HowTo Get Your PMP: Overview

Five years ago I received my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from PMI. In the time since, I’ve regularly given advice to peers on how to get certified and what it takes to keep current. Over the next four posts I’ll be covering what worked for me, updating this post to serve as a table of contents.

DISCLAIMER: This is what worked for me – everyone learns differently and PMI keeps evolving their requirements and process.

  • Counting Up Work Experience
  • Satisfying The Training Requirement
  • Passing The Test
  • Continuing Education

Here’s the short version for the impatient –

  • Don’t read the PMBOK for your primary source of studying – it is meant as a reference and doesn’t work as a textbook. Read a study guide, such as Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep instead.
  • Been working over 5 years in a role slightly beyond an individual contributor? You have the experience needed without needing to have had the title of “Project Manager”.
  • Get as many practice tests as possible and do them all.
  • Working as a PM? You’ll only need a few PMI webinars to satisfy your CEU’s.