INITIATION

I was an Infrastructure project manager for five years and have to come to US and been without a job since then - it’s been six months and everyone was asking for a PMP - so its a Do or Die - I had my contact hours completed way back in 2009 may and have pushed my decision of taking PMP exam twice. I am normally a careless guy without much thought into consequences - and I never ever prepared for an exam before - trust me - I always used to listen to the lecture come home and just refer it and take the exam that’s it - and never used the exam full time and there were situations where I slept in the hall - but this time I could not take it light..

PLANNING

Prep time two months - So scheduled my exam first and then started my preparation in May. Read every chapter from RITA, do the tests. Refer PMBOK ( 6 weeks ) – 1 Mock test - Review and revise ( 1 week ) – Mock test and fill gaps ( 1 week) be strong in initiation and closing - Prepare as much as I can in My game plan was to be

Strong - SCOPE/TIME/COST,
Moderate – COMMUNICATION/HR
Concepts - QUALITY/RISK/FRAMEWORK,
Familiar - INTEGRATION/PROCUREMENT

EXECUTION:-

- I studied Rita, PMBOK, Referred to so many blogs and gave the head first exam – every chapter took me about 2-3 days and I was going very fast – I got 74 % when I gave the head first exam boom I got 74 % .

Read Rita again, PMBOK again, gave EDWEL exam - boom I get 73 – so I started reading EDWEL book –
FAST TRACK initiation and closing – 95 % and 85 %
Memorized all ITTOs –

Monitor & control:-

In every test I was scoring more than 70 – I don’t want to list them all and I did only the free ones – and every test presented me more information in making read different books and blogs – So I became obsessed started everything – but at one point I realized that I cannot take more and I am settled at 70 % whatever or however the test is. I felt that the more you read the more you understand I ended up reading RITA , PMBOK three times and EDWEL once
But I was never complacent and was prepared for the exam to be my toughest exam so far – so when I felt that something can go into my brain I used to read and had no specific time –
I have checked the exam center and parking facilities the day before and spoke to the center guy .

Closing:-

I was refreshing my concepts the previous day of the exam and had a couple of drinks – sound sleep – light breakfast and was in the exam hall @ `12:30 and all the hell broke loose from 10th question. I was marking every question I had a doubt and many questions are way above my knowledge – and from questions 115 through 160 I don’t even know what they referred - When people used to write the exam was tough I never believed them but believe me this exam was testing me – my hopes, belief, memory , and everything - after two hours I took 2 min break came back and completed all 200 .

Then started answering the one that I dint answer during first pass. And had hardly 40 minutes to review the previously answered questions - and completed that too in 20 minutes and reviewed the 115-160 very quickly in 10 minutes and prepared myself for the worst. And I didn’t guess any answer – I marked whatever I felt correct as per the scenario and there were questions I read for about 7-8 time to comprehend - Clicked on end test

Initiation/Closing – MP (I was surprised - you can imagine how tough they would have been)

Planning/Execution / M&C - P

Lessons learned:-

Don’t be complacent – (Mock tests are only for analysis but cannot judge your competency )

Real exam can be anything – (prepare well )

Stick to two books – (read them one at a time and both at the same time. PMBOK must)

During exam keep your concentration and focus - (at one point it was very difficult to even read the question.)

THANKS TO PMZILLA GUYS – BECAUSE WITH THIS SITE I WAS ABLE BUILD ENOUGH CONFIDENCE AND FOCUS ON MY PREPARATION AND THE TEST TOO.