My journey to attain PfMP certification

Prior to getting my PfMP, I took PMP test a few years back. Although I already had relevant experience and developed technology for almost 15 years, yet I found PMP path to help me to better understand certain areas that I never had to deal with as well as seeing the big picture above and beyond my own experience. PMP exam pushed me to read a lot of PMI material and supplementary books, that opened my eyes to areas that I never thought were important. 

To my surprise, I found out that a fraction of supporting documents and tools were available for PfMP

Fast forward a few years, and after almost 8 years of complex portfolio management in large enterprises, I found out that there is a certification for portfolio management; PfMP. I was sure that my successful experience with PMP should be sufficient to pass PfMP exam. To my surprise, I found out that a fraction of supporting documents and tools were available for PfMP and that may be the biggest challenge in the whole process that I believe most people would encounter as well.

Application submission

Application submission for many is one of the hardest parts of the process. Armed with the knowledge accrued from my PMP exam, I knew that the application submission needed to be thorough and very detailed. I spent a few days going over every question, reviewing my work and each position’s experience, ensuring I explain every question with pertinent information and right level of details. Once I submitted my application, within a few days I got my approval and email that asked me to pay for the exam and choose my test center. 

The first mistake most people including me make is to go for edition 4. For some reason PMI has released 4th edition of the book yet all the exams are based on 3rd edition.

The first mistake most people including me make is to go for edition 4. For some reason PMI has released 4th edition of the book yet all the exams are based on 3rd edition.

First attempt 

Thinking there would be enough support like the one I found for PMP, I looked around and the more I looked the less I found what I needed for PfMP. The only material was official handbook from PMI; The Standard for Portfolio Management which is known as SPM. The first mistake most people including me make is to go for edition 4. For some reason PMI has released 4th edition of the book yet all the exams are based on 3rd edition. This is very confusing scenario and unless you talk to someone like Dharam (more about him later), there is no way to know.

Not having any of the supporting material and reading from the wrong book, soon I found myself extremely confused and challenged. Having a full-time work and family pressure forced me to abandon my plan to take the exam within a couple of months of receiving my approval email. But I knew I would need to get back to it within a year.

Second attempt

As Covid19 impacted a lot of businesses and the way we worked, I found myself saving a few hours in a day since I did not need to commute to work. I started to ask around and see how I could have a better plan than last time. A few people suggested to work with a coach. 

Finding support

For a coach, my criteria were simple, I needed someone with good success rate whom I can understand and find insightful. Initially I connected with Dharam Singh whom I found on LinkedIn. We exchanged a few messages and then had 30 minutes video chat which we talked about all the parameters around the support. From methodology, to cost, from time needed to the fact that the exam would be on SPM 3rd edition and so on. 

His support came in 3 levels and I found myself gravitated to the one which was the priciest. After careful consideration and of course having my wife’s blessing, I chose the option that involved one on one coaching. Best decision I made, not because I would study less or put less effort in the study but because time to time you would get confused, frustrated and have critical questions. In most cases if one could not find the answer it might lead to loss of interest or focus. In our weekly one on one meetings, I would come up with questions and discussions and in many cases what I learned from Dharam was different than what I’d have arrived on by myself. 

The biggest help was where I needed clear answers on what the question was asking or what the exam was expecting. He always had crisp answers and positive outlook that helped to move forward.

Systematic approach

I understand that passing exams like PfMP requires systematic and fine comb like approach to the material as well as filling the knowledge gaps and getting familiar with the proposed frameworks. I used 4 tools:

1.     Dharam has videos that he reviews the SPM, page by page while making useful comments and answering attendees’ questions. I watched these series and took notes and questions which then I discussed with him.

2.     I read the SPM book a couple of times, each time tried to absorb high level ideas and then focus on more details. 

3.     Based on a recommendation from one of the fellow PfMP certificate holders, I bought this course on Udemy PfMP;  Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP?) Certification Exams by Leithy Mohamed Leithy. The questions were nowhere close to the exam’s questions, but it was a great way to practice Input, output, tools and order of each process. 

4.     I took Ginger Levin “PfMP? Exam Practice Tests and Study Guide (Best Practices in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management) tests a number of times. I allowed ample time in between, so that my memory would not help me as her questions are extremely difficult and, in many cases, not close to exam’s questions. However, they have two benefits: 

• They create the fear of God in your heart as almost impossible to get more than 60% of them right. This could create a healthy dose of nervousness that would keep you motivated and hungry for learning more. 
• It teaches you to read the question very carefully and pay attention to clues in the question. In many cases she uses 2 level of indirection which helps you to fully understand that topic. For example, why transparency in communication is important? The answer is to create credibility. Yes this is taken from SPM verbatim and I would never pick it as my first answer. 

The exam material and supporting tests created so much doubt in my way of thinking that at some point forced me to doubt my beliefs and understanding.

Doubting my beliefs

Having worked at highest level of technology development portfolio management, I thought I had a very good grasp of what it meant and how to roll it out and manage it. The exam material and supporting tests created so much doubt in my way of thinking that at some point forced me to doubt my beliefs and understanding. This feeling gradually would go away when you would study enough and build the right mental model of entities, relationships, etc. Yes, I still differ on a number of concepts with the PMI suggested methodology/framework but now I know them good enough to know where the nuances live and why we differ.

My challenge with the material

This brings me to my final thought. PMI it builds its contents like 1980 British scientific material. They are hard to read, laid out in a top down and functionally siloed manner. I think it prompts and favors requires good memory and good study skills. I have no problem with the content as I see a great deal of work and expertise has gone into it. Its packaging and delivery are what I think it could be improved a great deal.

This set me off to look at ways to improve the delivery system and perhaps add enough updated material that even if you are not a certificate test taker, but a portfolio management student and enthusiast can benefit from the knowledge. Therefore, let me know if you want to see anything different to be provided to you to support your exam taking effort or infuse more knowledge of modern portfolio management in your work. 

Exam taking and questions

First off, the only way to pass this exam was to heavily rely on my studies and not so much on my past experience. 

For obvious reasons I cannot share exact questions even if I could remember them but generally these are the areas in my exam that jumped out:

·      New portfolio component added/suggested, what you do? I may have 15 questions around this within different knowledge areas. 

·      Input and out, tools and order of process. I may have had around 10 questions on these. 

·      Communication was huge. I think I had same question asked in two different ways on specific communication Last thought

Added later (9-14-2020)

There are a few none PfMP-specific suggestions for the exam:

• If cannot answer a question after reading it twice, mark it "to be reviewed" so you would come back to it later
• write down the question # and its topic on the piece of paper given to you. It helps with 1) progressively seeing if there are any commonality among the questions you are having difficulties 2) they is a slim chance that another question would contain the answer or juggle your memory to come up with the answer
• Answer all questions even if you have to guess
• Most questions with a lot of numbers and tables may be common sense questions therefore, not needing you to use a calculator or sweat over the exact numbers (saving you a lot of time and stress)
• Time management is key but do not let it to stress you. Yes it would be great to answer around 60 questions in an hour and leave one hour for reviews. However, I answered only 45 in my first hour with 10 marked as "to be reviewed". After the second hour, I answered around 90. After 3rd hour I answered around 150 and finished them all with 35 minutes to spare then went back and reviewed those that I marked (around 25 questions). I finished 3 minutes before the end of official time.

Finally, this journey is well worth taking. From around 150-200 hours of time investment to questioning your hard-earned knowledge, from working and interacting with helpful people who been there and done that to becoming only the 824th certificate holder, all made it that more enjoyable and rewarding.

Good luck.