Showing posts with label PMP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PMP. Show all posts

You are Not Limited by your Location- SIPM Connect

If you thought your opportunities are limited by your location- think again.

 You can be located anywhere in the world and yet to connect to continents apart. So, if you are new to project management and what to know more, why limit yourself to your locality. Be bold. Be brave. Reach out to anyone.

The most difficult part of reaching out to someone in the PM community is:
  • You might want to network or work with the best; however you don’t know how to reach them
  • If you reach out, you aren’t sure if they will be open to it


Why SIPM Connect:
  • You can choose a mentor or someone to connect with anywhere in the world (choose based on country, city)
  • You can also choose them based on your domain of work and location (in case you want someone local, for example if you work in projects within advertisement, mass media who might want to connect with someone local or within your country)
  • They have already agreed to be the mentor (they have signed up as experts and chosen to be a mentor), which means you don’t have to pursue them as much to mentor you.
  • Best part, its free. Login from anywhere in world to anyone.  And you will never get bombarded with emails. Never. 



(Pic courtesy: SIPM)

How he got his PMP: An interview with Jean-Luc

Apr 15, 2013 | | 1 comments |

Jean-Luc has been an IS/IT professional for more that 10 years. He holds a MEng in Telecommunications and a Master degree in Electrical Engineering. Since the early stages of his career, he's been delivering projects for Fortune 500 companies. He is a PMP and if not diving deep into business objectives to frame a vision or solve problem, he can be found scuba diving. He has numerous certifications from entry level to instructor in recreational and technical scuba diving

He can be found at his twitter handle @LatyrF.

Please tell us what inspired you take the PMP exam? How many months did it take you to prepare?
I found out about PMP and PMI on LinkedIn four or five years ago. This certification was nearly unknown in France (nothing on Job Ad). Two years ago, things had evolved and as I re-entered the job market I started having a closer look. Not being PMP did not stopped me to get a new job in an organisation that is promoting the PMP certification along its Project Managers. I then took the plunge and volunteer to fill an empty seat on a PMP BootCamp.

It took me a rough 7 calendar months from initiation to closing, but I really prepared during 2 to 3 months. 

Would you share your schedule for your preparation?
The BootCamp was in June or July 2012 and my original intent was to sit for the exam in September. I started studying but not on a regular base. I let myself being to polluted by my job.

I started the BootCamp without even opening the PMBOK yet after 40 contact hours, the trainer told me that I could take the exam in a month. I did not felt that confident and started really working with the PMBOK along with study materials (book and questions) from Rita and TSI.

At the end of the year, the trainer tried to convince me again that I should go for it but it was not the right time for me. When PMBOK 5th was announced I gave to myself the deadline: March it will be and March it has been :-)


What was the most difficult thing during preparation?
Getting out of work and allowing decent amount of time to concentrate and study on a regular basis. Studying fortnightly one or two process does not get you anywhere.

One must focus and study very seriously on a daily basis compressed in a short period of time after reading once the PMBOK (this can take time the 1st time to digest the content).

Any 3 tips you would give to the readers, what they should do to prepare well for PMP?

1. Read the PMBOK completely. This book has tons of information and prepares your mind to understand the concept of what PMI believes to be Project Management. Read the Appendix F summary and the Definitions in the Glossary. 
I have read it once in the way it is structured and then I have read it twice process by process in a logical order as if I was going through my project from initiating to closing.

2. You need to understand the basic concepts, knowledge areas, process groups and the Mapping to know by reading the question where you are in the project at any particular point. There is no need to memorize all of the ITTO’s but you need to know the important ones.

3. Practice, practice and practice again! Get Prep Questions and Exam simulator and test yourself. I used the questions from Rita Mulcahy. Try to score between 80 and 85% for super confidence yet below that you can still pass the exam. 

Practice also your brain dump that must include formulas, the 42 processes, the types of contracts, etc. 

How does it feel now that you are a PMP?
I can't tell why as it is a bit irrational for with my education background yet I feel proud and also more knowledgeable.

Studying the PMBOK was a unique opportunity to assess the way I was managing project with what is generally recognized as the best practices. It was also a chance to hover a bit above the dust of daily work and identity areas of improvements and/or better interest. It's also a responsibility as these 3 letters after your name set a level of expectation.


Thank you

To learn  about  how to get into project management  read my book Stepping into Project Management (Welcome to the #PMOT World). To connect with experienced Project Manager's from all over the world, get mentored or shadow for a day see the SIPM Community

Villanova University PMP Prep Course- Conclusion

May 31, 2011 | | 1 comments |
This is the last week of Villanova University PMP Prep review.

The course has been worth the time and though I haven’t paid for the course- I would given the material and depth of the classes.

The time spent for taking the course is worthwhile and it simplifies the PMBOK and the lessons very well with definitions and examples.

I haven’t gone around taking their end of the course exam though and wish I had the time (or better planning) to get to it.

Breaking the course work into smaller chunks and including workbook like lessons at the end of each chapter are the smaller tests leading to the big one.

You can’t login into the university online portal once your course schedule is over, however you have the book, CD’s and downloads to keep for future preps and use.

This was my first online course and I don’t mind taking another again.

Thank you Villanova!

Last 3 weeks available here.

Dear Sr. Project Managers/PMO Directors

Dear Senior Project Managers/PMO Directors,
I have built my own door for someone to come knocking (Hint: If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door -Milton Berle). And I need your help. 

I know you are busy- with meetings, stakeholder communications, more charts and graphs, keeping up with your coffee addiction and running PMO’s. 

I’ll cut it short and say- I am looking for my next job/project/assignment. I'm diligent, smart and have positive review of my projects and client handling, it led to clients coming back for other projects as well.

So, I know what I am doing and where I want to go after I finish building the door. I like challenges, learning new skills, techniques and just when you think it is impossible- I will change your mind. 

I take risks and listen to my inner voice. I deal with clients and team members as other human beings and love what I do so much that I don’t want to give it up. 

I’m looking for an organization/PMO preferably in and around Chicago but don’t mind relocating within States or outside as long as I get to do what I love- more projects.

If you don’t have an empty chair in sight, feel free to forward this to someone else who might.

If you would like to know more click here or I can connect with you on Linkedin

If you really want to know how I work, feel free to contact my co-workers or fellow bloggers independently who have known me for years now, that way you don’t have to worry about me taking them out to expensive lunches to make sure they give good reviews.  They know me well enough to talk about my work, ideas, implementation skills, teamwork, independent thinking capability, decision making and completion of sucessful projects.

If you need an updated resume email me (steppingintopm@gmail.com)please.


Yours sincerely,
Soma Bhattacharya.