Are you preparing to take the PMP 2021 exam? If so, make sure to do the following 10 tips for PMP exam 2021 below!

Project Management Professional (PMP) Certificate, have you ever heard of this type of management certification? PMP Certificate is a professional certificate in the field of project management issued and managed by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMI itself is a non-profit organization in the United States that focuses on project management.

The PMP certificate has also been accredited according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Through this certificate, your eligibility in the field of project management is validated. Global in nature, you can apply this certificate in almost any industry in any location and any methodology.

Unfortunately, according to data from the Project Management Institute (PMI), as the largest and oldest certification body in the field of project managers, there are only around 932,720 or less than one million people in the world who have PMP certificates until June 2019. Then, is it important for project managers to have this certificate?

SALARY INCREASES FOR PROJECT MANAGER IN INDONESIA ARE THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD

There is a breath of fresh air for project managers in Indonesia who pass the PMP exam. Launching the latest data from PMI in the Project Management Salary Survey — Eleventh Edition, Indonesia, which has just been registered in the latest PMI survey, is in second place as the country with the highest percentage increase in salary for project managers who are PMP certified. The increase was 80%!

The first position is held by the Philippines with a salary increase of up to 84% for PMP certified project managers. In 3rd position, there are South Africa and Colombia with salary increases of up to 42%. Very useful for your career as a project manager right?

10 TIPS FOR PMP EXAM 2021 YOU MUST TRY TO PASS!

1. Master the PMBOK

Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a guidebook that contains a set of terms and guidelines for project management published by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Mastering the material in PMBOK is a mandatory requirement that project managers must do. Unfortunately, some people avoid reading directly from PMBOK’s project management material because it is considered long and tedious. Even so, you still have to master PMBOK if you really want to pass the PMP exam. This is because PMBOK provides you with a conceptual foundation of project management science. It is recommended to reread the PMBOK at least twice before starting the PMP exam.

2. Take Official Online Course from PMI

One of the concerns of prospective PMP exam participants is the limited source of PMI’s official question grids. The good news is that PMI is now officially opening training through official online courses for prospective PMP exam participants.

Managed directly by PMI through Registered Education Providers (REPs), trainers in this course can be sure to deliver relevant and updated content according to the questions tested for the PMP exam later. The good news is, these official online courses are much more affordable than online courses outside. Interested in joining? Visit the official page here!

3. Solve The Exercise 

PMP exam questions are mostly scenario-based. These scenarios can be very diverse. There are questions based on formulas, scenarios, to ITTO questions (Inputs, Tools and Techniques, Outputs) that ask about tools and techniques in project management.

So, just reading the theory in PMBOK does not automatically guarantee that you can apply it to any situation. That’s where practice questions matter. There are many resources for PMP exam practice questions on the market. However, make sure you choose questions from an accredited source with a good reputation.

4. Up-Date The Latest Official Information from PMI

Keeping up with the latest information about the PMP exam from the official PMI website is something you must do!

For example, did you know that the 2020 PMP exam has been postponed in 2021? Did you know that the PMP 2021 exam will be held online with close monitoring? Did you know that the PMP 2021 exam has used a different question formula from the previous years? If not, it means that you have reduced the chances of passing the PMP exam later. So, start catching up with your information and make sure to always actively update information from PMI.

5. Consult With Colleagues Who Have Successfully Passed the PMP Exam

Because the PMP exam is dynamic, it is important to keep track of the latest developments in the field. The best way to do this is to connect with other project managers, especially those who have successfully passed the PMP exam. Through them, you can find out their experiences from the preparation stage to the D-day of taking the exam. This can be a good step to mentally prepare you for the PMP exam later.

6. Subscribe as a PMI Member

Did you know that being a PMI member before taking the exam has many advantages?

First, the exam fee is cheaper if you are a member of PMI. Second, PMI opens up great opportunities to network with many other professional project managers. Because you are part of a large community, you also make it a field for learning. You can ask a variety of questions such as how to solve the problem scenarios that are known to be complex on the PMP exam. As a result, you can be more motivated and get a lot of information from this wide network by joining as a member of PMI.

7. Memorize Important Formulas!

The questions in the PMP exam are not memorizing, but remembering the important formulas you still have to do. Some important formulas that you must remember by heart include three-point estimating, communication channel, and earned value analysis.

8. Try Written Test Simulation

The PMP exam will take about 4 hours with a total of 200 questions. Is your stamina ready for this?

With a long time, a large number of questions, and a heavy and varied weight of questions, your knowledge is certainly not the only provision to pass this PMP exam. You have to train your mind and stamina as much as possible. 

For that, try to simulate a written exam at home like the actual test conditions. Collect practice questions and start working according to the rules applied by PMI. As you work on these questions, you can monitor learning progress and form a problem-solving strategy.

9. Create a Mind-Map and Study Schedule

The important thing you have to do to be ready to take the PMP exam is to create a mind-map and study schedule. Because you have busy activities at the office, making these two things will make it easier for you to focus on your goals to successfully pass the PMP exam. Ask questions such as: “How long do I have to study the material in a day?”, “When is the right time for me to study?”, “How many months do I need to be ready to take the exam?”, “How can I understand some material which is difficult for me to digest? “

Make sure not to just plan in writing. However, make yourself be disciplined in implementing the plan. Without it, this plan would just go to waste, right?

10. Choose Test Time in the Morning

Morning is the time when your body is still fresh. In contrast to the time of day and evening, where you have been actively doing many energy-draining activities. For this reason, choosing a PMP exam time in the morning can be the best solution. Also, consider taking a break the day before the test and going to bed early to wake up in good condition.

That’s all 10 tips for PMP exam 2021 that you can prepare from now on to get a pass. In short, the best way to pass the PMP exam is to adopt the mindset that you are in a situation of working on a “project”. For that, it is important to have confidence in your abilities and knowledge. Let’s be optimistic that you can pass the PMP exam on the first try. Spirit!