Powering Past the Post-PMP^® Syndrome

By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, Chief Cheetah, Cheetah Learning

Post-PMP^® Syndrome (noun) – A group of symptoms commonly found after project managers tirelessly prepare to pass the PMP exam pass it and bring home the gold, and then find themselves asking:  What’s next?

Does this sound familiar to you?  If so, you or someone you know may be suffering from Post-PMP Syndrome.  Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your PMP.

1.       DON’T KEEP IT A SECRET.  Send an e-mail out to team members and managers letting them know about your achievement.  Talk to your manager about how you might be able to use your PMP immediately to help the organization.  Volunteer to do a “lunch and learn” to help others in your organization learn more about the PMP and prepare for the exam.  Update your resume and any online profiles where you professionally network.  Put your PR hat on and get the word out.

2.       WALK THE WALK.  The best way to strut your PMP is to show results. Project Management is the art and science of getting things done, and now you can embody that with every project.  In our careers, we are often as good as our last hit.  You don’t have to be a one-hit wonder.  Now, you have the knowledge to keep charting, year after year, with success after success.

3.       BECOME A STUDENT OF HISTORY.  Abe Lincoln has nothing on you.  With your freshly-minted PMP credentials, you can show ‘em how it’s done.  At the end of every project, capture best practices and lessons learned, creating an invaluable documentation of hits and misses.  You’ll quickly become the “go-to” person who is always in the know.

4.       MEASURE YOUR SUCCESSES.  If you can show your value by measuring your successes, it’s much easier to negotiate your next raise, promotion, transfer to another location or a virtual working agreement.

5.       NETWORK WITH OTHER PMPs.  Join a local Project Management Institute chapter and network with other PMPs.  Know what is happening in other industries and how the PMP is being valued monetarily.  If you’re in an industry that doesn’t value the PMP, maybe it’s time to explore opportunities in industries that do.

6.       VOLUNTEER AT A NON-PROFIT.  Is there a cause that is close to your heart?  Use your PMP and your skills to help a local non-profit manage an important initiative.  Not only will you be doing good for others, you’ll be networking, meeting people outside your industry and stretching outside your comfort zone.

7.       CHECK THE JOB BOARDS.  Regularly check job boards so you can see what kinds of companies and industries are looking for PMPs and what the salary ranges are. This will give you a head start if you want to reposition yourself for a new opportunity.

8.       PROJECT CONFIDENCE.   Let your PMP shine through.  Approach projects with a renewed sense of confidence.  You’ll inspire those around you with what you’ve learned and encourage others to improve their skills through your actions.

9.       KEEP IT FRESH WITH PDU COURSES.  Successful people never stop learning, and part of keeping your PMP current is taking PDU courses.  Maybe you’ve thought of having your own consulting practice; you can take a course on Building Your Consulting Practice and earn 50 PDUs.  Whatever your interest is, explore PDU classes that keep your skills fresh and your PMP up to date.

10.    BE A CHANGE AGENT.  Use your PMP to be the fuel behind any goal you want to achieve.  Whether it is personal or professional, treat your dream as a project, and use the skills of a PMP to get you there.  You can be the change you wish to see.

So, say goodbye to the Post-PMP Syndrome and hello to the future you want to lead.  Those three letters are more than a professional credential.  They are personal power boosters.  Get ready to take off!

Chief Cheetah Podcast Is Yours for the Downloading

Want to hear what Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, and Chief Cheetah has to say about getting the most out of your PMP?  Download our podcast at http://podcast.cheetahlearning.com/podcastgen/ and hear the words straight from the Cheetah’s mouth.

“PMP” is a registered certification mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

About the Know How Network and Cheetah Learning

The Know How Network is a monthly column written by Michelle LaBrosse, the founder and Chief Cheetah of Cheetah Learning.  Distributed to hundreds of newsletters and media outlets around the world, the Know How Network brings the promise, purpose and passion of Project Management to people everywhere. Visit www.cheetahlearning.com to learn more about Cheetah PM, the fastest way to learn about Project Management and get your PMP. You can also get your career in gear with CheetahWare, free Project Management tools from Cheetah Learning.

About the Author

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is the founder of Cheetah Learning, and author of Cheetah Negotiations and Cheetah Project Management.  The Project Management Institute, www.pmi.org, recently selected Michelle as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the World, and only one of two women selected from the training and education industry.  She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Managers (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton.  Cheetah Learning is a virtual company and has 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide.

Her articles have appeared in over 100 publications from around the world.  Her monthly column, the Know How Network is carried by 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter subscription list includes more than 50,000 people.  To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques. 

Michelle has been running her company virtually for the past 20 years.  She has grown the company 100 fold in the past 20 years, and she credits her success to using the Cheetah Project Management method to better manage both people and technology.  Michelle’s mission is to help people achieve great results, FAST, by making it fast, easy and fun to learn and do Project Management.  

She lives in Nevada with her family and likes to rejuvenate in Alaska where you’ll often find her kayaking, golfing or hiking.

Would The Real PMP® Exam Question Please Stand?

By Cornelius Fichtner, PMP

One of the most critical skills of a Project Management Professional (PMP) is the ability to cut through the jungle of “undergrowth” of extraneous details and identify the true challenges. The PMP certification exam may at first look as if it is full of confusing questions and immaterial detail but it’s designed in such a way that it also tests this crucial area of judgment. If you can cut through the noise and identify the important facts, you’ll do fine on the exam.

As you take the exam, you’ll see some very difficult questions that are cluttered with facts and figures that aren’t really pertinent to the actual question. The exam is very detail-oriented and demands your best reasoning skills. It is also vital to remember that the PMI way of thinking is the important thing here, even though you may have developed different techniques. Look at each question from the point of view of the “ideal” project environment described in the PMBOK Guide. You’ll find it easier to cut through the inconsequential fluff and find the real question.

For instance, Acme Company has to choose between two projects. Each will cost $120,000 and take the same amount of time. The first one would reap immediate benefits, reducing costs of production $120,000 per year. The second would involve developing a new product and over 3 years could possibly net the company $360K. Are they both equally beneficial or is one more attractive than the other assuming the discount rate is 5% per year? The test then gives you a choice of the percentage of advantage one project has over the other. With an average of less than ninety seconds to answer each question, you’ll have to be ready for the flurry of figures and red herrings thrown your way. So prepare by taking lots of sample tests. By taking online and other types of practice tests, you will soon be able to identify the real question and know the proper solution instead of being sidetracked and wasting valuable time.

You’ll also be presented with scenarios that include team-building concepts. As an example, your two outside consultants are constantly at odds and the situation is slowing down your project, putting its objectives in jeopardy. The test will present you with choices from the stages of team development or group dynamics. You will have to pinpoint the solution according to the human resources management standards. If you’re well versed in this management concept, you’ll be able to move onto the next question quickly. If you’re not familiar enough with that category, the choices will be confusing.

This is a very important reason why taking practice exams is so crucial to passing the PMP exam. By quickly eliminating all the unnecessary information and getting to the core of the problem in those test questions, you’ll be able to pass the exam with a minimum of stress and a maximum score. You’re also honing your critical thinking skills, which will improve your job performance and success rate.  

There are several types of questions you’ll be asked during the exam. There are scenario based questions, questions where you have to select the best course of action and fact-based questions testing your knowledge of the PMBOK Guide. You’ll be asked to make calculations, interpret simple diagrams and select exceptions from four possible answers. There will be conceptual problems presented as well as short stories. It’s important not to let the sheer volume of information in some of the questions overwhelm you; by quickly picking out the pertinent facts, you’ll be able to get to the core of the problem and present the correct solution.

Remember that the purpose of these types of questions is to ascertain whether you’re able to focus on the problem instead of being distracted by the peripherals. With this in mind, you can take the practice tests and become proficient at the thinking processes necessary for answering the questions correctly and doing your job efficiently.

About the author: Cornelius Fichtner, PMP is an international project manager and noted PMP expert. His PM PrepCast at www.pm-prepcast.com has helped over 2,000 project managers to prepare for the PMP exam. He is also the host of The PM Podcast at www.thepmpodcast.com where you can hear his free interviews with project management experts from around the world. Please send your comments to pm@pm-prepcast.com.