By Divakar Eshwarappa, PMP
Introduction
My Preparation for the PMP exam started six months before the date of exam. I had completed the training many months before:). The general recommendation is to take up the exam within 3 months after your preparation training. I had no way to take it before this date, due to hectic office work. So, had to wait to schedule my exam date.
PMP Coaching Experience
Sometime in May 2016, the first thing I did was to go through Satya's notes & Videos and materials to recap the initial learnings. I was able to recollect many PMP concepts as explained by him in the class.
Satya is power house of knowledge when it comes to PMP. I had lost in touch with him after training. But kept receiving his mails on numerous write-up I was able to go through.
Own Study
I had read half of Head First PMP before taking the training. I took up this book next and started reading. As my office work was hectic, I could only study during weekends. Family with two kids, functions, festivals were all blockers for studies. I had a tough time balancing the study, work and family.
Meanwhile in July, I fell ill with Dengue fever and was completely hospitalised. I lost so much of time in recovering the health and that was very important.
When the month of August started, I was much better and was lucky to get my hands on Rita Mulcahy's PMP Prep book. The first couple of chapters was total bouncers. Her explanation of project management is at a different level. I could now recollect many points which we went through in Satya’s training when I correlated. I spent couple of hours after office hours every day to complete the book.
The month of August 2016 ended, but I had still had not booked the exam date, and had not read PMBOK® guide (highly recommended that you read multiple times) completely. Neither, I had practised 4-hour full length mock up tests.
So, I started counting the available weekends and festival holidays and planned my remaining studies. I came across ExamCentral.net site, which is very useful for mock tests and would recommend it for everyone. They give unlimited online mock-up test for free. The paid version has much more questions to offer.
In September, I got a remainder from PMI® to schedule the exam date or loose the one year timeframe / validity period to complete the exam. I used weekends to practise the full-length paper. I would start my day at 5AM in the morning and start studying. This gave me some confidence and hopes of passing :).
Mock tests, that I took:
PMP Exam Experience
By end of September, I finally booked the exam dates for a morning slot. The D-day was set for 2nd November, 2016.
I spent whole of October reading the PMBOK guide and relating all the topics read so far in various books, all the question taken so far along with practising mock tests.
Exam Day: With my preparation, by the D’day of 2nd November, I had good confidence and by God’s grace was able to clear the exam. It was a long journey for me. But, I do believe it was all worth the effort.
Thanks to:
- Satya, for initial foundation through the training.
- ExamCentral.net for the free mock-up tests.
- My Family (for supporting me a lot and unlimited supply of Tea :))
Suggestions for PMP Aspirants
Brief Profile
Divakar Eshwarappa, Project Manager, Wipro Technologies
Introduction
PMP Coaching Experience
Sometime in May 2016, the first thing I did was to go through Satya's notes & Videos and materials to recap the initial learnings. I was able to recollect many PMP concepts as explained by him in the class.
Satya is power house of knowledge when it comes to PMP. I had lost in touch with him after training. But kept receiving his mails on numerous write-up I was able to go through.
Own Study
I had read half of Head First PMP before taking the training. I took up this book next and started reading. As my office work was hectic, I could only study during weekends. Family with two kids, functions, festivals were all blockers for studies. I had a tough time balancing the study, work and family.
Meanwhile in July, I fell ill with Dengue fever and was completely hospitalised. I lost so much of time in recovering the health and that was very important.
When the month of August started, I was much better and was lucky to get my hands on Rita Mulcahy's PMP Prep book. The first couple of chapters was total bouncers. Her explanation of project management is at a different level. I could now recollect many points which we went through in Satya’s training when I correlated. I spent couple of hours after office hours every day to complete the book.
The month of August 2016 ended, but I had still had not booked the exam date, and had not read PMBOK® guide (highly recommended that you read multiple times) completely. Neither, I had practised 4-hour full length mock up tests.
So, I started counting the available weekends and festival holidays and planned my remaining studies. I came across ExamCentral.net site, which is very useful for mock tests and would recommend it for everyone. They give unlimited online mock-up test for free. The paid version has much more questions to offer.
In September, I got a remainder from PMI® to schedule the exam date or loose the one year timeframe / validity period to complete the exam. I used weekends to practise the full-length paper. I would start my day at 5AM in the morning and start studying. This gave me some confidence and hopes of passing :).
Mock tests, that I took:
- Exam Central full length prep question
- Oliver Lehmann online questions
- Head First PMP’s 200 questions
- Rita Mulcahy Book's questions
PMP Exam Experience
By end of September, I finally booked the exam dates for a morning slot. The D-day was set for 2nd November, 2016.
I spent whole of October reading the PMBOK guide and relating all the topics read so far in various books, all the question taken so far along with practising mock tests.
Exam Day: With my preparation, by the D’day of 2nd November, I had good confidence and by God’s grace was able to clear the exam. It was a long journey for me. But, I do believe it was all worth the effort.
Thanks to:
- Satya, for initial foundation through the training.
- ExamCentral.net for the free mock-up tests.
- My Family (for supporting me a lot and unlimited supply of Tea :))
Suggestions for PMP Aspirants
- If you want to be an PMP, please take up certification as early as possible in your life and as soon as you are eligible. In later years, it will be very difficult.
- Spend more time in understanding the concepts or ideas behind the process groups or knowledge Areas.
- Taking mock up tests is a MUST, but just DO NOT go after every website or apps out there. They can be misleading.
- PMBOK Guide - Must read and read as many times as you need to.
Brief Profile
Divakar Eshwarappa, Project Manager, Wipro Technologies
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