To go with your latte this afternoon:- More on mentoring
- cool tips if you are getting a Blackberry this Christmas
- If its your first business travel, keep this close
With your latte
To go with your latte this afternoon:
Are you LISTed?
It’s the twitter thing. Lists are something that’s the latest craze right now and if you pay attention to it, you will realize it’s a great learning tool.
Project managers all over are creating their own list which will help them to track and monitor the people they would like to follow and keep a track of.
Sure, you can create your own or follow the numerous already created lists.
I created mine to help you all learn project management by simply following the list. All you have to do is follow the list or have an overview with the help of the widget installed in the blog itself.
Jobs
Out of the box thinking is always helpful, specially in the given economy.
How easily you can adapt to new situations or come up with solutions can help you score points. Here is a site I really like and I think will help you too.
Variety in reading always help, you never which idea can be used in what situation, so why not be prepared.
Related articles I found interesting on jobs:
Read something interesting, share with us.
Whos the best?
You have a say, you do!
If you read project management blogs and have learnt from it- you owe this to the PM bloggers who come home after a long day and then sit down at their laptop to write the blog to help you.
To help all of us who need to know more.
For the record, I voted.
Why self- reading for exams is not a clever idea?
I tried it and it didn’t work.
The fact that I didn’t make it, kinda stuck with me for a long while and took away a chunk of my confidence. I had to face it again.
This time, I wanted to do it differently and make sure I cover all the mistakes that I did last time. So, I ordered prep materials- they are expensive but let me tell you its worth it.
You can order whatever you want to but if you are taking CAPM, there are not a lot of options who cater to this category. Make sure you don’t buy the PMP software. Beware and double check that your material is in sync with the PMBOK fourth edition.
I got mine from Rita Mulcahy, the entire package for CAPM. Apart from the fact that the books comes with a plan on how to prepare for the exam, I like the fact that the materials cross reference the PMBOK along with page numbers. So, you just know which page to go back to instead of flipping through and doing it all in your mind. I think they just take the pressure of your mind on how to go about it and do it all for you.
Last time, I didn’t get a lot of simulated exams and I think that was a huge mistake. So, now the prep material also includes the exam software which think is awesome.
So, while I have been advised to take the PMP directly instead of CAPM, I think the CAPM opens the door for you to get the PMP. You learn more, are better prepared and you prove your genuine interest in the profession.
How to choose a mentor?
If you don’t have a choice just go with anyone who is ready to help you.
If you have and to make the most of your time, here are some of the things you might want to consider:
- Make sure your mentor understands why you are looking for mentoring
- Be very clear on what you would like to get out of the experience
- Make sure the timings work for both of you
- Be prepared and get clear instructions on what you are supposed to get done and how to get it done.
- Discuss the plan and how your mentoring is help you make sure this includes what you are lagging behind in.
- Listen to them, however if you don’t agree with something, clarify it and bring in your input.
- Treasure the experience and learn as much as you can
To read more about why mentors are very important in your life, click here
