If you are a professional working in the field and want to develop the finest succession planning, or if you are a student who wants to establish your presence in the project management business. Therefore obtaining a PMP certification is undoubtedly your finest and perfect alternative to enhance your career and personal development goals.

Whether you are a project coordinator, a product or process owner, or even a project manager, a PMP certification is the industry standard in the field of project management. When the yearly work review and performance appraisal is done, having this certification not only enables you to demonstrate your value to your company but also offers them the opportunity to assess and improve your position.

Although we don't claim that impostor syndrome makes you a hero, just holding this qualification is evidence of your standing as a responsible and knowledgeable expert. We will quickly go through the precise actions you must take to obtain this gold standard certification in this post.

Step one

The Application

After the Application Evaluation, the PMI typically needs a week to lead you to the payment choice. You must provide your contact information, educational background, professional experience, and the mandatory 35 hours of project management instruction when you apply for the certification exam. The entire application procedure typically takes 90 days, during which you must document and submit the complex information to the PMI for the application audit before paying the exam expenses.

The Prerequisites

The PMI has broadened its educational requirement criteria for aspiring professionals into two categories, and they are as follows:

Professionals with a four-year college degree:

If you have a graduate degree, you must list and prove 36 months of project management-related job experience. Being a manager who has led a project team is preferred.

Also, you must finish a certification programme at a recognised training facility that has been approved by the PMI as a learning partner channel.

Professionals with a High School diploma or an associate degree:

In the unlikely event that you are unable to finish your higher education, you will still have the opportunity to succeed in the exam. You must provide 60 months of project engagement experience, especially in senior roles, as the sole catch. To be eligible for the certification, you must also complete 35 hours of formal training from a training institution that has been approved.

The examination fees

The best and most efficient approach is to first pay $139 to join PMI. With this subscription, you'll receive ongoing savings on any purchases made through the PMI site. A non-member candidate must pay $555 for the exam voucher, however a member just has to pay $405.

In a sense, you spend $544 less as a member, whereas non-members pay $555 less. Moreover, you may purchase the re-examination voucher with your membership costs.

Step two

The preparation

Self-analyzing the domains is the most effective method for getting ready for the certification test. You might be shocked to learn that the first four certification test areas are where 80% of the questions come from. The syllabus's schematic arrangement says a lot. Hence, even without spending $450 to enrol in a 4-5 day boot camp online or off, you may work towards your objectives.

Time management is another aspect of preparedness. Make sure to set up at least two hours for self-study of the PMBOK if you want to pass the test in one sitting. You'll attempt superstitions when the chances are against you. Yet, this is not a superstition of any kind. Simply make sure that you have studied the PMBOK six times throughout the course of your study if you want to succeed on this test. 70% of the 1 million experts in total have used this strategy, and the majority of them have witnessed and documented the outcomes.

Step Three

Simulation exams

It is crucial to understand that no question appears more than once in the exam, and each set is unique. There will never be any congruence at any time or between any applicants because to the way the CBT is created. The PMI maintains a sizable pool of questions from which each applicant receives 200 questions, 25 of which are practise questions with no points.

You need to concentrate more on managing your time effectively as a candidate. Set aside at least 1.5 months for simulation tests, during which you should finish 30–40 question sets and then analyse the data to better understand your speed and performance.

Conclusion

Overall, earning a PMP certification requires a significant investment of time and effort. However, the benefits can be substantial, including increased job opportunities, higher salaries, and greater respect and recognition from colleagues and employers. If you are considering pursuing a career in project management or are already a project manager looking to take your career to the next level, obtaining a PMP certification is definitely worth considering.