PMP® Exam Outline Changes from 16th December 2019! What do PM Experts Recommend?

The scope and extent of project management are changing and so are the certifications related to project management. In the latest advancement, Project Management Institute (PMI®) has announced changes to the Project Management Professional (PMP®) examination. From 16^th December 2019, the PMP Exam is going to change. PMI has already released the new exam content structure. Anyone taking the examination from 16^th December onwards will have to adjust their preparations based on the new exam Content.

Does this mean PMBOK® is going to change as well? “NO”, the 6^th edition of PMBOK was released by the end of 2017 and the 7^th edition is not expected until 2023. This means that the PMBOK will not be changing any time soon.

In this article, we will discuss what experts have to say on the matter of taking up the new PMP examination. We approached instructors holding PMP credentials and industry experts with the question “What is the best time to take up PMP certification exam, now that it is going to change?”

Based on the answers received by the experts, we have identified three stages of PMP examination preparation that we will represent in the form of scenarios and what should be the most feasible action at the time.

Scenario 1: You have been preparing for the PMP examination and have taken PMP training as well

If you have done all the preparations, the best time to take the examination would be ‘Now’. You would have made a sizable investment in taking up the certification training. Waiting till December will cost you both in time and in financial investment. Also, you would have put in a lot of efforts into the preparation and it is not prudent to let all the efforts go to waste.

PMP certification examination is considered difficult by all standards and the passing rate in the first attempt is around 50% to 60%. This means nearly 4 to 5 people out of a class of 10 are not able to clear the examination on the first attempt. We know that is a scary number!

Taking up examination now will give you ample time to re-take the examination if you are not able to clear the examination in the 1^st attempt. You will also be able to take up the 2^nd attempt if needed.

Scenario 2: You have been preparing for PMP examination on your own but have not taken PMP certification training.

Preparation for PMP may take a considerable amount of time. If you have been preparing but have not taken up PMP training, it is still advisable to take the exam before December 15^th. This is if you take PMP training before 15^th October. You can take the PMP exam even if you take up the training post-October, but you will have a very narrow window to clear the PMP exam.

Scenario 3: If you are planning to take up the certification but have not started preparing for it

PMP certification exam is one of the most difficult examinations and will require substantial preparation even before you take up the training. If you are planning to take the certification but have not started to prepare for it, taking the examination after 16^th December would be the best foot forward.

Experts recommend at least 2 to 3 months of preparation before taking up PMP training and at least 15 to 30 days of preparation after training. In addition to this, it is advisable to read the PMBOK V6 Guide at least twice before taking up the PMP certification exam. Beginning preparation now will land you very close to the PMP exam change date and you might not get the change to take up the examination. However, you can start your preparation on a lighter note.

Scenario 4: If you already have any Project Management Certification and want to go for PMP certification

If you have taken up CAPM or any other Project management certification, chances are you would be familiar with Project management principles, best practices, and even PMBOK. Such candidates will require lesser time to prepare for the PMP certification exam putting them in a position where they will have ample time to prepare and give examination now. Giving examination now, when they can use their previous knowledge would come highly recommended by the experts. 

PMI, as well as training vendors, might take up some time to align the courses with the changed examination structure. So, candidates planning to take the examination after 16^th December might have to wait a bit longer before they can take up the certification training.

If you are planning to take the PMP certification exam before December, we (Certification Planner) can connect you to front-of-the-class training solution. We run multiple Guarantee to Run PMP training sessions every week across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. With quality at our heart, our training sessions are led by instructors holding PMP credentials and our courseware is developed by industry experts having 15+ years of experience. That is not all! With CP 4-days PMP Certification Bootcamp, you get complimentary access to study material aligned with PMBOK V6 guide and PMI standards, 1000+ practice questions, chapter-end exercises, 35 contact hour certificate and a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Interested? You can contact us at support@certificationplanner.com or speak directly to our training champs at +1 8553221201. Visit our website www.certificationplanner.com to explore more tools to give your career the boost it requires.

In the next iteration of the Article, we will explore the changes that have been made to the PMP exam content structure. So be on the lookout and Happy Learning!