What is PMP^® Certification?

Project Management Professional (PMP)^® credential is a unique certification program that recognizes a candidate’s skills, knowledge, experience and competence along with the attitude to lead a project successfully. The Project Management Institute (PMI)^® offers the PMP^® credential program.

This is a comprehensive certification program available in all streams of academics making it a coveted industry standard for aspiring project managers and project leaders.

If you are already a project manager or leader, the PMP^® certification recognizes your abilities, competence and experience and adds credence to your expertise.

If you are a PMP^® certified project manager or leader, it is imperative that you maintain the credentials to ensure that you are in sync with current project management practices

The certification has a multifold and positive impact on your project management career portfolio helping you reap rich rewards in the form of increased salaries, professional growth and recognition.

The Profession study found that organizations with more than 35% PMP^® certified project managers had better project performance. According to a 2007 "Price water house Coopers" survey, 80% of high-performing projects use a credentialed project manager. Make sure you are one of them by earning a PMI^® certification.

There are more than 460,000 PMI^® credential holders around the world whose services are requisitioned in every industry ranging from healthcare, telecommunications and finance to IT and construction.

Maintain Your PMP^®

As part of PMI^®’s Continuing Certification Requirements program, a PMP^® credential holder will need to earn 60 PDUs per three-year cycle. To learn more about the program you can watch the CCR video. It has all the details regarding PDUs, how to earn and claim them and step-by-step instructions on how to renew your certification. You can also refer to the latest PMP^® Handbook found on www.PMI^®.org

Click here to find different ways to earn 60 PMUs that required by PMI^® to extent your PMP^® credential.

Why PMP^® Certification?

The importance of the PMP^® (Project Management Professionals) depends greatly on the kind of position a candidate is pursuing. Knowledge of the project life cycle can be extremely helpful in diverse fields be it logistics, supply chain, or software implementation,

If two candidates are of equal skills, equal education, and are looking at the same salary bracket, a PMP^® candidate stands a better chance of getting hired than a non PMP^® candidate However, this is not the case for all companies.

In short, the PMP^® can place you ahead of competition but make sure that this certification and any others that come your way are in line with your career goals and future plans.

When you face stiff competition at interviews, and you have the certification, you certainly have a head start over the candidate without a certificate.

If you are going for your PMP^® certification, you will immediately have something in common with other hopefuls, and this can provide networking opportunities through classes, the web, and meetings. A certification ensures your automatic membership in the "club "of PMP^® members. While these are benefits of PMP^® certification, the same would hold true of most certifications.

Inculcates and nurtures confidence and boosts self esteem. When you set your sights on a goal, put together a plan, work hard, and reach it, you gain confidence, which spills over into all aspects of your life.

The certification is an additional resource that you can rely on. After all the study and effort in acquiring a new skill efforts should be made to put it into practical use without delay.

While it is said that "experience is the greatest teacher," a certification "rounds you out." Often, experience is strong in some areas, but not in others. Like education, experience rounds you out, giving exposure to ideas and approaches outside your comfort zone. In addition, being able to think outside your experience is an important aspect of leadership.

You can be a better mentor. The ability to mentor is based greatly on experience, but the best mentors can reach beyond their experience. They are able to extrapolate from their experience, and relate it to someone else's entirely different experience.

Learning is a continuous process and the certification ensures that you join this list. Employers are always looking for people who never want to stop learning. Learning is a value unto itself, and those around you will respect and admire you for it, and sometimes even be a little jealous!

The certification is one way of increasing your finances. Often, earning a certification, such as the PMP^®, can quickly lead to compensation increases of 20% and more. The certification enables you to evaluate the talents and skills of others more effectively. The methodology of certification places you in a better position to evaluate the skills of others. You have had the opportunity to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses in the process of earning the certification, and therefore you have a broader understanding of the skills and toolsets that can be effective The certification helps you explore new avenues opening many doorways that hold immense possibilities. Many career changers turn to certifications to get themselves into new areas. For example, many technical people who want to advance in their careers will earn the PMP^® certification in order to move into a position of greater responsibility.

PMP^® Certification Eligibility Requirements

The Project Management Professional (PMP^®) program is the formal Certification of Project Managers. This program helps to ensure the highest professional and ethical standards within the community of practicing Project Management Professionals.

To complete the PMP^® Certification process, candidates must satisfy all requirements in one of two categories.

Category 1: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent university degree

• 4500 hours of Project Management Experience
• Three (3) years of Project Management Experience within the eight-year period prior to the application
• 36 unique (non-overlapping) months of Project Management experience
• To meet this PMP^® Eligibility Requirement, the participant has to document his/her Work Experience
• Minimum 36 Months across the typical Project Management Life Cycle. Also, as per PMI^®'s Requirements, the experience is not supposed to Overlap.
• For example: If the PMP^® Aspirant is working on Three(3) Project in a particular time period - it will be treated as a single project experience.
• Tutor Conflux will help all the PMP^® Preparation Program Participants document their Project Experience in line with PMI^® PMP^® Eligibility Requirements.
• 35 contact hours of Project Management education

Category 2: High school diploma/equivalent secondary school credential

Participants who do not possess Bachelor's Degree can also apply for PMP^® Certification Examination provided they meet the following Eligibility Requirements

• 7500 hours of Project Management Experience
• Five (5) years of Project Management Experience within the past eight-year period prior to the application
• 60 unique (non-overlapping) months of project management experience
• In case, the PMP^® Aspirant does not possess a Bachelor's Degree and still he/she is looking to appear for PMP^® Certification Exam, then to meet this PMP^® Eligibility Requirement, the participant has to provide even more extensive documentation his/her Work Experience.
• Minimum 60 Months across the typical Project Management Life Cycle. And Again, as per PMI^®'s Requirements, the experience should not overlap.
• For example: If the PMP^® Aspirant is working on Three (3) Projects in a particular time period - it will be treated as a single project experience.
• 35 contact hours of Project Management education

PMP^® Certification exam fee is $405 for PMI^® members, $555 for non-members.

Following benefits will be available for the PMI^® members

1. Save on Certification Exam Cost
2. Free Online Access to Project Management Books
3. A Small Gift for PMP^® Aspirants
4. Access to Specific Interest Groups (SIGs)
5. Benefit from your Local PM Community
6. Free Copy of all PMI^® Standards
7. Free PM Magazines, Newsletters, Journals and more
8. Gain Leadership Experience through Volunteer Opportunities
9. Access to Research Studies
10. Access to Career Development Programs

For more details on members click here to visit PMI^® website. So, we strongly recommend to become a PMI^® member.

PMP^® training eligible Aspirants:

• Project Managers
• Project Leaders
• Project Coordinators
• Team Leaders
• Group Leaders
• Consultants
• Engineers
• PMO staff
• Business Analysts/QA Analysts
• Delivery Managers
• Functional Managers
• Administrators
• Educator
• Supervisor
• and more

PMP^® Exam Format as per PMI^®

You need to answer 200 multiple choice questions in 4 hours. 25 pre-test questions are randomly placed throughout the test to gather statistical information in order to determine whether they may be used in future examinations. These 25 pre-test items are included in the 200-question examination, but will not be included in the pass/fail determination. Candidates will be scored on 175 questions.

All of the test questions are in the multiple choice format with 4 options. There is only one correct answer. You are required to select one answer.

Passing score is 61% for which one needs to get 106 right answers out of 175. Grading system: Proficient, moderately Proficient, below Proficient. A candidate can have a score of below Proficient in up to 2 processes max.

The PMP^® exam questions format at tutor conflux is as follows:

Previous Question: If you want to go to previous question, click on the "Previous Question" button.

Next Question: After you select the answer, you click on "Next Question" button to go to the next question

Marked for Review: If you are not sure about your answer, Select "Mark for Review" button to review the question later.

Review: Click "Review" button to review each question status and marked questions.

Grade Exam: This is the final step after you finish all the questions, you will see your score and Pass or Fail after you clink on this button.

PMP® Exam changes

The PMP^® Exam Version was Updated on August 1st 2013

With the PMP^® exam updated as of August 1st 2013, we've noticed a lot of misinformation capitalizing on student anxiety. In a nutshell, students should not be panic about the minor adjustments to the PMP^® exam. Given below are common questions we have received regarding the latest exam updates, along with straight forward answers.

Has the PMBOK^® Guide changed?

Yes. The PMBOK^® Guide - Fifth Edition (2013) is reference text for the PMP^® certification. Refer PMBOK^® Guide 5th edition for all PMP^® Knowledge Areas and process groups.

What significant differences are there with the updated PMP^® exam?

Improved Project management Fundamentals
Changes in Knowledge Areas
Changes in PM Processes
PM Processes new nomenclature
Changes in Inputs, Outputs and Tools and Techniques (ITTOs)
Click here for more details.

Have there been changes to the number of questions, the application process, or the passing score?

No. No other items have been changed with regard to the exam. The eligibility requirements, application process, score reports, number of questions, and passing requirements all remain the same.

• There continue to be 200 total multiple choice questions which make up the PMP^® exam
• 25 randomly placed "pre-test questions" are included, and do not count towards the pass/fail determination
• Individuals have 4 hours to complete the exam
• Individuals must score 61% or higher to pass the exam (106 of 175 questions)

Questions Distribution as per the PMP^® Exam format

For more details please click here to visit at PMI^® website.

Useful Tips and Tricks on PMP^® Exam

• The PMP^® certification examination is a computer-based exam that is offered at PMI^® locations in the United States, Canada and other countries worldwide.
• Since the exam is computer based, participants can find out their score by reading the detailed report on performance on completion of the exam.
• Questions on the PMP^® exam are grouped by project management processes.
• Remember, you have only 80 seconds for each question. If you do not know the answer for a question, mark it and move on and revisit it later if you have time.
• Answer the questions based on the PMBOK^® concepts first and then consider your experience. If they are in conflict, the PMBOK^® wins.
• When answering a question related to what the project manager should do in a specific situation, you should rephrase the question to: What is the first thing the project manager will do given such a situation and given his or her proactive nature?

• PMI^® does not approve adding extra functionality without benefits or gold plating.
• There are certain questions that contain extra information. This information is irrelevant to the correct answer. Beware of such questions and remember that it is unnecessary to use all the information provided to answer the question.
• Each question has only one correct answer. You have to select the most appropriate answer. Beware of choices that represent true statements but are not relevant. Be sure to read all the options before you select any one.
• You need to answer the questions from a PMI^® perspective - not from your own perspective, which you acquired through experience. Remember that PMI^® is trying to present an ideal environment for project managers that might be different from your own experience.
• Beware of answer choices that represent generalizations, which may be characterized by words such as always, never, must, or completely; these are often the incorrect choices.
• Look out for choices that represent special cases. These choices tend to be correct and are characterized by words such as often, sometimes, may, generally, and perhaps.
• The correct answer may not be grammatically correct.
• Visit the exam center several days before the exam and become familiar with the area.
• Take proper rest 2-3 days prior to the exam.
• Stay calm during the exam in order to recollect and reflect on what you studied in a cool frame of mind. Take break one or 2 times during the 4 hours exam.
• Always choose the best answer for all the possible right answers and eliminate those that are wrong.
• You should memorize all formulas, especially the Earned Value and PERT.
• Practice eliminating the completely implausible options first. Since there is no penalty for guessing; thus, do not leave any question blank.