PMP aspirants is that the PMP exam is fully based on the PMBOK, which is not the case. The PMP exam is based on the Exam Content Outline (ECO). PMI does not endorse any preparation courses, resources, references, etc. However, they do recommend a list of ten resources, including the PMBOK and the Agile practice guide, which can be downloaded for free if you are a PMI member.
You only need these 5 things!
When searching for convenient resources, you might get overwhelmed by the huge number of training providers, online courses, books, and exam simulators on the market. You should keep things simple; all you need for a comprehensive PMP preparation is an onsite or online course or training, the PMBOK Guide, the Agile practice guide, a preparation book, an exam simulator or mock tests.
Make sure it’s updated!
Whatever you end up choosing for your preparation, make sure it’s fully aligned with the latest PMP exam updates.
Opt for an online course if you have a tight budget!
If you can’t afford a full PMP on-site training or bootcamp to fulfill the 35 contact hours, don’t worry! There are several online PMP preparation courses that you can get for quite an affordable price.
A good textbook for the win!
If you don’t have enough time or patience, a good preparation book is your best friend through this journey. A well-written PMP book can be a great tool as a majority of these books usually cover the intimidating PMBOK more easily, offer quizzes and mock tests, and even include cheat sheets, memory sheets, and vocabulary glossaries for all terms and concepts definitions.
Simulators are a must!
Unlike other preparation materials, PMP simulators or full-length mocks are an irreplaceable must. Your exam preparation plan must include practice tests in order to be able to replicate the exam environment, practice managing the exam allocated time, and become comfortable with answering 180 questions under pressure.
Take advantage of free resources!
There are a lot of websites, social media groups, and forums that are dedicated to posting free preparation resources. You can get your hands on numerous mock exams, online course coupons, discount codes, etc. Plus, a majority of PMP trainers use their Youtube platforms for instance to provide explanatory videos and live Q&A sessions. You should also keep in mind that you can always look up any information on Google and you will definitely find what you need.
Keep in mind that even though choosing the right preparation material paves the way for exam success, it’s only a step in the process of preparing and acquiring the PMP certification; you’ll also need to set up and commit to a study plan and schedule, as well as practice mock tests, to simulate and get ready for the real exam experience.