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Hello, and thank you for downloading BetterPMs guide to the PMP exam! Want your

5 Free Exam Tips? Go right to Page 6. Otherwise, read on and learn about the

certification, how to apply to PMI, and what to expect during the certification process.

Whether youre an experienced manager with several years of projects under your belt,

seeking the best in exam prep services, or totally new to project management and

looking to learn more about the field, youve come to the right place. This guide will

offer some tips and information of immediate value, as well as explain how BetterPM

can help you meet your professional goals.

Weve designed the guide as a sort of buffet choose whatever section suits your

needs, and dig in. If youre new to project management and curious about becoming a

PMP, check out our first two sections on the PM job outlook and certification, as well

as our walkthrough of the certification process. If youve already decided that

certification is right for you, and youre gearing up for the exam, our test prep section

has plenty of useful tips. Finally, in the BetterPM Advantage section, youll find a full

overview of our products and services, from our outstanding study guides to our unique

mobile quiz app.

For those of you in IT, be sure to check out our special section on the upcoming Agile

Certified Practitioner certification (PMI-ACP). With Agile-oriented positions

exponentially increasing in demand, youll want to be one of the first to earn this

valuable credential.

Once again, thanks for taking the time to learn more about BetterPM!

Table of Contents

1. What is Project Management? An Overview pgs. 2-3 2. Is PMP Certification Right for Me? pgs. 3-4 3. Certification: A Walkthrough pgs. 4-5 4. 5 Must Know Tricks to pass the PMP Exam pgs. 6-8 5. The BetterPM Advantage pgs. 8-11 6. Conclusion pg. 11

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What is Project Management? An Overview Project management professionals (PMPs) work across a variety of industries, from

construction to education. They conduct marketing campaigns, spearhead product

development, and pilot new curriculum programs. Whether its launching a satellite or

directing the overhaul of a hospitals IT system, theyre at the center of things, ensuring

that key milestones are met, stakeholders are properly involved, teams are effectively

coordinated, and that events are proceeding on time and on-budget. Projects are vital

to any organization, and someone who can properly steer them through their life cycle,

from inception to completion, is essential.

As those hands at the helm, project managers are highly valued by employers. In a

recent Computerworld survey, 43% of respondents planning to make new hires sought

people with project management skills, and in a similar poll by Monster.com, more than

half of the respondents were seeking project management professionals.1

Due to this demand, the overall job outlook for PMPs looks excellent. CNNMoney.com

recently reported an expected 16% job growth over for PM positions2 over the next ten

years, and a study by the

Anderson Economic Group

indicated that about 1.2 million

project management positions

will need to be filled each year

through 2016 in expanding fields

like healthcare, infrastructure

development, and green

technologies3

1 Collett, Stacy. 11 Hot Skills for 2011. Computerworld. .

. Even the IT field,

which experienced a slowdown

the last few years, is ramping up demand again for project managers. Agile-themed

2 Five Money Resolutions to Make. CNN. . 3 Project Manager Job Outlook. Villanova University. .

Agile Job Growth

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software development in particular is experiencing explosive growth, with an over

1000% increase over the last five years.

In response to this demand, the number of qualified PMs has rapidly increased in kind.

As of 2011, there are over 400,000 certified project management professionals a 50%

increase over the last three years.4

Is PMP Certification Right For Me? What does all this mean? First, if youre considering a career in project management, or

you currently work in the field, youre looking at excellent job prospects. Second,

certification is probably a good idea. Heres why.

For one thing, the path to certification greatly enhances your professional toolkit. It

requires extensive study of the PMBOK guide, the standard industry text for project

management, as well as 35 hours of project-themed training. Youll learn a number of

management techniques and best practices, as well as how to best apply them. Due to

the degree of mastery required for certification, youll also be extremely skilled in them.

Secondly, this expertise can improve not only your employers bottom line but your own

as well. CNN Money ranked earning a project management certification as one of the

best ways to increase your salary in 2010.5 Why? Qualified professionals have proven

that they can deliver goals and objectives on time and on budget, and companies will

pay a premium for this proficiency. On average, PMPs earn over $100,000 a year, and

their median salaries are 10% higher than their non-certified peers.6

Third, due to its rigorous demands, the PMP certification represents a high degree of

professionalism and experience, and carries with it a certain amount of prestige. This

respect and authority can prove valuable; it can open doors to new clients and help

4 PMI Fact File. PMConnection. . 5 Five Money Resolutions to Make. CNN. .

6 The Value of Getting PMP Certified. Global Knowledge. .

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during negotiations or when leading teams. The certification is also internationally

recognized as a standard of excellence- useful in this time of globalization when

business, more than ever, crosses borders and cultures.

Ultimately, certification keeps you on top of the latest trends in the profession and

maintains your competitive edge in the job market. Even if the PMP certification isnt

the best fit for you right now though, there are several other credentials you might want

to consider. If youre new to project management, and dont yet have the required

experience or education for the PMP certification, the Certified Associate in Project

Management (CAPM) is a good entry-level first step to demonstrate your grasp of the

fundamentals. On the other hand, if youre more experienced with managing multiple,

projects, and youd like to demonstrate your mastery in this area, the Program

Management Professional (PGMP) is a good selection. Finally, if youre familiar with

Agile software development, youll definitely want to check out the new Agile Certified

Practitioner (PMI-ACP), which is being released in the third quarter of 2011.

Certification: A Walkthrough Before youre actually eligible to take the PMP exam and get certified, you need to

fulfill a number of requirements. Depending on your education and job experience, you

can qualify in one of two categories.

Category One Requirements

A four-year degree, either a bachelors or global equivalent

At least three years of project management experience, with 4,500 hours

leading and directing projects

Category Two Requirements

A secondary diploma, either high school or global equivalent

At least five years of project management experience, with 7,500 hours leading

and directing projects.

Note: Job experience needs to be within 8 years of your application.

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Youll also need 35 hours of project management education from a PMI-approved

provider such as BetterPM. This coursework doubles as preparation for the PMP

exam.

Figuring out how to log your project management hours can be tough, so heres a

suggestion to make it easier. Grab your resume and some blank paper. For each

company in your career, write down any major accomplishments or projects. Then

estimate the number of hours you spent on each project. After you have your list of

hours, refer to the PMI requirements to find exactly how many of those hours qualify

for the PMI standard.

Give yourself some flexibility. Even if your official title wasnt project manager, think

hard about your responsibilities and activities on that project. See what reasonably

could be considered leadership roles. Maybe it was leading a weekly meeting, directing

a team, or overseeing a certain product feature. Maybe you served as a point person

managing customer interactions. All of these are different examples of project

leadership.

Keep in mind though that theres a big difference between thinking creatively outside

your defined role and lying about or embellishing your experience. PMI audits about

five to six percent of their applications. During the audit, PMI will verify information

with your former employers and schools, and if inaccuracies are found, your

certification of eligibility will be revoked. In short, think outside the box, but be honest.

Once youve filled out your forms, you can file your application either by mail or online.

We suggest becoming a PMI member first before filing the form, as it drops your exam

fee from $550 to $405. It usually takes PMI from five to ten days to file your

application by mail its shorter if you filed online.

For more details, the PMP handbook is your best reference.

http://www.pmi.org/Certification/~/media/PDF/Certifications/pdc_pmphandbook.ashx

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Tackling the PMP Exam After youve squared away all your hours and received your

application confirmation, youre eligible to take the PMP exam.

You have one year to do so. It takes a while to prepare, though. The

exam has a reputation for being a beast, and it deserves it: four

hours, 200 questions pulled from a bank of thousands. The exam

will not only test your practical experience, but also demand a

thorough understanding of the PMBOK, the project management

bible, inside and out.

Heres where BetterPM can be a huge help. We can make your

study time much more efficient. We take the PMBOK, break it down into sensible,

manageable components, and put it in accessible, everyday language. Then we guide

you through it. With us, you dont have to study harder; youll study smarter.

As we walk you through the material, we highlight the most troublesome content areas

and cover how to troubleshoot them. We regularly quiz you with the sorts of questions

youre likely to encounter on the exam, and once again give you targeted suggestions on

tackling them.

When it comes to the exam itself, even though no two versions are identical, you can

expect certain patterns. Questions are pulled from the five domain phases of a project

life cycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing. Heres the

breakdown of the test content:

Initiating 13%

Planning 24%

Executing 30%

Monitoring/Controlling 25%

Closing 8%

EXAM TIP #1 Some questions are padded with extra information that you really dont need to find the right answer. With BetterPM, youll learn to recognize the fluff quickly, ignore it, and cut to the core of the question.

EXAM TIP #2 Focus your studying on the areas of content where there are the MOST exam questions. Many students over look this and their score suffers as a result.

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PMI does make general test outline available, and you should definitely read through

it. Youll notice that it includes a list of tasks for each domain area. Try skimming these

lists; it tells you what you need to know and be able to do. For example, task three

under Executing requires knowledge of

implementing the quality management plan using the appropriate tools and techniques, in order to ensure that the work is being performed according to required quality standards.

Just by reading this, you can figure that youre going to be

tested on what those tools and techniques for

implementation are, and how theyre used. Youll also

probably need to be familiar with the quality standards.

To help plan your test prep, try this. Print out the content

outline, and keep it handy as you study. Check off tasks and

areas as you begin to feel comfortable with them, and mark

weak areas youre having trouble with. This way you can

focus your study efforts better. Flagging relevant areas in

the PMBOK, like those quality standards, is another good

idea.

Now, back to the actual exam. The questions fall into three general categories:

memorization/recall prompts, problem sets, and logic questions. Recall prompts, the

simplest, usually ask for a specific fact or definition. To prepare for these, its really just

a matter of memorization; bust out the flash cards. After a good deal of practice

problems, youll have an idea of what sorts of terms pop up for recall. We also highlight

a number of them in our study materials. Problem sets, the second type, require you to

perform some form of calculation; the key to these is practice. Logic questions, the third

type, give you some sort of a problem or situation to think through. Once you know how

to recognize a question type, you can immediately figure out the sorts of strategies to

use on it. Well teach you how to do this, saving you valuable time on the day of your

exam.

EXAM TIP #3 Youre given a practice section before the actual exam. Use this time to collect your thoughts, jot down important equations or definitions you want on hand during the exam, and do some Zen breathing exercises, if thats your thing.

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There are a few specific types of problems that youll want to pay particular attention to

when youre studying. While everybody tests differently, these three in particular give a

lot of people trouble.

1) EVA (Earned Value Analysis) questions require you

to recall and use a variety of formulas, and applying them

correctly can be confusing. Memorize these formulas, and

on the day of the test, take some time to jot them down on

the provided scrap paper for easy reference.

2) Input/Output Calculations There are 42 defined project management processes

you need to be able to perform calculations for, and each has a variety of 2-10

possible inputs, applicable calculation techniques, and outputs. For these, its a

matter of practice makes perfect.

3) Scenario-based Questions

These wild card questions can be particularly frustrating,

because theres no easy way to prepare for them. Theres no

single definition or answer to memorize, and you cant solve

them with a concrete equation. The correct answer is often

unclear, but you can usually eliminate some of the options,

whittling them down to your best choices. Well provide you

with plenty of examples to familiarize yourself with this type of question, as well as

some ways to think your way through them.

The BetterPM Advantage If youre planning to take the PMP exam, theres no shortage of test prep options. You

could enroll in a week long, in-person classroom course, or you could select from a

variety of online classes. The question is which one is right for you, considering your

personality, learning style, and schedule. If you prefer learning in a group, through direct

instruction, then an in-person class is probably your best bet. If you prefer to learn at

EXAM TIP #5 Watch out for answers with generalizations. Terms like always, never, must, and completely often flag an incorrect answer.

EXAM TIP #4 Know these 3 areas well, and you will be set to an easy PASS on the exam. These are three problem areas that sink most students chances of success on the PMP exam.

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5 stars. Great PMP App. wish I had found this course when I started. The best thing about this course is that the questions are more similar to the questions asked on the PMP test than in any other review course. This app is great, but its only a small sample of what Im finding in the full course, which is excellent. Im going through the full course now and the quality really seems much better than the others Ive seen Best! - Jim576

your own pace, according to your own schedule, then an online course like BetterPM is

a better fit. BetterPM offers three major advantages over other test prep options,

however: flexibility, cost, and quality...especially if youre an independent do-it-

yourselfer.

With BetterPM, youre empowered to learn on the go and on your own terms,

whenever and wherever its best for you. Theres no classroom you need to fight traffic

and find parking for, no lecture times to block out on your schedule. You dont have to

worry about the course going too quickly or too slowly. You set your own schedule and

move through the material at your own pace.

Our materials are available in a variety of formats, including printable pdfs, online

quizzes, and both downloadable and streaming media. If you have several hours to

study, access our course material online or print out a paper copy. Listen to an audio

lesson on your iPod while you chop vegetables for dinner. Watch a video chapter on

your iPad while you fold laundry. Even if its a particularly busy day and you only have

15 minutes while you grab coffee, you can tackle a few exam questions with one of our

practice quizzes on your mobile device in the cafe or break room. Its available in the

iTunes store. No other competitor has gone mobile like we have.

BetterPMs Mobile Quiz, Rated 4 Stars on iTunes

App Store with over 100 reviews!!

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I was extremely satisfied with the level of customer service that I received from Aaron and was happy with both the speed and resolutions to my many questions. I really liked the practice quizzes, as they indicated to me directly where I need to further focus my studies. I just took my official PMP exam yesterday (and PASSED, yay!) - Colleen F.

BetterPM is also by far your most cost-effective option. A typical five day, in person

PMP prep course costs from $1500-$3000, not including travel expenses, parking, and

the vacation time you need to take. We offer high quality instruction and materials at a

fraction of the cost. Also, unlike other online competitors, who charge a flat fee, we

offer a monthly subscription option. If youre a quick study, and you only need a month

or two to get ready for the exam, why pay $500-$750 when you can subscribe to

BetterPMs services for less than $200? Once again, the name of the game is flexibility

dont pay more than you have to.

With BetterPM, youll get more than your moneys worth. We pride ourselves on our

top-notch content the best in the business. With BetterPM, youll have immediate,

easy access to over 400 pages of in-depth study guides and handouts, highlighting key

information, terms, and concepts, illustrated with hundreds of useful charts, graphs, and

explanations. Each chapter starts with clear objectives, so you know exactly what youre

focusing on. Theres also an extensive review at the end of each chapter, including a

summary of the main points and a short quiz. Youll have over 200 practice exam

questions to help review, practice, and hone your skills as you study, and we also

provide full length, timed, computer-based tests, for when you feel ready to simulate

the actual PMP exam conditions. Weve received great feedback on our exam

questions so far; many people find them closer to those on the actual exam than those

offered elsewhere.

Unlike some of our competitors, we do more than

just supply a variety of practice questions and

answers, though. We provide pointers for incorrect

answers, so you can understand why you missed that

question on Earned Value Management, and how

you can improve your chances of nailing it next time.

We also include specific references in the PMBOK,

directing you to the exact section in the source

material to help with your studying.

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Were extremely confident in the quality of our materials. If you havent already

checked them out yet, please feel free to do so at BetterPM.com. Theres free access

not only to a sample practice exam, but also the first chapter of our course materials.

No other company provides as much open access to their materials as we do. Weve

practiced what we preach, as well. All of our materials are created by certified

professionals in project management who were in your very same shoes prepping for

the exam, and aiming to succeed.

In addition to outstanding content, we offer responsive, quality customer service. One

of our most positive responses from customers has been the quality of our customer

assistance. Theres always someone there to help, whatever your question may be. Just

email us, and youll hear back from an instructor. With BetterPM, youre never on your

own; theres always a helpful guide or coach available.

Finally, were constantly updating our content to provide leading edge training. One of

the current projects we currently have under development includes PDU training

solutions for those of you whove already earned your PMP, and want to keep up with

your certification. Well also soon be releasing an Agile-focused component designed

for those of you who are planning on gaining your Agile Certified Practitioner

credentials.

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Aaron MacDaniel, MBA, PMP BetterPM.com - Head Instructor Aaron has over ten years of experience in project management as a software engineer, instructor, manager, and consultant. He has worked in a variety of industries, including education, technology, telecommunications, and healthcare, and for a number of groups such as Microsoft Research, Ciena Systems, Nortel Networks, Partners Healthcare, Kaplan Test Preparation, and Harvard Medical School. Prior to founding BetterPM.com, Aaron was a manager within the higher education and healthcare consulting practice at Huron Consulting Group. During his time with Huron, he worked with four of the top 10 research universities in country, leading a variety of endeavors in technology, strategy, and training. Over the course of his career, much of Aarons work has focused on training and course development. He has developed new project management and process standards, software development methodologies, and new project introductions. He has authored course syllabi and materials, trained and evaluated instructors, led classroom instruction, and worked with top university staff across the country.

Conclusion Whether certification is a month or a year away, if youre ready to get serious and start

studying, we hope youll choose BetterPM.com as your personal coach and guide. You

wont find our level of flexibility, quality, support, or affordability anywhere else. We

look forward to working with you!