The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a symbol of excellence amongst project managers — and the PMP certification exam has a reputation for being one of the most difficult certification examinations in any industry.
Individuals who earn the PMP show their coworkers and employers that they’re top-tier leaders, fitted with world-class training, and capable of overcoming a wide variety of project obstacles. Employees with a PMP certification automatically have more professional options than those who don’t.
What makes the PMP so renowned and respected is the rigorous path it takes to earn one through the application process and certification exam. Anyone interested in pursuing the PMP certification needs to be aware of every tool at their disposal.
Among other tips and techniques that we’ll cover later, one of the most powerful prep tools available is the PMP Exam Simulator. Of course, at Velociteach, we provide a number of high-quality study materials, including a textbook, quick reference guide, flashcards, and more, but the simulator gives you a realistic demonstration of the current PMP exam. An accurate exam simulation offers great value as a PMP preparation tool and should include the most difficult PMP exam practice questions.
Let’s discuss how the PMP Exam Simulator might be your best preparation resource when studying, what other methods you can incorporate, and why you should be setting your sights on the PMP credential in the first place.
What is the PMP?
The PMP is a certification for project managers to prove their dedication and training in the field. It’s globally recognized, meaning that your subject matter expertise and relevant knowledge will be valued and understood no matter where you go in the world. The Project Management Institute (PMI) encourages all project managers who are serious about their careers to become PMP-certified. Another benefit to earning the PMP is you’ll share a professional language with other certified members all around the planet.
However, the certification exam to earn your PMP is no piece of cake. First, it’s a timed exam: There are 180 questions administered over nearly four hours, making the PMP exam an exhausting test of your project management education and experience. The silver lining is that incorrect answers don’t count against your overall score, so the test-taker should never leave an answer blank.
Project managers can take the exam a maximum of three times within the one-year eligibility period upon application approval. If you don’t pass after 3 attempts, there’s a one-year wait period to re-apply for certification. This is why it’s so critical to use every tool you can to prepare and do your best to pass on the first attempt.
Why Get PMP Certified?
The PMP sounds difficult to prepare for and pass, so is it worth the trouble? Yes. It absolutely is.
Increased Salary
As a project manager, there are a few ways to make sure you’re as financially successful as you can be.
Working in the best industry, finding the most fiscally beneficial city to work in, and reaching for larger groups to manage are a few methods. But earning your PMP is something you can work on no matter where you live or work.
PMP-certified project managers typically make more than 20% more annually than those who aren’t certified. So while the PMP is an investment of finances, time, and energy, in the long run, it more than pays for itself.
Global Recognition and Network
As we mentioned above, the PMP has members across the globe–a network of more than 1 million certified project managers working in countries all across the world.
Being PMP-certified gives you access to events and networking meetings with these like-minded professionals. In addition, networking and forming a personal connection with peers is beneficial for someone looking to change jobs.
And of course, access to the amount of shared experience, lessons learned, and recommendations amongst the top project managers in the world is valuable.
Boost Your Training and Experience
Whether you have your Bachelor’s degree or your Master’s in project management, one of the staples of strong leadership and effective management is constant improvement.
Pursuing the PMP credential requires a dedication to self-improvement and a deeper dive into the tools, techniques, and principles of project management. Getting better is what Velociteach is all about – we love helping project managers take their skills to the next level. Since 2002, Velociteach has been working with project managers like you to walk through the PMP Exam application process, prepare for the exam, and earn the PMP on the first try. To that end, Velociteach provides online access to a variety of resources, including audio and video content, practice questions, simulated exams, and in-person PMP certification training.
Benefits of Using The PMP Exam Simulator
Anyone interested in achieving their certification and taking the real test should have the best materials as they prepare. That’s where the exam simulator comes in.
All of our PMP Practice Tests are aligned with the current PMP Exam Content Outline, published by PMI. In each PMP Practice Test you will find:
- 200 practice test questions
- Coverage of all question formats, including multiple choice, multi-select, hotspot, and matching
- Match of PMI’s mix of questions across 3 approaches: 50% predictive, 23% agile, and 27% hybrid.
- And, alignment to PMI’s PMP Exam Content Outline across the 3 domains: 42% People, 50% Process, and 8% Business Environment.
- Full exam review with thorough explanations behind every question and answer.
Because it may have been years since you have taken a standardized test, our best advice is to practice, practice and practice to ensure excellent results. However, keep in mind “bad practice” can make things worse. Therefore, you want to prepare with high-quality questions which you can do using our Velociteach PMP exam simulator. Our PMP Exam Simulator is one of the most popular & valuable products we offer. Our students rave about it. And it is one of the many tools and resources that are included with our instructor-led PMP exam prep boot camp.
Between staying up to date on the current PMP exam, building the contact hours required to take the exam, and the convenience of remote access, here are the benefits of using the Velociteach PMP exam simulator.
Align to The Latest Version of the PMP
At Velociteach, we continuously monitor our content and make updates as needed to align with the current iteration of the PMP exam. Our bank of test questions is no exception. Our PMP Exam Practice Tests are a great way to get an idea of what type of questions you’ll be expected to answer, the question content, the number of questions in each category, and the time you should spend answering each question.
The current PMP exam is 180 questions split into three sections. Those 3 domains or categories are:
- People
- Process
- Business Environment
Each Velociteach Practice Test provides 200 unique questions dispersed across those 3 domains according to the PMP Exam Content Outline. We simulate the various question types so you won’t experience surprises when taking the actual PMP exam. Also, each question provides an in-depth explanation so you’ll learn as you review.
We make sure that you’re getting an accurate feel and adequate preparation for the PMP that you’ll be taking, from breaking down question topics, to replicating the exam environment, to providing detailed feedback. And, question content covers the correct portion of the 3 approaches to managing projects: predictive, agile, and hybrid. For those who have not had as much experience with agile, this mix of agile and hybrid questions is particularly helpful.
Best of all, our practice tests are filled with scenario-based questions. The question describes a project situation, then asks what your best response should be. These what-if questions are the most challenging, and we’ve filled our practice tests with them so that we simulate the actual exam for you.
Add Contact Hours
In order to take the actual PMP exam, there are a few requirements to fulfill.
If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you’ll need three full years of professional experience as a project manager and 35 hours of project management training.
If you don’t have your college degree, you can still take the PMP exam, but you’ll need five years of experience instead of three. The 35 preparation hours remain the same.
Your use of the exam simulator available through Velociteach counts as four hours towards the 35 that are required. When you take advantage of the Complete Prep Bundle, the rest of the hours you’ll need (as well as a bevy of materials and resources) are included so you can walk into the exam with confidence. Taking our instructor-led PMP exam prep course provides all 35 required contact hours and includes numerous resources including the exam simulator, and it comes with a money-back guarantee. As you can see, Velociteach provides many exam prep options to suit a variety of schedules and budgets.
Gauge Where You Are In Your Studies
The PMP exam simulator can give students one of two realizations: your studies have been going well, and you’re on your way to passing the PMP with confidence. Or, it can give you the needed wake-up call and help you realize you aren’t where you thought you were.
Whether your prep is going well, or you’ve got a long way to go, you can count on the practice tests and this simulator to provide that data very clearly.
Practice Wherever You Can
This benefit goes for most of our materials but especially the exam simulator: if you can access the internet, you can access the course.
This means that whether you’re traveling, studying at work, or cozy on the couch, you have access to the highest quality training available on the market.
You can even access the simulator from your phone or tablet. Any device can access the materials, so you can even prepare while on the go.
Other Tips for Preparing
The exam simulator is one of the most powerful options you have for PMP exam preparation, but it isn’t your only choice. In fact, we suggest choosing a range of forms of study to maximize your retention and success.
PMP Class
If you learn best with a structured curriculum, then our PMP Exam Prep Class would be a great addition to your study plans.
We’ve gathered highly qualified and experienced PMP professionals to teach a four-day crash course. Tuition includes the highly rated book The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try by Velociteach CEO and world-class PMP Andy Crowe.
The class provides the 35 hours of training required and includes multiple helpful study resources like flashcards, a quick reference guide, and a mobile app. Our PMP Exam Prep course consistently receives high praise from our students and comes with all the resources and support students need to successfully prepare for the PMP exam. And it comes with a money-back guarantee: get certified or get your money back.
Course Bundles
We offer a wide variety of course bundles at InSite by Velociteach, to meet your training needs.
This online option gives you the freedom to study at your own pace and prepare for the PMP however works best for your lifestyle. We employ the same high-quality PMP professionals, and the courses are all available wherever you can access the internet.
In Conclusion
The PMP exam is a mountain that we know you can climb. Let Velociteach be your Sherpa. With the right materials and preparation, anyone who puts their mind to it can pass this difficult exam on their first try. Trust us, we know you don’t want to take the third exam only to fail and put life on hold for another year.
Online and instructor-led classes and available course materials are great choices when it comes to preparing yourself for the exam. And, the PMP exam simulator is an excellent tool to get a realistic idea of what the full exam will look like and whether you’re ready for the scenario-based questions the exam will include.
Getting a gauge on how your studies have been going is a major advantage. You can determine whether the track you’re on is working for you or if you need to step up what you’ve been doing.
At Velociteach, we strongly believe in continuous improvement. The exam simulator is just one of the many ways we strive to provide the best materials and resources to anyone interested in earning the PMP credential. We provide thoughtful preparation through exam sample questions with detailed explanations of all questions, answers, and guidance on making the right choice when it really counts. You can do this, and we’re here to help!
References:
PMP Certification: Worth Your Time? | LinkedIn
How The PMP Certification Impacts Your Salary | Knowledge Hut
Project Management Professional Certification FAQ | Best College Reviews