My way to PMP certificate

Probably all of You know what are projects, their importance and PMP certificate.

My first contact with PMI and PMP was during my first Project Manager experience and ever since I started thinking how to obtain this certificate. It is currently considered most valuable certificate in whole world, but it is also one of most difficult one to obtain. Many of my friends and colleagues tried to pass it and failed. Naturally this brought something like a really big fear of "PMP exam" - even thou I still didn't know what is this exam really about..

After talking to many people tutoring for this exam, and few of them who passed it I decided to give it a try.

Here is my path for PMP preparation - what materials I used, what test examples and books I read.

PMP Preparation seminar

PMP preparation seminar. This is obligatory because You'll gain needed 30 PDU points to access PMP exam and You'll get insight to what PMP is all about. My advice is to listen to prep seminar in Your native language or any language You're most comfortable in and try to get involved in lectures and discussions as much as you can. Don't go to one of those fast seminars that last from 1 to 3 days because You won't learn "anything". The way I see it this short seminars are best to repeat what You have learned and NOT to learn something new. You need time to think through what You have heared and learned. Also try to implement what You have learned on prep seminars in Your everyday life and business life. Also, keep all materials from Your PMP prep course - they will probably came in handy to You as much they did to me when I was learning through Rita PMP prep book.

Rita Mulcahy PMP Prep Book 

I'd like to say that this book is also obligatory, even thou You can find all sorts of PMP Exam Prep (I've also red one of them) books on Amazon or other Internet sites. Why Rita? Everyone will tell You that Rita is book that You need to read, learn and that it will be enough to pass this exam. NOT! ¨Maybe because I've used Rita 6 on current exam, but I don't thik so. Rita (the one which I read and learned) has few sections written wrong, and also some sections aren't covered in enough detail to pass exam. Remember that if You plan to use Rita (or any other book) You'll have to do extra reading. If you decide to go with Rita (like I did) read it WHOLE, try to answer all test prep questions (I did it in 3rd pass of book) and remember to learn Rita's process chart (it will help you answer 50% of questions on exam). Also read last chapter (don't skip) where Rita in 2-3 pages writes about what to do to pass exam. If You're wondering how many times I read Rita - 4 times :).

PMP Exam Examples

This is, by far,  most useful learning tool. After I learned (at least i thought I've learned it) Rita, all of formulas and methods I started those exams. Of course I didn't know answers to all of questions, but 50% of them. Then Google is Your best friend :). I started google-ing through exam questions terms, questions, formulas. After a while I managed to learn few thing and narrowed my gap in knowledge. I've tried 3 test simulations - about 630 questions.

Own Notes and Handbooks

Wrote my own PMP exam prep notes and handbook. While I was reading Rita, looking for answers to unknowns of test PMP exams I was writing it all in my little notebook. Also Rita stresses out that inputs and outputs of each Project phase, knowledge area and PM process aren't so important to remember if You know Rita Process Chart. Well that just isn't so. I've had 30 questions about inputs and outputs which even waren't in Rita's Prep Book. This is important for exam. Only source for that data I could think of was PMBOK - but I hadn't time. So I decided to google-it. After some effort I found what I was looking for and I will share it with all of You through my Blog :)
Here are my notes that could help you prepare for exam, and helped me to learn faster: My PMP Notes

Get Rested Before Exam

Remember to get good night sleep before exam because You have little time to review Your answers so You'll need Your concentration!

If you try to go through my steps, I'm sure that You'll pass it from first try like me :)

Good luck!