12 Aug Tips #20: What NOT To Do For The PMP® Exam Prep
Avoid these pitfalls that you can save a lot of time and also prepare with more focus for the PMP® exam
While you are getting ready:
Most people feel that if they have a lot of material to read or many questions to solve, it will be easier to prepare and pass the pmp® exam. They go on collecting the material indiscriminately.
Students often ask us how many books they should read to pass the examination. What they actually mean is what they should memorize in order to pass the examination easily. What they need to understand is that no amount of reading and memorizing the books is going to help them pass this examination. They need to understand how to practically apply the standards and guidelines described in the PMBOK® guide. Too many books will only end up confusing them rather than helping
The most important thing they have to realize is just collecting the books is not going to help. They need to read and grasp those books to master the concepts explained in the book.
What actually happens is, as an enthusiastic beginner, they go on collecting the books, thinking that they will read it. Instead of collecting the books as soon as they start planning to take the PMP® exam, they actually should plan the training and start studying immediately. If they do not start immediately, the book-collection grows and when they think about starting to prepare, the big collection actually intimidates them. They take one look at a vast collection they have and without pausing to think if the books are really good or are really required, they give up! The big pile of books (Well, should I say “hundreds of books in their hard disks” rather than saying a big pile of books?)
What will be better is, get books and notes only when they have read the ones in their possessions. Before reading, check if the books are written for the current examination. Reading one book and the PMBOK® guide is actually well sufficient to pass this examination easily. It will help you prepare, take exams and pass before you lose your tempo.
Pay special attention to the questions. You always hear that the more questions you solve, the more easily you pass. I beg to disagree. You need to solve good quality questions, specially prepared in alignment with the ECO published by PMI®
Please do not solve questions that are not aligned to the ECO. They can do more damage than they can help. Ensure that the questions that you solve are good quality genuine questions.
This examination is about a project manager’s Wisdom that tests your project management understanding, experience and attitude. You DO NOT need a big pile of books that does not help you in these areas
In the next tip, we will see what we should avoid during the PMP® Exam.
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