www.Bagal.Org PMI PMP Certification

PMP certification renewal

It’s about three years; time goes by so fast. Three years back I had earned PMI PMP certification. Recently I renewed my PMP certification.

Every PMP person has renew PMP certification every three years & we have to earn 60 PDUs every three years as a part of Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program.
PMI PMP renewal fee for non PMI members is USD 150.00
For Members it is USD 60.00. PMI membership fee is USD 139 ( Renew ). So if you purchase PMI membership you have to pay ( 60 + 139 = USD 199 ) for renewal. This is I feel a good deal with only additional USD 49 you get access to benefits of membership
I earned most of my PDUs from PDUCast from Cornelius Fichtner & SimpliLearn’s ITIL course which gives 30 PDUs . I also recorded PDUs from project management practice I have been doing & self learning.
To renew PMP certificate
First we have to report all PDUs in three years . Once we complete 60 PDUs we get an email from PMI about your readiness for renewal. Then we have to visit PMI site & goto myPMI >> my certification info. There we find PMP renewal options
Following steps are needed to make payment
Accept Agreement
Verify Billing Address
Company code for renewal , Voucher for renewal ( If we have company voucher or company code you can enter here )
Select Method of Payment & make a payment.
That’s all . You should get a new certificate & kit in mail.

Video guide for PMP certification

Are you searching for information about PMP certification, eligibility criteria , its preparation , earning contact hours etc ?

Here is a free video (webinar) by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP. Click link http://nanacast.com/vp/106250/238384/13816/ to view video presentation.

In this Video Cornelius explains about eligibility criteria , how to build a PMP exam study plan , you can learn study tips & techniques , use sample questions & tests , get exam day ready , information about getting recertified and much more information.

Also you will learn everything you need to know on how to prepare for the PMP Exam. In every step you will receive valuable tips, tricks and resources
You can also Free PMP guide book from this video page . Video Page Link is http://nanacast.com/vp/106250/238384/13816/

I am sure reader of my blog will find this video useful.

Earn PDUs with 10% discount

All PMP certified professionals are required to earn PDUs (professional development units). The PDU Podcast is one of the good resources for earning good knowledge about project management & gaining PDUs.
Currently The PDU Podcast is offering 10% ( USD 20) discount on The PDU Podcast
To avail the discount click on the link : http://nanacast.com/vp/105118/238384/13448/
Purchase The PDU Podcast . At checkout apply coupon code: Dec11
This coupan is valid between December 1 - 31, 2011

Subscribe to our feed @ http://feeds.feedburner.com/PMPCertifications to get latest information from my blog including such discount codes & offers.

The PM PrepCast - $15 / 15% Gift Certificate

The PM PrepCast a product by Cornelius Fichtner is one of the best products for earning 35 contact hours for PMP certification. I have received special gift certificate for readers of my PMP blog.

They are offering $15 / 15% discount on the regular price.

To use the gift certificate go to http://nanacast.com/vp/104860/238384/13413/

On the order page enter Gift-Certificate: Nov11
and click validate to apply coupon . This should give you discount of $15 on your order.

This Gift-Certificate is valid during November 1 - 30, 2011

Please subscribe to our blog RSS feed @ http://feeds.feedburner.com/PMPCertifications to get latest posts in your RSS feed reader.

PMP Classroom training discount coupon

If you are planning to take a PMP classroom training from simplilearn training institute, you can now avail 5% discount on your enrollment.

Use coupon code wfwNb0xO1H while placing your order .

View course schedules @ http://www.simplilearn.com/simplilearn/events

They have classroom training sessions in all major cities in India , USA , THAILAND, HONG KONG , INDONESIA , MALAYSIA , PHILIPPINES , SINGAPORE , AUSTRALIA , Middle East ( QATAR , UAE , SAUDI ARABIA ) & SOUTH AFRICA

$10 discount to Earn 35 contact hours for PMP certification

The PM PrepCast™ is the easiest way to prepare for the PMP® or CAPM® exam on the go! Download over 40 hours of video and audio training and watch/listen on your media player. You can earn 35 contact hours certificate using it.
This product is for the PMP Exam that is based on the PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition.

Currently PM PrepCast™ is providing a $10 Gift Certificate, so that you can buy your own PM PrepCast for just $89.97 . To use 10 $ gift certificate Click here to visit this site . In podcast / videocast look for The PM PrepCast (High Resolution) / The PM PrepCast (Low Resolution)

On the checkout page put the code 10000 into the Gift Certificate box, click "validate" and then you'll see the discounted price.

CAPM - Certified Associate in Project Management

Many of my colleagues wish to do career in project management. Some of them think of doing PMI PMP certification. However for junior people , they may not become eligible due to requirement of "project management experience, with 4,500 hours leading and directing projects"
If you are a junior associate willing to make career in project management , then CAPM certification (CAPM - Certified Associate in Project Management ) can be a good starts.
To do CAPM certification you need have:
A secondary diploma (high school or the global equivalent) AND At least 1,500 hours experience OR 23 hours of project management education. If you already have some experience you can directly appear for the CAPM exam. If you want to obtain training then there are numerous training institutes to get training. Also some online training sites provides it by means of Audio Video Podcasts such as SimpliLearn or project-management prepcast . PMP training PDUs can be accounted towards CAPM certification.
More information about CAPM certification such as fees , reporting experince etc can be found on PMI CAPM handbook.
Link to PMI - CAPM handbook

Link to PMI CAPM site

Once you complete CAPM certification you do not need to earn PDU's to maintain it. CAPM certification cycle is of five years. At the end of five years you can retake the exam or you can go for PMP at that point as you may have earned enough experience to apply for PMP.

Preliminary information about PMI PMP certification

The basic information required about PMI PMP certification can be found on PMI Website. Click here to Visit PMI website.

Here one can get answers to basic questions about PMP such as What are prerequisites/ eligibility for the exam ? How much is the Fee for exam ? What kind of training is required ? ( Contact Hours )

The detailed information is mentioned there in PMP Handbook

[21-May-2011] : Updated broken link to PMP Handbook.

Earning PDUs with ITIL certification training.

We all PMI PMP certified professionals are always looking for opportunities to earn professional development units ( PDU ) for PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program. I found one more easy way to earn PDUs . I recently earned 45 PDUs by doing an online training program for ITIL v3 foundation certification.
If you are in the field of information technology then ITIL certification accolades your IT management skills.
So I decided to attend the training for ITIL V3 Foundation certification. I found a course from simplilearn for ITIL certification. This company has two three versions for this course. You may choose from online only , Online + classroom + exam coupon versions & different fees. I had chosen 3 months ( 45 Hrs ) of online course.
I got access to simplilearn's learning management system. Course was a combination of Audio lecture & relevant presentation with it. Contents are really good & easy to understand. I attended the course at my own pace & completed with in three months time.
After completion I sent an email to support requesting 45 PDU certificate. Next day I received my 45 PDU certificate via email. With these 45 PDUs I completed my 60 PDU requirement for first three year Cycle of PMP.
I recommend this course & doing ITIL certification to PMI PMP certified project managers in IT field.

The course consists of :
7 full length Audio-Video chapters as per ITIL ® V3 Foundation syllabus.
Quiz at the end of each chapter.
2 Full length (40 Questions, 1 hour) ITIL ® Simulation Test.
Downloadable ITIL ® V3 Foundation Prep eBook for offline reference.
Ideal for aspirants comfortable with self study.

More information about this course can be found at simplilearn's website ( Click here to open in new window )

Earn 35 contact hours for PMI PMP certification exam.

To appear for PMI PMP certification exam one needs to undergo a formal 35 hours of training .

These thirty five contact hours can be earned in different ways. There are class room trainings as well as online trainings.

One of the best training I found is PM PrepCast™ it is a podcast . You can download podcast & listen or view it in your favorite player / phone or PC.

At the end of podcast you get a certificate of 35 contact hours.

Classroom trainings generally costs about INR 15000 i.e. about USD 300 in India. But this podcast is just $99.97. It is way good for your preparation of PMP certification.

For more details & purchase visit PM PrepCast™ website.

Why to do PMP certification?

I did my PMP certification a year ago. People who are new to PMI PMP certification they ask me, what is the benefit of PMP certification? Did you get any benefit in your organization?

Yes .. The key benefit of doing PMP certification is you learn PMBOK® & the good way of doing your project management.
Additionally as this certification is world wide recognized certification, you get distinguished in the PM community.
Process of earning PDU’s to maintain your certification keeps your knowledge up-to-date.
Also there is a financial benefit. PMI’s salary survey shows certification holder PM’s earn $10000 more per year. [ Source: http://www.pmi.org/passport/june10/passport_june10_inthenews.html ]

Also you can see the top 10 reasons to do a PMP certification on PMI site [http://www.pmi.org/PDF/Top%2010%20Reasons%20for%20Ind.pdf ]. I agree with all of these.

Podcast for PMP

While searching for study material for PMP I found a good site

http://www.pm-prepcast.com

Beautifully created Podcasts ( MP3 Audio cast ) by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP

Many of us spend good amount of time daily in traveling doing jogging etc. This time we can also utilize for studying PMP by putting on headphones of your MP3 player . You also get 35 contact hours in $49.99 with its membership. Please read the details on site . Click below log to visit the site

Earn 35 contact hours for PMP certification

The best way to receive 35 contact hours for your PMP exam is PM Prepcast by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP .

This is very reliable & affordable way of receiving 35 contact hours .

This site provides you podcasts for your study ( MP3 / audio files - can be played on your favorite MP3 player or your mobile phone / PC ).

This is cheaper than any classroom training you get in India. It costs you $99.97 which is about 5000 Indian Ruppes.

You can get more details on the site of PM Prepcast --> PM Prepcast

Earn Free PDUs from Project Insight

Today I received an email newsletter from Cornelius Fichtner about earning free PDU's

There is a very good link to free webinars from Project Insight. Each webinar gives you a Free PDU when session is attended live. It is developed by Metafuse, Inc and every month (except in December) you can attend one of their free PDU webinars online and earn a free PDU.

http://www.projectinsight.net/project-management-software/training/schedule.aspx

You can also see their archived webinars for building your project management knowledge.

Get free PM PrepCast to Earn 35 contact hours for PMP certification

PM PrepCast is the best way to Earn 35 contact hours for PMP certification. PM Prepcast is now reached to student count of 10000 so they are giving away free stuff.

They are giving away 10 free PrepCast licenses starting today and in the 10 days following days after the giveaway we are also offering a 10% discount to everyone

You can go to http://bit.ly/prep10k to participate in the giveaway. Thanks to Cornelius Fichtner, PMP for this give away.

http://www.bagal.org:80/bagalorgRahul

PMI Online Credential Registry

Now as I am PMP my name is appearing on PMI Online Credential Registry

Link is https://www.pmi.org/CertApp/Registry.aspx

Passed PMP exam on 27th Apr 2009

Me & my study buddy Ajeet Mogarkar passed PMI PMP certification exam on 27th Apr 2009. It is really a good achievement. I am feeling very happy & relax after 12 days of long study. It does not mean I only studied for 12 days but for 12 days I studied for almost 14 hours per day. I am planning to give details about how I studied & what material I used in coming days in another posts.
On the day of Exam:
The nearest prometric center that takes PMP certification exam is one in Mumbai. Though exam was scheduled at 1:00 PM, we decided to reach Mumbai one day before the exam. One can never predict traffic of Mumbai.
One day before the exam we drove to Mumbai from Pune in my car. We visited the prometric center on that day itself to know the location, parking situation etc. This helped us in avoiding the last day rush of locating address etc.
We stayed at my friend’s house which was only two KM away from the exam center.
That day evening, we reviewed all ITTOs (Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs) from PMBOK for all processes. We had a good night sleep for eight hours. This is really required for to keep you fit for THE day.
We took auto-rickshaw to reach prometric center as they were not having parking facility for visitors. We were aware of this as we had visited exam center one day before the exam.
At 11:45 we reached the center for 1:00 PM exam. The security guard did not allow us to enter in the center as it was too early. They allow candidates only one hour before the exam. We entered in the exam center at 12:00 sharp. They verified our two ID proofs & given access to lockers to keep your belongings. You are not allowed to take anything in the exam bay except your ID proofs & keys of locker. they do not allow you to open the locker until you finish the exam. All your belongings including your watch, mobile phone & wallet you need to keep in locker. Exam coordinator invited me for exam at 12:30, half an hour before the schedule time. That’s good because I was ready & eager to give exam.
While entering in the exam room security guards do frisking. The instructor again verified ID & details required for the exam. She gave me a booklet of six blue blank papers. As per her, if you require more blank sheets then you need to return it & get a new one. She then escorted me to my seat. There were about ten exam seats & people were giving exams. Then she asked me to press start button. I did so. She wished me good luck & left. But hey... when do I write my brain dump sheet? Computer was running a demo about the exam screens & how it works. I viewed that demo in a minute or so. There were 13 minutes remaining to end that demo. Without ending demo & started writing my brain dump sheet. I wrote page 70 of PMBOK then dumped all earned value & PERT formulae, sigma ranges, estimate ranges etc.
Then I clicked next button & exam started. I took one five minute short break at the end of 100 questions. Every time you take a break & you go out; you have to sign on a register with in-out time. Every time they do frisking while entering exam room.
I attempted all 200 questions in 3 hours 35 minutes. I reviewed the questions I had marked for review. At the end of the 3 hours 52 minutes I clicked end exam button. Computer was like hung & screen started flickering. “What the heck is this? “, I said. But in couple of moment I was presented with survey question about prometric. I completed those survey questions. I was little nervous before pressing the end button, even though the exam was simple & I was confident. Then I pressed end exam. Again few moments of flickering screen & the message appeared “Congratulations !!!” . I cleared exam with proficient grad in most of the areas.
Well, that was a moment of joy. I came out of the exam center. After fifteen minutes my friend came out, he also cleared the exam with good score.
We happily returned to Pune & had a good dinner while coming back.

PMP Free Sample Questions & Tests .

I found some sites that provide free sample questions & tests .

http://www.tutorialspoint.com/pmp-exams/pmp_mock_exams.htm
http://www.voightps.com/Default.asp
http://www.preparepm.com/mock1.html
http://www.oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm
http://www.techfaq360.com/pmp_mocktest.jsp

Dear readers , If you know any good sites please drop it in comment area .

Thanks

When did I start ?

Two years back I heard about PMP certification when I was working with IBM. I was managing few software development project as a team lead. My manager told me this is a really good accreditation one should pursue to do career in project management . That time I decided to go for PMP certification.

But to go for PMP certification at that point of time I was not having enough desired management experience . So I deferred certification plan for some time.

Now I am back ..

I have now enough project management experience. Me & my friend Ajeet decided to start a project "PMP Certification " .

We attended four days workshop "A Step Towards PMP Certification " from Seed Infotech Pune ( http://www.seedinfotech.com/ ) by Sameer Kamalapurkar . ( Sep 2008 )

That was a great workshop & boosted aspiration. I purchased membership of www.pmi.org .

Preparation for PMP exam got delayed from my side due to hectic office work & family commitments. But from today I am again rejoining the race for this exam.

Good luck Rahul .

- Rahul Bagal

Project Charter

Objective of this blog is to document my efforts towards PMP Certification . Project is to achieve PMI PMP certification in next couple of months.

As I will go on studying for PMP certification , I will use various learning resources & techniques.

So I hope listing all those here will make this blog as useful for PMP aspirants like me.