How to get the PM Prepcast

As I've stated previously, I have used and fully endorse the PMPrepcast.com podcast to prepare you for the PMP Certification Exam given by the Project Management Institute. Not only does it give you a thorough, enjoyable and effective tutorial for preparing for the certification test. It also gives you the necessary 35 contact hours which normally require a much more expensive classroom instructor led course. I used the PMPrepcast to pass my PMP Certification on the first try!

The link is here:
http://www.premiumcast.com/vp/50398/15909/


More later,
Ambrose

More Free PDUs

Once you have passed your PMP certification test and you are now a PMP, in order to maintain your PMP certification, you will need to have 60 PDUs every three years. A PDU is a "Professional Development Unit." Many people feel that the only way to get PDUs is to take additional courses which often cost a lot of money. Others think attending seminars is the way to go. Those often cost significant amounts of money as well. I intend to maintain my PMP PDU requirements with as little out-of-pocket expense as possible. With that in mind, I found this service which offers free PDUs for listening to podcasts! It doesn't get much easier.

http://www.thepmpodcast.com/pdu.html

This is done by the instructor that offers the Project Management Prepcast: Cornelius Fichtner. He is abolutely terrific as a teacher as well as a podcaster.

Ambrose

PM Certification Tips

Here is another posting on how to prepare and take the PMP Certification test. This has some great tips. None of them very original, but all in one place. Highly recommended.

http://pmhub.net/wp/2009/09/steve-watson-pmp-lessons-learned-from-my-pmp-exam-experience/

Ambrose

Differences between 3rd and 4th editions of the PMBOK Guide chapter by chapter

I found this and thought it would be helpful for folks who studied with the 3rd edition PMBOK Guide but don't want to read the whole 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide! :-)

http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmbok-guide-fourth-edition-changes-chapter-by-chapter.html

Ambrose

Roger Chou, noted PMP and PgMP expert has a very nice article on how to pass the 4th edition PMP Certification test here:

http://pmhub.net/wp/2009/08/roger-chou-pmabcllmethod/

He touts HIS method, called PM-ABC, but it still contains good information.

Check it out.

Ambrose

Free PMP Exam Questions sent via Email!

I just happened upon this page which may help you prospective PMPers some help!

http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com/

They send you questions via email and also some handy PMP exam tips!

Ambrose

How to earn PDUs

Here's another link for some helpful frequently asked questions (FAQs) on how to maintain your PMP with PDUs. It can be helpful for someone who has achieved their PMP and wishes to maintain their standing.

http://pmit.pl/en/project-management/how-to-earn-pdus-for-pmp-recertificationjak-zdobyc-pdu-do-recertyfikacji-pmp/

or

http://tinyurl.com/mz3xdt

Ambrose Liao PMP

The Quest for PDUs

After you've passed your PMP Certification test, you will need to attain 60 PDUs within 3 years in order to maintain your PMP status. If you don't, your certification will lapse and you'll need to take another certification test in order to become a PMP again.

Trying to find these PDUs at an affordable cost can be daunting. I've found a website that has found 60 free PDUs. Of course, these "free" PDUs will require time and effort in order to acquire, but I think it's better than paying for them (If you have the time!)

Here's the website.

www.pdu4free.com

Ambrose Liao PMP

PMP Online Registry

If you were wondering if someone you know is a certified PMP, then go to this page and enter their name!

https://www.pmi.org/CertApp/Registry.aspx

Ambrose

Sample PMBOK 4th Edition Test Questions

I was able to take two 200 question sample tests from www.pmstudy.com which I found to be very helpful. The first one I took was the free test. This is difficult to do because you have to be the one of 100 for the day. I was able to do it on the 4th of July weekend when I suspect it wasn't that busy because everyone was out celebrating! It might also be that the count for the first 100 doesn't happen until the evening time when I tried!

I came upon this set of 200 questions and answers from my Facebook contact. Here it is:

http://www.certchamp.com/pmp-sample-questions.jsp

Remember to not take too many pre-tests before your real test. Your brain cannot assimilate that much information in a short period of time!

Take only one or two before your actual test.

Ambrose

Fourth edition of the PMBOK Guide

I took my certification training class from Virginia Tech in Northern Virginia. It was a great class lead by Mr. Norris Goff who happens to have worked at my present company (CSC) before he quit to start his PMP training course. I took the course shortly before the PMBOK Guide 4th edition came out and thought I had plenty of time to study before the test would be changed from the 3rd to the 4th editions on July 1, 2009. I was mistaken!

I delayed taking the test until the middle of April and thought that 4 months would be adequate to cram for the certification test. I again was mistaken. As the first test date approached, I knew I didn't have the information clear enough in my head to pass the certification test. I postponed the test until the 19th of June thinking that an additional 2 months would be sufficient. Strike 2!

I was then in a real dilemma. What should I do? Take the test on the 19th since postponing it again would push me past the July 1 transition date, or postpone and restudy for the 4th edition material. I chose the latter.

It was a good decision since my knowledge would be fresh and be the latest available. In studying, I realized that the 4th edition material is much more logically and practically organized. It was based on a more real-world methodology of incorporating more practical and realistic data. The processes were also more logically named and organized.

Overall, I don't regret delaying my test until the 4th edition came out. I was one of the first to pass the 4th edition test. I took mine on the 9th which meant that only a few other people had taken it before I did!

Until next time,

Ambrose Liao PMP

PMP Certification Exam Tips #1

My first tip for taking and passing the PMP certification test is very simple. Relax!

I wasn't relaxed when I started the test. I got to the Prometrics office after going over the 42 process groups and knowledge area mappings chart and going over the formulas one last time. I just wanted to sit down and start. Once I emptied my pockets, locked my things up in the small lockers they provided and pulled out my pants pockets to show them that I didn't have anything on me, I sat down at the test computer. After I got through the introduction, I was ready to start in a very big way.

The first 50 questions or so seemed incredibly challenging and difficult. I wasn't sure if this was going to be the way it was for the entire test but I was discouraged. Once the initial shock of how hard the test was passed, I eased into the test and found the next 100 or so questions fairly straightforward and I found that I was well ahead on time. Once I completed the test, I went back over the marked questions and answered those as best I could and I decided to go back over the questions "one more time!"

The second pass was much more straightforward and my thoughts of the first 50 being extremely challenging dissipated. This brought me to the realization that the questions actually were not that hard. It was my anxiety and tension that made the questions seemed harder than they should.

So my advice to you is to relax and know that you will do well on the test. Think positive thoughts and relax!

You can do it!

Ambrose

Welcome to my new Blog!

Hi,

My name is Ambrose Liao. I am a newly minted Project Management Professional (PMP). I passed my PMI certification test on July 9, 2009.

In preparation for the PMP certification test, I took the Virginia Polytechnic Institute's PMP certification class in the Fall of 2008 at the West Falls Church Campus of Virginia Tech. The instructor was Norris Goff. I highly recommend this course to anyone seeking to pass their PMP certification test.

I will be noting any special PMP issues that I may wish to comment on here. I hope you enjoy reading my blog!

Ambrose Liao PMP