10 Steps to Becoming a PMP - Step 1 & 2

For most PMP Aspirants the first steps on the way to their PMP certification are the most difficult ones. The process looks extremely difficult and I hope that these 10 Steps will help you on your way to becoming a PMP. Here are the first 2 steps.

Step 1: Read the PMI Credentials Handbook.

The PMI has published a Credentials Handbook, which you can find at the following URL: http://www.pmi.org/Certification/~/media/PDF/Certifications/pdc_pmphandbook.ashx .The Credentials Handbook explains everything that you want to know about the process of taking the PMP® exam and becoming PMP® certified. Reading this handbook takes about 20 minutes and it should be the FIRST 20 minutes on your journey to becoming a certified PMP®. It will answer most of your questions about the procedures of applying and taking the exam.

Step 2: Make sure that you are eligible.

It is really quite simple to find out, if you are eligible or not to take the PMP® Exam.

Do you have a High-School Diploma, an Associate's Degree or the global equivalent of these? Then you must have a minimum of five years (60 months) of unique, non-overlapping professional project management experience of which at least 7,500 hours must have been spent leading and directing project tasks. (Non-overlapping means that if you managed two projects in the year 2006, then that only counts as 12 months and not as 24.)

Do you have a Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent in your country? Then you must have a minimum of three years (36 months) of unique, non-overlapping professional project management experience of which at least 4,500 hours must have been spent leading and directing project tasks.

In both cases, you must also show that you have had 35 "contact hours" of project management training. The good news is that all project management related training from your whole life counts. So if you are 30 years old and you took a 2-day PM class when you were 21 years old, then you already have 16 contact hours.