In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.
We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.
Kirsi Longley, Project Management Professional (PMP)
PMP awarded February 2018
What the heck do the initials PMP stand for?
Pretty Marginal Pianist? Nope! PMP stands for Project Management Professional. It’s a certification administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the internationally recognized association “for those who consider project, program or portfolio management their profession.” Pretty fancy, huh!
Having PMP certification can give you a great advantage in a variety of careers, including environmental consulting. When clients see PMP on your resume, it shows you’re a professional and among the cream of the crop of project managers. In Aspect’s realm of work, some public agencies, like King County, strongly encourage or even require PMPs to be included on project teams to be considered for contracts. You also receive recognition from fellow PMPs who know and appreciate the hard work and diligence that goes into the certification.
How does one become a PMP?
The process of becoming a PMP is not as long as what’s required for a PE or LG in terms of meeting the qualifications, testing and studying, but it is still pretty rigorous. For me, it was a very intense six weeks.
In-Person Course Work
The first step is to complete 35 hours of in-person project management education. Several organizations offer classes with curriculum approved by PMI. I went through the Project Management Academy, which I highly recommend. I took a week off from Aspect (thanks Aspect!) and met with the class in a hotel conference room over four long days. On the last day of the in-person class, we took a practice test to gauge how well we’d absorbed the material. Let’s just say that I did not ace the practice test, meaning I had a lot of studying ahead of me.
Application
It was recommended to me that I take the in-person course first, and then fill out the PMP application. This might seem counterintuitive, but once you’ve gone through the course, you have a solid grasp on the terms PMI uses and can then incorporate that language in your application to talk about your experience. It also makes it easier for you to go through your work history and identify pieces they are looking for.
The application takes hours to complete. In order to be considered a candidate for PMP certification, you must document at least three years managing projects during the five stages of the project lifecycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing. You have to document this experience in great detail and provide references for those who oversaw your work over the years. This takes a lot of time and research to track all of it down and complete the application.
After you’ve completed the course work and application, it’s time to start studying for the 4-hour exam.
How did you study to prepare for the exam?
I’ve heard the passing rate for first try is 50-60 percent, so the pressure was “on” to really absorb the material. I studied for about 5 weeks before taking the exam. The Project Management Academy and PMI have a lot of Study Guides and other materials to review, including all of the slides from the course, and some mock exams. There are Laminated Study Guides – double-sided sheets that cover the key concepts, work flow charts, vocabulary, and equations – that you can write on and mark up as needed. Those came in quite handy. There are also PMP apps that have flash cards and quizzes to help. I made myself some flash cards too, mostly to help memorize vocabulary with definitions specific to PMI.
Over those 5 long weeks, I ran flash cards or studied on the app on the bus to and from work, then would come home and study for a few hours each night. I studied in 4- to 8-hour blocks on the weekends, including taking practice tests – which meant sitting for 4 hours at a time on a Saturday.
To help me focus on the weekends and remove household distractions, I would set up camp in the local library with snacks, white-noise sounds playing through my headphones, and my study materials.
What is the best piece of advice you got during your study process?
The best piece of advice I got from those who’d gone through this was to take the practice exams repeatedly until you get at least 80 percent correct. The practice exams are the best gauge of how well you understand the material. The exam results break down how you did on each section – showing what you got wrong and what the correct answer was, and summarizing all incorrect questions so you can review and know what material you need to focus on in your next study section.
I took five practice tests in all. On the last one, I got 81 percent. I knew then I was likely as ready as I could be to take the real thing.
Walk us through the Big Test Day…
I was assigned to take the exam at a testing center north of Seattle, so I stayed at my parents’ house the night before to save some commuting time and get a better night’s sleep (unfortunately, my dog Cooper had other ideas about getting sleep that night).
On Test Morning, I went to a coffee shop a few hours beforehand to wake up with some caffeine and a bakery treat while getting in some last-minute studying. At this point, I was very ready to have it all be done. Then I drove to the center and sat for the 4-hour exam.
Kirsi and her dachshund, Cooper
The test itself was at times excruciating. It’s multiple choice, but there are nuances in answers that require you to really sit with them and think about the right choice. There are also math equations.
How did you feel when you finally got the results?
One great thing about the PMP certification exam is that it’s scored in real time and the results are immediate – no waiting in agony for weeks to find out how you did. After I submitted the answer for my last question, a pop-up appeared letting me know I’d passed. I felt a rush of mixed emotions as weeks of anxiety lifted off my shoulders. I closed my eyes and raised my arms in victory. This drew the attention of a test proctor, who came over to ask if I was ok. I just gestured at the screen, and they nodded approvingly. I left the testing center and cried in my car with relief that this was no longer hanging over me. The journey was over, and I’d earned that certification.
Any parting advice?
I would pass on the advice I got to keep taking the practice tests until you’re getting at least 80 percent correct. You don’t want to take the test, fail, and have to go through prep all over again.