“Discover how I achieved my PMP certification in just two months! Learn about the importance of setting goals, finding opportunities, and utilizing effective study methods to turn dreams into reality.”
(How I achieved my GOAL of becoming PMP)
Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear – this line has been read by all of us as a threat. In this blog, I want to say in a similar tone- a line which gives good news and opportunity – things, in reality, are easier than they actually appear. I have tried to explain this fact in this blog through a true story of mine which proves the statement.
The Opportunity knocks the Door: It was mid-October 2011 when the owner of a training company CAD DESK Mr. Ravindra Agarwal approached me and asked me if I have a PMP certification. He was looking for a trainer with PMP certification for imparting training to 50 participants of a Mini Ratna company in 2 batches. PMP (Project Management Professional) is the most popular global certificate in the field of Project Management which is provided by PMI-USA (Project Management Institute). He approached me because I was well known in Jaipur as a trainer for Project Management and Project Management Software – Primavera and Microsoft Project.
A new Desire can develop anytime: The first time I came to know about PMP certification in 2008 through a batchmate of mine who himself was PMP certified and had the experience of working in the USA. Being in the project management field I became desirous of becoming PMP and started dreaming for preparing and passing the exam for PMP certification. I started exploring PMP certification, started talking about it, started reading about it but didn’t set the GOAL by which I could have fixed the date or month or at least the year in which I will get the certificate.
The first step is setting a GOAL: I had a desire, I had a determination, I had a dream, but I didn’t set a GOAL and hence was not disciplined for the preparation of the exam. After I received an offer for the training, I asked Mr Ravindra Agarwal for the dates of training. He told me that the training dates are in the first week of January and before that, you should be PMP. He further said I know you can certainly do it in the next 2 months. He had more confidence in me than I had in myself and sometimes we become more committed to something if someone else shows confidence in us. Saying no to him was not at all a better option hence I said yes to him. Immediately I set a GOAL that in the last week of December 2011 I will be a certified PMP and in the first week of January 2012 I will be a trainer for 50 participants from a mini Ratna company.
Once you Commit it should be fulfilled: The same day I started enquiring about the exam. I took the membership of PMI the same day. Downloaded the form for PMP the same day. I came to know that there is a condition for appearing in the exam that one must undergo a training of 35 hours from a PMI REP (Registered Education Provider) for becoming eligible for appearing in the exam. It was most difficult for me to spare 4 days for training those days because of my project management consultancy assignments at various locations. I used to travel a lot and had projects in Himachal, Punjab, Shri Ganganagar, and Rajsamand. But failure was not an option for me as I had committed to Mr. Ravindra Agarwal and based on my commitment he had further committed to the company. But there is a saying that if you really want to do something wholeheartedly the whole universe conspires to make you successful.
You need to take the first step to become successful: On construction projects, Diwali is a low productivity period. Fortunately, 26th October was Diwali that year and 22-23 October and 29-20 October were weekends. That means from 22nd October to 30th October it was possible to avoid traveling to project sites. Also, I could find a training institute which was registering for 35 hours PMP training batches for two weekends 22-23 and 29-30 October. It was in Delhi only which was most convenient for me. I immediately registered for the training. This is how my journey of PMP preparation started from mid-October.
Be the pioneer in your field: Here I would like to share with you that Project Management is needed in the construction industry more than it is needed in any other industry and most of the ancient projects are related to construction only. Even PMI USA was formed initially by a group of Civil Engineers into project management only but PMP was a rarely known certificate among civil engineers in India and I was the only Civil Engineer in the batch of 32 participants in PMP training at Delhi. Thirty participants were from IT Industry and one other was an electrical engineer. Even the trainer was surprised to see me as an aspirant for PMP certification. And last day a couple for IT engineers stated that we have first time seen such a qualified civil engineer who wants to become PMP.
Well Begun is Half Done: During training and self-study between 22 October and 30th October I developed a confidence that if I am able to study for 200 hours I will be able to pass the exam and get the certificate which normally most of the participants do, but because I had to impart training on the subject, just passing was not at all sufficient for me. I made a target to score more than 90 percent marks for which I felt I needed a minimum of 400 hours in the next 50 days left for the exam. I had filled the form and fixed the date of the exam on 22nd December.
Begin with all the necessary tools: I collected all the required study material from wherever I could collect and started my preparation. The best time for study was my traveling time whether it was traveling in my own car, or train, or even Bus. Though the bus was most inconvenient, I had a Mall Project in Sri Ganganagar for which the most suitable mode of transport was a night sleeper bus. In the car also, it was not very convenient to concentrate and the PMP study is not really that easy that you can understand the concepts without a hundred percent concentration. Whenever I was in a situation where I could concentrate, I used to cover fresh chapters and during travel, I used to revise or used to attempt questions by using an exam simulator. Like that I divided my time, and, on average, I studied 5-6 hours during weekdays and 13-14 hours on Saturday, Sundays, and holidays.
A good practice with right tool makes it Easy: The most useful tool for the preparation was Exam Simulator. When I started taking the exam on simulator initially, I was scoring as less as 55 to 70 percent marks on different topics. I had a target that before the exam date I should be able to score more than 95 percent marks through exam simulator so that I can get above proficiency level grade in all the five areas of assessment. I practiced and practiced and practiced. While walking, shaving, getting ready. Having food and driving I started learning through audio lectures. While relaxing I started study through video lectures. In traveling and for intervals between long hours of study I used simulator. This way I left no mode of study as per the suitability in a particular situation.
Consistency is the mother of Mastery: Starting with 55 to 70 percent marks through simulator I started improving my score every week and 15 days before the exam I crossed 85 percent score. I was really moving towards my GOAL. I kept practicing and one week before the exam date I started touching 95 percent. Now I was ready for the exam and in the last week I studied either the topics in which I had some doubt, or the summary of all the chapters or attempted exam through the simulator. I normally don’t study one day before the exam and relax. I never write an exam in panic.
Dreams come true if converted into GOALS and acted upon: On 22nd December I started from my home at Jaipur to Gurgaon to the online exam center of Prometric. It was a 4-hour exam with 200 questions. I finished approx. 150 questions in one go within 90 minutes in which I didn’t have slightest doubt. I went for a comfort break and then started going through the remaining 50 questions. Within the next ninety minutes, I attempted almost all the remaining questions. After the second revision within the next thirty minutes, I submitted the paper in slightly less than three and a half hours. I was sure about the passing of the exam before the exam only but was a little concerned about the grade. Just after submission, there was a message on screen which said Congratulations!!! You are a PMP now!!! I saw my scorecard in which I wanted to see above Proficiency Level in all five areas but unfortunately, I could not score above proficiency level in one area- closing the project. In all other four areas, I scored above proficiency level.
Its time to celebrate the SUCCESS: I felt myself on the top of the world and informed Mr. Ravindra Agarwal from examination hall only that I have fulfilled my commitment and now I am a certified PMP from PMI USA. Also, I made a few calls to wife and other family members. I was perhaps the only Civil Engineer in Jaipur or Rajasthan who was a certified PMP at that time- the most popular global certification in the field of Project Management. Now it was time for Celebration.
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