How Allan Passed His PMP Exam On His First Try 2021

Hey everyone, thanks for joining us today. So today we have Alan with us, and he just passed his PMP in 2021 based on the new exam format, and he is here to share with us his journey to getting PMP certified and how he was able to do it. So thanks, Alan, for joining us today.

Oh, you're welcome. Glad to be here.

Amazing. So tell us a little bit about your journey.

Oh my God. So my PMP journey has been a very long one. I've been in project management for almost 30 years and have been resisting getting my PMP for many years as well. And finally I did it. I'm so happy that finally I decided to get it done. Yeah.

Okay. And how was your certification journey like?

Um, well, actually, a number of years ago, I, I signed up with Examspm to, to, to get, to get my PMP, and I really didn't do anything towards that. I let it, I sort of let it go. And, and this year I got really interested in getting it done because there were some exam changes coming, and then the PMBOK 7 was coming, and I didn't really want to restudy everything again. So I decided, okay, like, this is it. Why am I procrastinating on this? And I decided to get it done. So it's— so I would say once I got it done, the journey was, was, was good. It was quick. I decided, okay, I'm going to write this thing. within a month, and I actually applied. So that was really the key, is to sort of put my neck on the line and apply for it. And, you know, it kind of motivated me to actually get the work done.

Right. So tell me a little bit more about your certification. Well, let's start off from the top, like with your application. Thanks for bringing it up. What did you have to do on that? What was that process like, and is there any tips that you have for people in terms of the application?

Yeah, I would say like don't be afraid of the application. It's not as hard as it used to be. Really, you just need to use some of the wording that the PMI like to see, and, you know, like be very descriptive about what you actually did and, and have that follow the processes of the PMBOK. So with Examspm, there's a really good outline that gives some examples of things that you could write, and you know, just take a look at that. And well, that's what I did, and it it really helped me to write those those descriptions. And really, it was it was easy. You just go to the PMI website and you. You type that out and make sure you've got your 36 or your 60 months and you're good to go.

So when you say wording, where can people get some of these wording that you used for the project options, like the PMI terms?

Yeah, like PMI terms are available in the PMBOK, like, you know—

The glossary section.

Yeah, in the glossary section. And Examus PM has a guide as well.

Yeah, so for people who are listening here, when you're writing your PMP descriptions, make sure you're using PMI terminology and not exactly the terminology that you may be using in your project. Sometimes, as an example, some companies use the term project briefs. But that's not the PMI terminology. In PMI world, they call it the project charter. So on your PMP applications, you want to use the terminologies that are used from the PMBOK. That's really great advice there. Okay, so moving on. So you got your PMP application. Now, what did you do in terms of studying, and any tips there?

Okay, yeah, I studied everything I could. The first thing I did is I went through all of the ExamSPM material. So I did every single module. I did the tests, like the post-chapter tests. And then I followed some advice that I heard About actually practicing the exams, like doing the exam simulator. So as soon as I felt ready, I started practicing exams, and I did all 5 full-length exams to test my knowledge. And then what I did was, when I wasn't doing well, when I found categories of knowledge that I wasn't doing well, I actually went to the PMBOK, and I went back to those sections of of the course, and I reviewed that. So, so the process is go through the modules, do the practice exams, and where you find your weaknesses, go and study those weaknesses. And, you know, the PMBOK has a lot of information. The, you know, go back to your course, do your course information again. Don't feel like you know, you've failed something, you know, just say, oh, this is really beneficial for me to get this knowledge into my head. So, you know, I've spoken to people who have done this many times, like they've reviewed the information many times, and it just makes for more rounded, well-rounded experience and knowledge so that when you sit in the exam, you feel prepared. And I think that's really the key for me was to, was to do that.

Right, right. And how many— how— what did your study plan look like? Like how many hours were you studying per day? And, and, you know, did you divide up your study time in any way?

Yeah, I was doing at least a few hours a day of study. So if you're gonna— there's a lot of material. So if you want to get through that, and do it within a month, you're going to have to do at least a couple of hours a day of study, which—

Right.

And, you know, of course I'm saying that because there's also practice exams, right? So you do your course, you do your exams. Don't— what I would say is don't underestimate this exam. Like I said, I've been in project management for nearly 30 years. And one of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they underestimate the difficulty of this exam. You know, you— and, you know, oh, I've done this before. Yeah, you've done it before your way, but you need to be able to do it their way.

Yeah.

And that's the biggest thing. That's the biggest hurdle I found is like, you know, I know how to do it, but this isn't the way exactly that I learned how to do it. So you kind of have to put your own stuff to the side and say, okay, I got to learn it this way. And you know what? It's still good stuff. Like, it's best practice and it's really worth learning. So might as well do it, you know?

Right, right, right. So let's talk about your actual exam date. What did that actually look like?

Well, I did choose to go in to write the exam because I'm kind of old-fashioned. I was worried about the home exam. I heard that, you know, if somebody came through my— you see how my door is kind of open— if somebody walked by my door, I could actually fail the— not fail the exam, but they would disqualify me because there would be somebody in my— so I was a little bit concerned that something like that might happen, so I decided to go in. To write my exam. And also, I enjoy that feeling of like going to a place and sitting down and like, you know, it's just, I like it. So, so I decided to do it that way.

Yeah. So, you know, walk me through how that, how that day looked like, you know, what was it like checking in? And did you make a cheat sheet?

Yeah. I did make a cheat sheet. That's one of my study approaches. I actually would write down key elements on my cheat sheet that I would want to bring to an exam. I didn't actually bring it to the exam because you can't bring a sheet into— in there, but I have sort of a visual memory, so I can— I could picture what was on that sheet. So I could recreate it. So they, you know, checking in is easy. You get— you go one half hour before. Make sure you're there before because you never know what's going to happen. They do run through the rules and tell you what you have to do. You sit in a cubicle, it's walled off, and you have your computer. Some places will give you a piece of paper. This place gave me a piece of paper to write on so I could use that. For, you know, for jotting things down or writing down formula or whatever I wanted to do. I didn't really need to do that, so, so I just use it to doodle with, but definitely get the paper. Some places will have it like electronically, but I think most of the in-person centers have paper. So that's what it is. You sit there. If you want to go to the washroom, you have to raise your hand. Somebody's looking through a camera. They come in, they take you, they escort you to the washroom, they escort you back. It's like, it's very, very, it's very regimented.

Yeah.

And then if everybody's watched, like there are cameras at each station, so everybody's watched individually. So you really have to, you really have to just pay attention to what you're doing and follow the rules. You'll be fine.

Yeah, right, right, right. Perfect. Um, so, um, when you were— when you were, um— oh no, um, so, uh, on your actual exam, how did you find the actual exam questions and any tips for approaching these questions?

I would say like I was— I was shocked at how difficult the questions were and They weren't difficult because they were complex. They were difficult because they were very wordy.

Okay.

I find the questions very wordy. And definitely my, my, the simulator, like the exam simulator I did, helped me with that. It prepared me in some way. But even so, getting there, it's like, wow, there's a lot of word here. And even, even all of the answers, like You know, it just took so long to read through everything. So I would say, like, you know, like, you really have to read carefully and pick the best answer because some of these answers sound so similar. So, so that's what I was— that was what I was challenged with. It's just the time it took to read through these things. Like, it was just And it's exhausting. You know, I spent the full time and actually at the end of it, I was just going like so fast. I wasn't even thinking anymore. I was like just trying to beat the clock.

Right. So knowing what you know now, would, you know, how would you have been able to prepare better, you know, to Like read better now that you are on the other end of it?

I think that when I, when I was doing it, I was thinking too much about like once I finished an answer, I was, I was still thinking about the last question, you know, like, you know what I mean? Like, so move on quickly, don't dwell on it. One thing I didn't do, I didn't spend a lot of time reviewing questions because they give you 2 10-minute breaks.

Right.

So you're able to review the questions just before you go on this break.

Right.

I would say don't spend time there. Like, you do have the time, but unless you really know that there are some questions that you want to revisit, don't go back and revisit questions. And this is something I've heard before, like, you know, your first, your first pass is usually your best pass. So don't waste time.

Right, right, right. Okay, so was there any topics on the exam that was tested more than others?

No, no. I would say one thing that I would mention is that they moved to that format of 50/50 with Agile being 50 and sort of Waterfall being 50. That's really true. There's a lot of Agile questions. So, yeah, just—

Really know Agile.

Yeah, make sure you know your Agile.

Was it different flavors of Agile or just Scrum, or is it just everything related to Agile?

Well, definitely there's more Scrum. There's definitely a higher weighting on Scrum from what I saw, but honestly, like, you should really know Agile, like, as much information as you can get, you know, because they really, they really do test it and they, you know, and that's what they said they were gonna do, you know, so it's— It's definitely something that I found. I wouldn't say there's any particular type of question. I mean, you have to know your process groups still. You have to know all of that. All of the waterfall stuff is still applicable. So don't think that because there's 50% agile, you don't have to know all of your waterfall. You have to know the whole thing. And this is This is, I think, a difficult thing.

Right, right, right. And how do you think ExamSPM really helped you prepare for this?

Well, ExamSPM is including all of the information. They have all of the waterfall, they have all of the agile, the simulators. The simulator is really great. There's a lot of variety in the questions. And there's a lot. Oh my God, there's so much material in there. Like, if you, you know, I'm saying like 2 hours a day, but you could spend much more time because there is so much information.

Right.

And also in the simulator, what I'd like to point out is that there's a reference to the PMBOK in every answer. So if you don't know, like if you need more information, you can go right to that section of the PMBOK. And I think that's helpful as well. You know, so it'll save you some time. So ExamSPM, like, in doing that, it really is a good study guide because it takes you right to the source.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Perfect. Yeah. Any other tips that you have for people who are going to write this soon?

I would say, like, you know, just practice, practice, you know, and practice some more. You know, and don't get— don't— I don't know. I used to be— I used to study more like the things that I knew because it felt good. You know, like it feels good to restudy something you already learned because, oh wow, I know that. But really just dive into— don't be afraid to dive into the stuff you don't know. You know, if it's formulas, if it's earned value, if it's whatever it is that scares you the most. about the PMBOK, just go ahead and practice it and learn it. You'll find it in the PM— in the Examz PM materials that everything's really well laid out. There's good videos that show you everything about critical path and all of these things, you know, just, and really just understand.

Yeah.

And that's the key. Like, the key is understanding. Don't go memorizing these processes. Like, you know, and, and that— just understand how it works. Okay, so now I've done the project charter, now what? Now what do I do?

Right, you actually bring up a really good point, and that's about formulas. Did you see a lot of math questions on your exam?

No, like, they don't— they'll not really— I don't, I don't think they— like, they test— like, um, you have to know math and you have to understand the math And, and somebody in, in the course was saying, know the language of the math, like, like understand where they're— what they're asking you, you know, and, you know, definitely there are certain formulas you need to memorize. Those formulas are in the course, you know, and they hit— they're bang on. They're bang on. If you learn those formulas, you'll be fine. So, but there's not— it's not like a huge amount of formulas in the test. You just have to understand, you know, they'll ask you, you know, they'll ask you a question that tests your understanding of the formula to come up with, with an answer, you know. So don't get too hung up on formulas, just understand The language of the math.

Right, right, right. And last question for you, it's regarding breaks.

Mm-hmm.

Your exam, so what was that like? You know.

It's— it was kind of stressful because like, I don't know, I just wanted to get out of there. So, but they give you the 2 breaks. There's nothing really to do, but, but you do get them like, you know.

So how did the breaks work? Can you take a break at any time, or—

Um, that's a good question. It seemed to come up at regular intervals, you know. So as you were proceeding through the material, it would come up, you know. So a message would pop up about your break.

Okay, so it's not like you could leave the room at any time, so it's when those messages pop up.

I think you could, you know, you could. But if you do choose to take your break at a different time, you've got to realize that you can't go back to those old answers.

Right.

Already, you've already, you know.

Right, right.

Best to wait for the intervals. And there, it's comfortable. Like, they put them at the right places. It seems to work. Just to go in with a liter bottle of water.

Oh, they do let you bring water in.

What's that?

They let you bring water in.

I didn't bring any. I'm just saying, like, if they let you, don't do it because then you might get caught trying to get out of there.

Yeah, right, right, right. Makes sense. I think they don't let you bring it in anyways, so.

Yeah, I don't know. I didn't try, but yeah.

Fair enough. Well, thank you, Alan, so much for your time.

Yeah, no problem. Thanks for having me.

Congratulations on passing your PMP.

Thank you, and thanks for, for the great course. It's fantastic.

Thank you so much.

Okay.