Every project has an outcome, a goal it seeks to deliver. A good project manager works backwards from that goal to define what needs to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If one\u2019s project is \u201cTo earn a PMP,\u201d one must pass an exam. Prior to that, one must apply, have one\u2019s application approved, and schedule a timeslot to take the exam. And in order to apply, one must have completed a minimum level of education, experience, and training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this post, I will discuss applying for and scheduling the exam.\u00a0 Other posts will address the training I took<\/a> and my experience taking the exam<\/a>.\u00a0 A final post will serve as the lessons learned register<\/a>, summarizing the tips and tricks from these posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Application Process<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The requirements for applying are clearly spelled out on PMP\u2019s website: 35 hours of relevant training, plus either a four-year university degree and 36 months of relevant experience in the past 8 years, or a high school diploma and 60 months experience. Your application may be audited, after which you pay the fee and schedule the exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writing the Project Descriptions was the most complicated part of the application. I liked the advice from my prep course to describe my responsibilities using the relevant predictive, agile, or hybrid PMBOK language. This freed me from the concern of using business-specific terminology that could be unclear to an outside reviewer, and gave me additional practice in thinking in the common PMBOK language. I would recommend composing these in a word processor, not on the application itself; I typed over 1000 words to describe my three projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Audit and the Wait<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n PMI\u2019s communications management processes could use some help. After submitting my application, I received an email saying, \u201cOnce your application has been reviewed, you will be notified of your next steps.\u201d But no email came. After waiting four days, I logged into PMI\u2019s website to check the status of my application and saw that I had been approved to take the exam, and the one year of time allotted to take the exam had already begun ticking down. Oddly, the minute I logged into and saw this info, an email was sent to my inbox that I was eligible to take the exam. This is, of course, too late to be actionable. Don\u2019t wait for an email about your application\u2019s status or audit results; check the website daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone asked me, \u201cWhat can I do to avoid being audited?\u201d PMI says they do random audits, so I think that\u2019s the wrong question to ask; a better question is, \u201cHow can I reduce the risk of delay from audits?\u201d This is within your control: tell the truth, know where your supporting documentation is, and inform your references. If your university diploma isn\u2019t nearby, be sure you know how to contact them and get a copy if needed. If you\u2019re taking a PMP exam prep course as many do, wait until you have the certificate of completion before filling in that part of the application; if something comes up and you have to reschedule, you don\u2019t want to have to explain the difference. And by informing your references, they\u2019ll be ready to validate your work experience, as well as to cheer you on. It may also be an opportunity to re-connect with them if you haven\u2019t communicated in a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scheduling the Exam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I recommend you book your exam as soon as your application is approved. The company that proctors for PMI also proctors many other exams, so available exam slots can fill up fast. In my case, there were slots available that week, and after that, nothing good within 50 miles of me for the next two months. I wanted to study more, but I didn\u2019t want to wait two months, so I booked right away. Even if you plan to do more studying and additional practice exams, grab a slot that you think will work, because someone else may take it if you delay. And having a deadline gives you a target and helps you focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two choices for how to take the exam: online or at a test center. I chose to take the exam at a test center to eliminate three risks: distraction, technical, and surroundings. Distraction is the risk that a family member, a pet, or a noise in the surrounding neighborhood would break my concentration. Technical risks included the possibility of Internet outage, a local power outage from wind or rain, or other computer problems. I also didn\u2019t want anything in my surroundings to be mistaken for study notes or disqualifying information. Being at a test center eliminated all three risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you choose to take the exam online from home, I\u2019d love to learn your experience \u2013 please share in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Earlier this month, I took the PMP exam and passed it on the first try, scoring above target in every 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