Paul Naybour
Revising for any exam can be quite difficult as an adult, when you are not in a student mindset and are busy with a full-time job. However, professional project management qualifications are such an important part of your continuous professional development that it is essential you have a good revision plan. So here are some tips to help you revise for a project management exam.
1. Remember You Are An Individual
Everyone is different in the way they learn. What might work for someone else, might not work for you so be versatile in your approach to exam revision just like you are when it comes to problem solving in your job.
2. Plan Well In Advance
Make sure you aid knowledge retention by reviewing what you have learnt on your project management training course each session. So after you have taken part in a workshop or completed a section of e learning, review the course notes or personal notes you have taken to ensure you are truly absorbing the facts. Try to set aside specific times for your revision so you know when to start and stop, allowing you to have much needed relaxation time. You won’t pass the exam well if you are exhausted.
3. Explore Different Resources
There are lots of different resources you can use to help you revise for an exam. Timelines, annotations, cue cards, mind maps , brain dumps – they might all help you during different sections of study. Also look at books, online seminars, study groups, community groups and message boards to aid your revision.
4. Mock Exams
A mock exam should only be completed when you feel competent in all areas of the PM exam you’re going to be taking. Before you get to that stage, practise essay writing and try answering individual questions rather than the whole exam. This will enable you to learn how to deal with different aspects of the exam a bit at a time, so it’s less overwhelming.
5. Motivation
It is so important you don’t just understand what you need to do to pass your exam but why you are taking it in the first place. Why are you doing this project management training course? Which goals will it enable you to achieve? Why do you want to pass? When things get really tough you have to keep going and remember why you chose this career in the first place. Exams like the AMP and PMI exams are hard so it is important to stay driven and motivated.
6. Set Yourself Up For Success
Give yourself quiet areas to revise in, give yourself plenty of breaks, stay hydrated and make sure you have some down time for relaxation. Make sure any breaks are spent away from your revision area and focusing on something completely unrelated to the exam. A really good way to spend some of your free time is to do exercise which will completely distract you from the exam and give you natural feel good endorphins, as well as pumping oxygen to the brain which will help you study better.
7. Get Support At Home
Family or friends are an integral part of your success. Let family members you live with know when you are revising, you need to be alone and able to focus. When you need extra help, get them to test your knowledge and support you through this educational journey.