I am Neha Bhimrajka, working as a Category Manager- Procurement at GPRO Services India Pvt Ltd (Maersk). My 13 years of experience spread areas of strategic sourcing, procurement consulting, e-sourcing, commercial negotiations, stakeholder management, Supplier relationship, expatriate management, and buying & merchandising functions in varied domains like shipping, finance, and retail.
Why did I Choose PMP Certification?
It all started in my mentorship session with my super boss, way back in 2019. He suggested PMP to me and there on I started reading more about it. As a procurement specialist, we work on multiple projects at a time and manage stakeholders, vendor management, etc. so PMP certification was the best way to grow.
I was looking for a certification like PMP for my career growth and Covid was the best time. I thought I would be able to do it. Working from home had saved a lot of my travel time, and gave me time to introspect about my development and future. It needs an intense understanding of concepts and temperament to take the PMP exam for 3hr & 50 min. The pandemic helped me to spare some time. Immediately I searched for institutions that can provide training and my friend suggested ProThoughts.
ProThoughts Expert Guidance
ProThoughts gave multiple options with flexible timing, I chose a weekday batch in the evening to manage my office work. Online classes were conducted by Mr. Saurabh Parikh, our instructor. He is well-versed in the PMP arena and has industrial experience. He is an expert in his field and explained all the concepts very well, in an easily absorbable manner, which greatly helped me to develop a deep insight into them. Always open to questions and ready to extend the lesson at our convenience. By far, he is the best tutor I have ever met in my life. He is always available to answer queries, and give examples. He makes sure we do not lose the enthusiasm for doing PMP at any given point in time.
PMP Application Details
The next step after acquiring the 35 PDUs is to complete the PMP application at the PMI portal. This involves describing real industry experience along with qualifications in the prescribed format. It is important to thoroughly go through the application instructions available on the portal, to complete your application. Book the exam slot first after your application is approved!!
PMP Exam Prep:
I started studying dedicatedly for 5-6 hours daily. I started with Rita Mulcahy material and the 6th edition PMBOK a couple of times to build my base. Mock tests are a MUST. The more you attempt a mock test the more clarity you would have. The mock test also helps you evaluate the gap between your actual prep and your target, which helps you work toward specific improvement opportunities while being more confident in the areas you are good at. One must attempt a full four-hour test to get a hang of what an actual exam would be like. Prior to your scheduled exam, at least 7-10 days must be dedicated to mock-ups. I completed all the mocks provided by Prothoughts before appearing for the exam, covering no less than 3000+ questions.
The Day Before the Exam:
A day before the exam, I would recommend the aspirants thoroughly go through the online examination prep tips and instructions, which will be provided by the Pearson VUE after booking the exam slot. Remember, do not overdo the mocks. For this day, cover only the key areas that you find difficulty understanding. Minimal preparation and focus on being as fresh and active as possible is the ‘Mantra’! I successfully cleared my exam with an above target in all domains on 9th September 2021
My Tips for Success:
- Take mock tests without fail and read the explanation for wrong answers
- Try to understand other options in the questions while doing mock so you will learn more concepts.
- Consistency and sincerity is the key to pass this exam
- Once you have completed the book twice, attempt questions from different forums/applications. Find the RCA of all wrong questions and clear all doubts. Don’t skip questions. Rita Mulcahy is very important to read at least 3 times.
- I advise that you attempt 4-5 mock tests in the same exam environment as the real test i.e. time constraint, no formula sheets, etc.
Thanks, everyone for the journey, and my best wishes to those who plan to take the exam!
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