How hard is the PMP Certification?

 

It's normal to ask questions when you start your PMP Certification preparation.

• Is it difficult to pass the PMP Exam?
• What is the minimum score I can get?
• What are the top reasons candidates fail to pass the exam?

These are common questions for PMP candidates in the early stages. Not having this information can make it difficult to kick-start your PMP preparation journey.

This article will explain everything you need to know about the difficulty of the PMP Certification Exam. It also explains the main reasons why PMP Certification takers find it difficult.

We will discuss many things that are crucial for your PMP exam preparation.

The PMI has not yet released the PMP Certification actual passing score. However, you might want to read this article where we discuss the PMP Certification passing score. It is undisputed that the PMP Certification remains the most difficult exam in project management. Let's now discuss the top four reasons PMP Certification candidates find it difficult.

What makes the PMP Certification hard?

Candidates struggle with this exam mostly because they don't comprehend the PMBOK method of project management.

As a candidate for the PMP Certification, the first thing you must keep in mind is that the PMBOKs (6th and 7th Edition) are the most crucial exam standards, and it is sacred that you always adhere to PMBOK doctrines and principles when responding to questions.

It is irrelevant how YOU think a project should be run or what YOU think a specific activity's next step should be. You must always follow the PMBOK frameworks & concepts.

For instance, while discussing which activity in Schedule Management should follow "Estimate Activity Durations," we should refer to the 49 processes from the PMBOK 6th edition. These processes must be followed in the order shown on Table 1.4 on page 25. (Watch my YouTube Video to learn how to memorise the PMBOK-6's 49-Process Chart using logic and pattern.)

Another thing to keep in mind is that projects in the real world frequently omit stages or procedures that the PMBOK deems essential.

For instance, your company may fund projects without ever writing a project charter.

Or perhaps during the early stages of a project, your organisation doesn't place enough emphasis on stakeholder analysis or stakeholder engagement. Similar to this, some businesses might not place enough emphasis on scope confirmation before closeout!

The fact that various firms manage projects differently means that applicants frequently answer questions wrong if they believe that, in their own organization, they would have completed Step C after Step D.

Of course, in the real world, not all of the PMBOK methodologies and processes must be followed. No one can bring a lawsuit against you or your business for working on a project without a project charter, right? Similar to this, you are not required to update the lessons learned register while delivering the project's success criterion. In the industry, there are several instances of projects being completed without a properly written charter and being closed out without updating the lessons learned register.

What's wrong with that, exactly?

The issue in practice is that failing to create a project charter, obtain approval for it, or conduct a stakeholder analysis may result in later project risks and challenges that are more difficult to manage.

The PMBOK promotes best practises, but it is not a requirement; therefore, you are free to carry out the project in a manner that you deem to be the most effective.

However, by adhering to the steps and order of the processes outlined in the PMBOK, you can deliver a project in a way that is far more dependable and effective.

On this, the PMP Certification assesses you.

As a result, you should always approach questions on your PMP Certification using the PMBOK method of project management.

As a result, anytime you respond to a question on the PMP Certification, you must first recall what the PMBOK states about the specific procedure/method that an activity must be carried out. Please don't apply your own judgement or professional experience here.

Lack of work experience of leading projects as a project manager

The absence of relevant project management or project leading job experience is the second factor contributing to candidates' difficulty in the PMP Certification.

Experience in project management is required for the PMP Certification. Because of this, a sizable chunk of time (36 or 60 months, depending on the category you're looking for) needs to be reserved in your PMP application for managing and supervising projects. For additional information on the eligibility requirements for the PMP Certification, see my post on the subject.

As a result, whenever you respond to a question on the PMP Certification, you must put yourself in the position of the project manager or senior project manager.

In your capacity as a student, intern, apprentice, or project support officer, you are not permitted to answer questions.

Keep in mind that the PMP test may not be the best option for you if you are a less experienced project manager and lack sufficient expertise in those five process groups and knowledge areas.

Instead, you may take the CAPM exam, which is designed for project managers who are just starting out.

Candidates frequently give incorrect information when completing their PMP Certification applications.

They claim to have "done" projects and "directed" projects from start to finish, but in reality, they have only served as a team member or possibly even shadowed or piggybacked a project manager.

Be aware that you can manipulate the application process by crafting polished, expert-looking essays. By chance, your application might even be accepted.

The exam is extremely intelligent, and in traditional PMP-style questions, the incorrect answers will be subtly presented and worded in such a way that you will unintentionally select the incorrect response if you haven't completed projects in the real world or haven't read the PMBOK in its entirety.

In conclusion, having solid hands-on project management experience is usually beneficial while taking the PMP Certification. When applying for the PMP Certification, it doesn't mean that you have to be a "Project Management Maestro," but you should have led and supervised projects on your own.

Even if you were working on a project as a "project coordinator" or "project engineer," you should have been as involved in all phases of the project as a project manager.

Lack of Project Manager Way of Thinking

Aspirants who are not project managers find the PMP Certification challenging because they don't think or analyze like project managers, but rather respond like project engineers or project executives while answering questions on the PMP Certification.

Your ability to manage projects will be evaluated continuously by the PMP Certification. You will often find yourself stuck between two very similar answer options. This is when you need to think more like a manager than a project executive or project engineer.

Let's look at an example to show you how you can think like a Project Engineer or Project Manager. Let's say you're a Project manager and you have a conflict with two members of your team. They then come to you for help. What will you do as project manager?

Two options are available:

Option 1 - You escalate the matter to your project sponsor, and get his direction on how to solve it.

Option2: You use conflict management techniques such as team building, open discussions, root cause analysis, and team building to help the two parties talk with each other and reach a solution.

If you are a project associate, or project executive, you might choose Option 1. You will have a project manger in your team, and you can escalate the issue through them.

If you're a project manager, you will need to deal with this situation more proactive and holistically based on your knowledge of conflict management techniques.

Remember to respond and think like a project manager when answering questions on your PMP Certification.

Inability to handle scenario based question solving

The fourth and last reason why candidates find the PMP Certification challenging is their inability to appropriately handle a scenario-based question and their confusion about comparable alternatives.

About 90% of the PMP exam's question types are situational or scenario-based. Here, the question presents a project scenario and instructs you to choose wisely on behalf of the project. The response options to these questions are frequently close together and not quite clear-cut.

You must carefully study these questions and comprehend their main points since the PMP test frequently includes supplemental material in these questions in an effort to distract your focus and induce you to select the incorrect response. When responding to such inquiries, it is crucial to cut through the noise and concentrate on the specific matter at hand.

in order to properly respond to these inquiries. To accept or reject an option, you must have a very good reason. You must always be extremely analytical and very careful when choosing an answer when you observe that the possibilities are fairly near to each other in such queries.