10 Steps to Becoming a PMP - Step 9 & 10

Step 9: Study Hard and have a Plan.

Studying for the PMP® exam is a serious endeavor and requires personal dedication. Manage your road to becoming a PMP like a project and create a plan - a study plan. In this plan, define how many hours you will study every day, how many chapters you will read and how many sample questions you will answer. Having a good plan is the start. Then you will also have to tell your family and friends about it. That way they know that you will be "gone" for the next 2-3 months to prepare. But don't overdo it. You should plan on having breaks and leisure time as well. You need variety in your life, so don't forget to go and see a movie every now and then or have a drink with your friends.

During your studies, be prepared for ups and downs. Some sections of the PMBOK® Guide are easy for you and you feel great. But then, there are those sections that are more difficult because you don't have any experience. Don't despair. Don't think that you are never going to understand this. Thousands of people have passed the exam before you and you can pass it, too! Stay positive at all times.

Recommended resource: The PMP PMBOK® Guide StudyCoach... (Disclosure: I created this product.)

Step 10: Take the Exam.

After all that hard work, taking the exam almost sounds like the easy part. But there are a few things to consider that will help you to make this a good and successful experience for you.

Try and get a good night's sleep the night before the exam. Being refreshed and having slept enough is important. There is no need for you to study the night before the exam and stay up until 3am. You have studied long and hard and you are now ready for this. So sleep.

A lot of people choose to take the day of the actual exam off. You can sleep in, eat a good breakfast, go for a walk and relax. That way you will not be too nervous when you get to the testing center. It is of course also a good idea to drive to the testing center a week before, so that you know where it is and you may also want to try and arrive 1 hour early. Just in case that you miss the bus or your car has problems.

Here is what you should bring: Two forms of official identification with a photo; Water and some snacks; A sweater or light jacket; A simple calculator; Earplugs because it could be noisy.

Before the exam starts there is a short tutorial that explains how to use the computer and software. Don't skip it. There is important information in the tutorial. If you take the tutorial, then you can be sure that you understand everything and don't make any mistakes because you made assumptions. Now click the "Start Exam" button. Good luck!