Free PMP® Test Questions!

With new kiddies, it had been tough updating this site. However, I have found some free time and decided to spend it providing free PMP® test questions!

Please go to www.pmtestcenter.com for your daily dose!

It's official, you have only x days to take this version of the exam

If you do not take your PMP exam before June 30, 2009, then you're going to be taking the new version. So those of you who think you are close, schedule it now!

Keep in mind that even if you took the exam before that date and did not pass, any exam, including retakes, will still be for the new version.

That stated, there are likely only subtle changes in the exam to reflect the 4th edition of the PMBOK. I passed on the 2nd version based on the PMBOK 2000 and there's no doubt I can pass any version of the exam. Project management is, after all, project management. So what if PMI adds a few verbs, fine tunes the number of processes, etc... the core material will still be the same!

PMP certification exam update

Sorry, I know it's been a while since my last update. Between consulting, training and speaking engagements, work has kept me busy.

Anyway, here's the latest info regarding the PMP exam. The new version of the PMBOK (4th edition) will be released before the end of 2008. The new exam that will be updated to map to the new PMBOK will likely be June 2009.

I don't have an exact date yet but even if you haven't started studying yet, that's still plenty of time to get this thing done without having to restudy for the next iteration.

Aspiring PMP's, get your tests in soon!

Some of us have known this for a while, especially those of us who reviewed the PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition, but a new test will be released at some point! That new version of the book is slated to be released later this year and the new exam to reflect those changes will likely follow a few months later.

If I was a betting man, I'd say the new test will be late Q1, 2009. However, why chance it? Even if you haven't even begun studying yet, it's still not too late to study and pass by year's end.

For some people like myself, a freshened up test using slightly updated material isn't a big deal. However, if you're not a PMP yet, the changes could be drastic enough to make the difference between passing on your first try and failing three times in a row.

How motivated are you?

A former student reached out to me recently because she wanted to talk about her PMP application. When we first met a few months ago, she was excited and motivated about completing the application. Of course, after several short weeks, she said she lost some motivation after learning more about the long process and felt that she needed some guidance to get back on track.

We chatted for about 45 minutes or so with topics such as application tips, what to expect if she's audited, and what her next steps are. We also briefly talked about my speaking engagements and what I told her was that although it's really easy to just show up and disseminate information, my goal is to "kick people in the butt". I want to see people pumped up about whatever the topic is and I want them to feel empowered.

When we finished our conversation, she said that's exactly how she feels about her PMP application after our chat. The lesson? Never hesitate to ask someone for help if you need it. It could be the little nudge you need to accomplish your task.

Another semester starts tonight!

Tonight, I begin classes with a new group. It's always exciting to see who's in there. Sometimes I get students who were prior students from a course that I did for their company; other times I get students who have seen me speak at an event. But most of these folks will be people who I have never met before.

I'm actually in a training session all week so was I looking forward to this 16 hour day? Not exactly. However, I believe what sets some trainers apart is that fact that they can treat their one hundredth class with the same level of enthusiasm as their first. So when 6:00 PM hits, I will be 'on'. The show begins and undoubtedly, the time will fly by.

The only real down side is that I won't get to see my 10 month old on days like this. It's really causing me to reconsider whether or not I want to continue teaching these certification courses at night.

The PMP prep book to get

Quite often, I get asked about whether or not a PMP prep book would be helpful and the answer is an absolute yes! However, there are so many out there, how does one go about choosing?

I have reviewed many PMP prep books and have used several different ones for my classes. Rather than write one on my own, which many of my students are still trying to encourage me to do so (hard to do with a 10 month old at home!), I ended up choosing a new one for my PMP prep classes a few months ago.

Here it is, my choice may surprise you:

PMP Project Management Professional Study Guide, Second Edition (Paperback)
by Joseph Phillips

http://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Professional-Study-Second/dp/0072262907

I do not get royalties nor do I know Mr. Phillips. What I do know is that it has all the things that I look for in a prep book:

• Chapters in order of knowledge area, not process group
  
• Easy to comprehend
• Enough depth to understand without having to memorize
• Practice test simulator CD included (not just written at the end of each chapter)
  

You'll find that many books meet one or more of the above but not all. Even the most popular authors like Rita Mulcahy (e.g. no CD) or Kim Heldman (e.g. order of process group) miss the mark in my opinion. Although they do a great job of marketing, don't they?

So if you're going to buy only one book, and I recommend you buy only one prep book, this is the one to get!

Skipping questions on your PMP exam

A commonly asked question when I teach my PMP exam prep course is “When I’m taking the PMP exam, can I skip the questions that I don’t know?”

Let’s take some of the guesswork out of that. You should never skip any question on the exam! That’s because you are not penalized for wrong answers (unlike the SAT exam you took way back in high school).

In the current version of the PMP exam, you have four choices for each of the 200 questions. If you know the answer for a question, choose an answer and move on. If you don’t know the answer, or at least not totally confident of the answer, choose an answer anyway and mark the question before moving on, which can be done by simply clicking the little checkbox in the corner of your screen.

You’ll have an opportunity to come back to all your marked questions later to review your choice. Throughout the rest of the exam, other questions may trigger your memory for the marked questions.

Just remember to choose what you feel is the best answer before moving on, just in case you don’t have time to get back to that question. You definitely don’t want to submit the exam with blank answers. Afterall, a 25% chance of getting a question correct is better than 0%, right?

PMP passing score?

This is a question I get a lot…”What is the passing score for the PMP?”

The reason why there’s confusion is that different materials may have different answers Let me make it easy for you.

PMBOK 2000 (old version of exam) = 69%

PMBOK 3rd ed. (new version of exam) = 81%

PMBOK 3rd ed. (new version of exam after the first few months of release) = 61%

I remember telling my students a few years ago that they better apply for the PMP soon since you never know what you’re going to get in the new version. When the new version finally came out, 81% was the passing score. However, based on the candidates’ scores, PMI realized that people who should be passing weren’t passing! Rather than updating the entire exam, they lowered the passing score. The 61% was determined the appropriate passing score after reviewing several months of data.

However, prep books and other materials that were printed obviously were not updated. That’s why you may see varying passing scores.

In short (until PMI changes it again), you need 61% to pass.

Not so obvious benefits of a PMI membership

Aside from the benefits that you’d already expect from joining PMI as a member (e.g. access to publications, discounts to resources), have you thought about:

• The cost of a one-year PMI membership ($129) and the PMP exam as a member ($405) is actually less than the cost of the PMP exam as a non-member ($555).
• You could (and probably should) add ‘PMI member‘ as one of your professional affiliations on your resume.
• If you also join a local chapter, you can:
  • Network with other PMPs and aspiring PMPs at chapter events.
  • Find others in your area to form a study group for your PMP/CAPM.
  • Attend meetings and volunteer for activities, which can earn PDUs after you have attained your PMP/CAPM credential.

By the way, if you are a student or a retiree, you can apply for membership at a greatly reduced rate at $30/yr. and $60/yr. respectively.