pmp training again

Why Should You Do PMP Training Again?

I received a mail from one of my erstwhile students. He wanted to know if he should attend PMP training again. Here is an excerpt from the mail.

I taken training from you in **** 2012 and had certificate. Can I use these PDU as the qualification to attempt the PMP exam in Oct 2015?

Please advice.

The question is not framed correctly. He wanted to ask, if he can use 35 contact hours from 2012 training to apply for the PMP exam. A simple answer that is “Yes”. The 35 Contact Hours remain valid if you do not use them. They do not expire. You can apply for the exam even if you have taken 35 hours training a few years ago. You do not need a second PMP training to fulfill the exam requirements.

You don’t need to attend PMP training again to get 35 Contact Hours

However, let us dig a little deeper and understand the benefits of attending PMP training again.

Although it is not so much relevant to the current discussion but one should use the correct terms.

Most people, including experienced trainers, use the term 35 PDUs instead of 35 contact hours. They do not know the distinction between PDUs and Contact Hours. But, incorrect usage of terms is not the students’ fault. The training providers deliberately mislead the students by promising them 35 PDUs instead of Contact Hours.

You should read PMI PDU Validity to understand the difference between Contact Hours and PDUs.

Should You Attend A Second PMP Training?

Let us answer an important question – should you use your old 35 contact hours training for the PMP exam prep?

The answer depends on your self-confidence and preparation level.

If you are feeling confident and you believe that you can pass the exam by studying on your own, then there is no need to undergo a second PMP training. You should go ahead and write the exam without undergoing a second PMP training. You would save some money by doing so.

On the other hand if you want to refresh your knowledge, then you should definitely attend another training. You can attend a training course in one of the following modes:

Classroom Courses – These courses are the best for learning and gaining new knowledge. They would equip you with the right tools to successfully pass the PMP exam. However, generally, these courses are the most expensive. But, if you are residing in South Asia, you can easily attend classroom course without burning a hole in your pocket. It should cost less than USD 200. This amount is much less than the PMP exam fee of USD 555.

Instructor Led Courses – These courses are conducted over the Internet using virtual conference rooms. They provide schedule flexibility and are generally less expensive than the classroom courses. However, in these course learning experience is not as good as the regular classroom courses. If you decide to undergo an instructor led training, then you should read the review and comparison of 6 popular live online courses and invest in the right course – PMP Instructor Led Training.

Online Courses – These courses provide almost complete schedule flexibility and are least expensive. However, since you have to learn on your own, you need be self-motivated and self-disciplined to benefit from these courses. If you decide to do an online course, then you should read the review and comparison of 6 popular online training courses and invest in the right course – Online PMP Training Course.

You can also download free PMP Exam Prep guide that gives complete details of How to Get PMP Certification. This guide provides pros & cons of different modes of training. It also suggests a study approach and recommends a study schedule.

Benefits of Attending PMP Training Again

PMP exam is mainly based on the PMBOK Guide. PMI releases a new edition of PMBOK Guide every 4 years. In addition to PMBOK Guide changes, Role Delineation based changes happen every 4-5 years. If you have done your training long time ago, you might have old content or old reference books. You should use latest content and books for the exam prep.

The current edition (6th Edition) of the PMBOK Guide was released in 2018. The Exam Content Outline changed in January 2016.

Let me enumerate the main advantages of doing PMP training again:

  1. You get new & updated content from your training provider.
  2. You get to meet & interact with fellow aspirants who are also preparing for the exam (only if you undergo an instructor-led or a classroom training). Peer pressure can do wonders for your PMP preparation.
  3. You get first-hand information about the current exam trends.
  4. Psychologically, an extra investment (in second training) would put extra pressure on you to study and pass the exam.
  5. You get into an environment where you can’t do anything else but study (only if you undergo an online instructor-led or a classroom training).
  6. You would get extra motivation, confidence, and support from your instructor (only if you undergo an online instructor-led or a classroom training).
  7. You will increase your chances of success in the exam.

Concluding Remarks

In my personal opinion, one should write the exam within a few weeks of the training. 4-8 weeks is a reasonable time-frame for the PMP Exam preparation. You can also look at this poll – how much time is required for PMP preparation? to understand how much time is needed.

However, if you have done your training long ago, then I would strongly advise you to spend some extra money i.e. invest in a second PMP training. I believe, it will increase your motivation & boost your confidence and ultimately enhance your chances of success in the exam.

You should not delay your PMP certification just because of low confidence or lack little bit of knowledge. A second training will definitely improve these. There are many tangible and intangible benefits of doing PMP certification. One of the benefits is higher salary.

those with a PMP certification garner a higher salary (20% higher on average) than those without a PMP certification

PMI’s Salary Survey

The delay in certification can potentially delay the extra salary benefits. So, why take a chance and forego the extra salary benefits? The extra salary would easily compensate the extra investment in the second training. There is an old saying …

Don’t be penny-wise and pound foolish

Please leave a reply and share your experience(s) from first PMP training. Or, you can ask a question if you have any confusion.

Similar Posts

6 Comments

  1. Hello,
    I would like a clarification:
    During the period of eligibility if the applicant fails to PMP certification three times, he can resubmit a record for eligibility?
    Cordially.

    1. Hi Noberto,

      I could not understand your Q. But let me try.

      If an aspirant fails 3 times during the year, he has to wait another year to apply for PMP.

      Hope it helps.

      BR
      Praveen.

  2. Dear Praveen,

    I went through your comprehensive guidelines and instructions provided in your blog. As I explained to you in my trailing e-mail about my preparation for the PMP exam, I would like to take part in your training program. Therefore kindly send me the course contents, duration (online classes per week, timing), and total cost of the training program.

    In Sri Lanka there are no dedicated PMP lecturing institutions but they conduct 35 hour contact lecturing program while skimming through the PMBOK 6th edition to get the certification to enrollment for the PMP exam. I observed that there are plenty of institutions in India and facilities available to study the contents and preparation for the PMP examination.

    For your kind information I am now 57 years old and my main aim is to pass the exam to start teaching about PMP at the PMI chapter in Colombo to gain experience and start lecturing in other institutions.

    Regards,

    Marius

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.