November last year kicked off with a resounding success! I conquered the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam, securing an 'Above Target' score (Yay, Alhamdulillah!) on my very first attempt after just four months of preparation. It's a journey that demanded strategic planning and dedication, especially while juggling a full-time job, like me.

As I reflect on my adventure, I realize that there was a careful strategy that I have planned and applied throughout my learning journey. So here’s my personal insights as we explore each chapter together.

To make this blogpost easier to digest, I am dividing this blogpost into few small chapters of 0-7 :

1. Chapter 0 : An Overview of PMP Journey (Current blogpost)

2. Chapter 1 : Study Strategy (Read here)

3. Chapter 2 : Study Schedule (Read here)

4. Chapter 3 : Study Materials (Read here)

5. Chapter 4 : Study Progress (Read here)

6. Chapter 5 : Study Tips (Read here)

7. Chapter 6 : Exam Prep (Read here)

8. Chapter 7 : Post Exam (Read here)

Now, let’s dive in to an overview of the PMP exam preparations.

First Off, Check Exam Eligibility

Before diving into any courses, I invested time in researching the PMP requirements. I have chosen to be certified as PMP by Project Management Institute (PMI). Qualifying for the exam meant having substantial project management experience, and anyone with over three years of project leadership was likely eligible. I referred to the training provider that organised my training; they have provided me guidelines on how do I submit an exam application to ensure that I am eligible to sit for the exam even before signing up for the course.

Secondly, Sign Up for the PMP Exam Prep Course to Earn 35 PDUs

PDUs, or Professional Development Units, are the key to unlocking the PMP exam. I opted for a live online class, a 5-day course provided by "Iverson Training" in Kuala Lumpur. This option allowed for direct interaction with the trainer, a valuable aspect of my learning journey.

Alternatively, you can choose a self-paced online course, offering flexibility in learning. The ability to speed up videos (X2) is a perk, making it an ideal choice for those with a tight schedule.

Make sure that you are comfortable with the trainer’s teaching style. Request for a change of trainer if you don’t find his/her style suits you (I did it, and that was the best decision I’ve ever made!)

More of Exam Prep in later chapters.

Third, apply and schedule for PMP exam

Once the 35 PDUs were completed, I applied for the exam through the PMI website. Having company sponsorship in engaging a professional training consultant deffo eased the administrative tasks, but the process is manageable independently.

You can check the exam price here

Once you completed the payment, you will then able to schedule for the exam.

Scheduling the exam involved a strategic choice of date, considering my peak focus time and opting for an exam center over online for a secure connection.

Important note :

• You can also re-sit for the exam for 3 times (which you need to pay to re-sit). My advise is, strategise your study plan first to find out how much time you need to prep before commiting to the exam date.

• Don’t rush into scheduling the exam, read step 4 to further understand this.

Fourth, study and do mock exam

I actually did a mock test to measure my learning level at the beginning of the preparation. Spotting my learning level will help me plan my study strategy better and decide how much time is best for me to prep for the exam. My score was very low at the beginning of this journey, it was about 35% 🤕 !

My approach mirrored how I lead projects at work—I created a simple roadmap to mark the timeline and broken down into phases for steady progress.

1. Phase 1 : Get resource ready, Study PMP syllabus overview

2. Phase 2 : Study PMP exam thoroughly

3. Phase 3 : Mock simulations, analysing error and correct logs

4. Phase 4 : Consolidate study notes, prep for exam day

I will cover this in depth in the Chapter 1 - 6. This is the crucial part of the PMP exam preparation.

Fifth is to take the exam & earned PMP credential

I will share more of this in Chapter 6 and 7 with thorough details and guide.

Pre-exam preparation included reading the exam guide and familiarizing myself with the exam center (location of where I decided to sit for the exam, which training provider can help provide the guidelines). On the big day, I spent a short time reviewing notes, ensuring ample rest for optimal performance (All this are collection of study materials from day 1 of my learning).

During the exam, careful reading of questions, applying practiced tips, and trusting the process were crucial. After the exam, the results were received within 24 hours (this was recently change last year).

Post-exam, especially when the online certificates were out, I made sure celebrations were in order, and updating my achievement on LinkedIn was a proud moment. The PMP certification is valid for three years, requiring 60 PDUs for renewal.

Remember, you don't need to be a PMI member to maintain PMP certification. As for me, I'm not a member yet, but the journey continues!

Celebration!

My celebration was with a carrot cake, teh tarik ikat tepi ((it’s a Malaysian ice tea latte wrap in a plastic with a side-knot!) and hours of Super Mario Wonders game!

Celebrate all you want, when you pass the exam, you deserve it! Wishing you all the best, good luck!

See you in the next chapters of #WawaPMPJourney

Later, friends and remember, “Everything is Workable!”