Tayfun Odabas, from Frankfurt, Germany, passed the new PMP exam recently. It only took 2 months for him to pass the exam! He shared his review of the PMP study period with Master of Project Academy and also his PMP success tips with us. Read more to learn Tayfun’s tips to succeed in the new PMP exam!
1- ) How long did you study for the new PMP exam?
I started studying around eight weeks before my PMP exam date. I studied approximately two hours a day in the first four weeks. Then I increased the daily study time up to four hours during the last four weeks.
2- ) What was the biggest struggle when preparing for the new PMP exam?
When I started to study with the PMBOK, I realized that the book is not fast-moving. So I had to find myself a motivation to keep going on. At that point, I thought that it is really important to absorb every bit of information for the development of my project management skillset.
Then I took it seriously and created a whole study plan with the exact exam date. During that period, I supported my motivation with alternative prep material such as training videos, flashcards, etc. And I stuck the plan to the last day before the exam.
3- ) How was the quality of PMP training materials?
I found the PMP training materials of Master of Project Academy make it easy to catch all the processes in detail. The materials highlight the most critical points with the footnotes. You can also adapt many tools and techniques which are pointed out in the book for your daily project problems and challenges.
4- ) How much similar were the questions in the real PMP exam when you considered?
I can not say I faced with any exact same question. However, the level of the questions is pretty similar. Master of Project presents a well-balanced understanding related to how the real exam questions are. There were a few long questions in the new PMP exam. And some of the questions included irrelevant information with the answer. There was a limited number of formula-based questions.
5- ) How many sample PMP exam questions did you practice before the exam?
I looked at all the sample PMP exam questions and the mock exam in the book. In addition to that, I took another two mock exams from Master of Project Academy. At some point, I used my wrong answers to study again the prep book and focus on the specific topic in detail.
6- ) How was the support you received throughout the PMP training?
I received clear, accurate, and fast responses all the time. It made me feel safe and comfortable in the study period. I found most of the answers to my questions through the discussion forum.
7- ) Do you have any recommendations for future PMP candidates?
The professional approach is proving as much of your skills and experiences with a well-known certificate. This makes a serious difference in your career progression. And you can define certification goals as motivational milestones in your personal development as well.
8- ) Do you have any tips for the PMP exam day?
The PMP exam is a long and difficult exam. You need a healthy physical condition to keep your concentration at high levels. So the most critical tip is a very good sleep before the exam and staying hydrated during the new PMP exam.
It is a smart thing to prepare an exam strategy with the mock exams before the day. And it is advised to periodically check the time during the exam.
Another thing I do not think that it is a good idea to lose your time to write down formulas or processes at the beginning of the exam. It is better to use the entire exam time to understand the questions.
9- ) If you would give 3 tips to your close friend about PMP certification, what would you recommend as part of your PMP Pass Tips?
The complete understanding of PM processes is the top important item in the list. The relation between the processes must be figured out well. I suggest reviewing all the process definitions and headings at first.
The exam format is based on multiple-choice. Hence the more practice makes you the more prepared. It is best to find a lot of practice questions and exams. You need to improve your exam techniques by the way.
Reading the PMBOK is a must. On the other hand, It is mandatory to have a prep book that is published by professionals.
10- ) Finally, how likely is it that you would recommend Master of Project Academy to a friend or colleague?
I would recommend Master of Project Academy to anybody without any hesitation. I achieved significant success for my career and MoPA contributed a lot to that achievement with the valuable knowledge in its training material.
About Tayfun Odabas:
Tayfun is an IT Project Manager with more than ten years of working experience in Turkey and Germany. He participated in delivering large transformation projects that applied in different departments of broad-scale organizations. He also obtained strong agile process knowledge by supporting and leading 3 agile teams of 3 different enterprise products as a scrum product owner. Tayfun is aiming to utilize his strong prioritizing skills and analytical ability to achieve the goals of his company with significant results.