Paul Naybour
If you are planning on taking a project management qualification, congratulations! A well-recognised qualification is a great investment in your future career prospects as a project manager. So if you want the best chance of passing the exam here are a few quick tips:
1. Set aside adequate time
Managing your time is a key skill for a project manager so why not get started now by allocating plenty of time for study, reading and revision. Set aside as much time before the exam as you possibly can – you might feel your life is on hold for a while but a successful exam result will make the sacrifice worth it and there will be plenty of time for socialising once you have that coveted qualification.
2. Use sample papers
Get hold of as many sample papers as you can and work through them under controlled conditions; work in a quiet area and time yourself, and, of course, mark the questions and learn from your mistakes. Practise, practise, practice so that you are completely familiar with the question format well before the exam so that none of the questions come as a shock.
3. Listen in training sessions
Trainers will naturally help you fully understand important facts, but they will also be able to give you hints about what sorts of questions to expect based on past papers. So make good use of their accumulated knowledge, take copious notes and review the notes afterwards.
4. Read the questions
A common mistake in exams is to mis-read a question, particularly since you are under time pressure. So read every question thoroughly and don’t make assumptions about what is expected until you have read the whole question. Make sure you answer the question that has actually been asked, not the one you think has been asked.
5. Get a good night’s sleep
Don’t stay up late revising (or socialising!) the night before the exam. Get a good night’s sleep and eat a hearty breakfast to give yourself the opportunity to do your very best in the exam.