PMP? Lessons Learned #16

Peak Point: Hello Clinton! Big congratulations on your PMP certification! Could you please tell us a little about yourself?

Clinton: I am a Civil Engineer by profession. I am majorly involved in the design, and construction of roads and their subsequent routine, periodic as well as PBC maintenance.

Peak Point: When did you join the PMP Exam Prep class, and pass the PMP exam?

Clinton: I joined the PMP Class in January, 2023 and completed the required contact hours on 3rd February, 2023. I did and passed the PMP Certification Exam on my first attempt on Sunday, 3rd September, 2023.

Peak Point: Please paint for us a picture of your journey to the PMP certification. What motivated you to get the PMP?

Clinton: Currently, I deal a lot with the administration of Contracts and project execution. It was only natural that I complement my skills with the PMP Certification. I believe this will go a long way in making me a competent Project Manager.

Peak Point: Were you self-sponsored or did your company sponsor you?

Clinton: I was lucky enough to be sponsored by my company.

Peak Point: Tell us about your preparation. Did you dedicate daily study time for revision?

Clinton: Yes. I did. I noticed that it was already long overdue since I completed my classes. Over the past month, I would dedicate the first two hours in the morning exclusively to studying for the PMP exam. That’s from 6:00 am to 8:00 am.

Peak Point:?What study materials did you find most useful?

Clinton: The study materials provided by Peak Point Consulting came in very handy. The modules were short and concise and enabled following the ECO easy. I also used Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep 10th Edition and daily revision questions provided on the group's WhatsApp Page.

Peak Point: Did you use a PMP exam simulator to prepare? ?

Clinton: Yes. I used the PMAspire exam simulator. The team at Peak Point Consulting Group was gracious enough to allow us access to this simulator and I would recommend using this as it really gets you into that exam mindset.

Peak Point: What key strategies can you say helped you to pass the exam on your first attempt?

Clinton: Revision questions lots and lots of them. Including the PMP question Bank. A dedicated study schedule. Two hours a day can go a long way in enabling one prepare and get comfortable taking the exam.

Peak Point: Tell us your experience with the exam. Did you take the online proctored exam or did go to a test centre?

Clinton: I took the online Proctored exam.

Peak Point: How was the experience with the online proctored exam?

Clinton: I scheduled my exam at 6:30 am in the morning which means I had to check in thirty minutes prior (6:00a.m). The check in went smoothly with the Proctors surveying your study area and then you are good to commence your exams. They wouldn’t let you use a calculator though; I think that was a downside because there were 2 questions that the calculator would have been quite welcome.

Peak Point:?Were you anxious?

Clinton: I’d say at commencement. But soon I settled in fairly easily.

Peak Point: Did anything surprise you or was it all fairly as you had expected?

Clinton: From my revision, the questions always seemed bulky and never-ending. The exam had really short structured questions.

Peak Point: Did you finish answering all the questions?

Clinton: Yes, I did. With a little over 70 minutes to spare.

Peak Point: In your estimation, what was the ratio of predictive vs agile/hybrid questions on the exam?

Clinton: I Would say slightly over 60% of the questions were on agile. The remaining percentage incorporated both hybrid and traditional approaches.

Peak Point:?The exam has two optional ten-minute breaks. Did you take any?

Clinton: Yes. I took both ten–minute breaks. I felt more relaxed and rejuvenated before embarking on the next batch of 60 questions.

Peak Point: Which type of questions did you find to be most challenging?

Clinton: Most questions that asked what the PM Should do first/next. You’d get two choices that always seemed correct.

Peak Point: What did you do when you saw the notification that you had passed?

Clinton: Actually, I didn’t see the notification at first until the following day. What transpired is that approximately 10 or so minutes after concluding the exam, I got a link on my mail with the View Scores Report. I spent quite a few minutes before I gathered the courage to click on it. I was exhilarated when I saw I had passed. I got myself a well-deserved breakfast.

Peak Point: Whom did you call first to announce the good news?

Clinton: My folks actually called a couple minutes later. Happy coincidence I suppose.

Peak Point: If you were to do it all over again, what would you do the same?

Clinton: I would stick to my study plan over the past month.

Peak Point: What would you do differently to prepare for the exam?

Clinton: I think I would have scheduled and paid for the exam earlier. This gives extra incentive to really study and curtails procrastination.

Peak Point:?What advice and tips would you give aspiring PMP candidates?

Clinton: I would definitely recommend Peak Point Consulting, to kickstart their PMP journey. Acquire the requisite contact hours and schedule the exam way in advance. The support from the Group is quite engaging and commendable. To be honest, I think we overstretched you a bit, since February!

Peak Point: How can you be reached for professional discourse or business opportunities?

Clinton: My LinkedIn presence: marongaclinton

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