u/volpecula

I received a promotion, which moves me to a different program in my company allowing me to STOP working with this one women, let’s call her DEBRA.

Debra, for the past two years, has been my coworker, but I think she prefers the role of “difficult coworker #1”. At any opportunity she would report me to both our bosses, avoid conflict, hang up on phone calls when she was losing an argument, and refuses to talk out a business decision.

Now, I will admit my share of difficulty. I am a very factual and opinionated person who refuses to be run over. But I always was making a decision for the best of the business, not the company. I tried to resolve issues, let it not get under my skin, not take the words so personally - but you know what - sometimes enough is just fucking enough. So I stopped trying to repair a relationship and just attempted to end each day not so pissed by her actions.

Anyway, I am now free. No longer working on the program with her. No longer obligated to return a phone call or solve her problems for her.

My confirmation I’m not crazy? Instead of giving me a congratulations (like every normal person in my company did with the job change) her verbal AND follow up text message is “I’m pissed because you are leaving the program”

Once again, I AM the source of misery for you. At least I was able to let her down, one last time.

The feeling of relief is so amazing. I am so proud of myself for being disciplined and not letting self-doubt take
over and prevent me from seeing this through.

THANK YOU to everyone who has ever posted in this community. I would find posts from 4 years ago that would help me, motivate me, and just prevent me from feeling like I was incapable of doing this. Every link and tip helps the people in the future!!! For real, thank you 💕

Here is my experience and I hope it helps someone out there!!

MY TIMELINE
- I took a 35 Hour PDU prep course from Jan 20 - Mar 5
Application approved Mar 23 (I had to resubmit only once)
PMP Test date May 12

PREP COURSES
- I took the PMtraining course for my 35 PDUs. For My personal learning style, I needed that structure and accountability that came with a class that was instructor led.
- It really did help build up those foundational knowledge areas - however the exam was much more situational and mindset based vs knowing the details of PMBOK which the class was geared toward.
- I’m glad I took it, but if you don’t need that learning style, taking the Andrew Ramdayal (AR) course on Udemy would be sufficient.

APPLICATION
- my first submission got “rejected” and they indicated what I needed to change.
My biggest mistake was using to much “On a team” language and not enough “I did XYZ as the project manager”
- When it got rejected, that was a GUT check moment. It was so discouraged. But I re-wrote and resubmitted and was committed to following through and passing. I wasn’t going to let that get me down.

EXAM STUDYING / PREP
- Most Helpful Tool was Study Hall
- My work provides us Access to Udemy, so I listened to AR for agile and Mindset lessons
- AR’s 200 hard questions.
- Relistened to my PMTraining course lessons, especially in the Monitoring the Project and Risk lessons.
- Did all the study hall mini quizzes and Practice tests.
-Listened to DM for test prep videos (his like cheat sheet video)
- Read through a lot of Reddit links for reassurance and exploring different links y’all have provided

MY STUDY CADENCE
- 45 Days out from the exam, I was studying at least 30-1 hour a day.
- Usually would wake up, and before work I would do a 15 question quiz, maybe 2. Sometimes I just listened to PMTraining lessons or the AR 200.
- In the evening I would do some of the games or do quizzes. Just depended on how taxed my brain was.
I hand write notes, so re-writing is apart of my study process.
- I usually did either/or morning. But I would tell my self “If I don’t study this morning I have to this evening”.
- The previous 3 weekends to the exam, I did a full length practice exams. Just one per weekend. Then the following day I would review what questions I missed and understood why.

MY PRACTICE EXAM RESULTS
- On the three exams, I scored 70, 70, and 74
- I completed them in 3 hours, but the real test took me 4. The last 60 questions were the hardest, I was just mentally ready to be done with the exam.

PRE EXAM
- I studied a little bit the day prior. I rewrote my hand notes for PMP mindset by AR. I took the day off so I could just focus on not being stressed by work.
- Went to a testing center the day of. Brought snacks and drinks. Used the 10 minute breaks. Last 60 questions was the hardest - I was just mentally taxed and so ready to be done studying! Took for full four house.

MY BIGGEST TIPS
- GET. STUDY. HALL. It honestly made the test feel familiar and really prepared me for the type of questions.
- Do full length practice exams. You need to mentally condition yourself.
-Make study goals and a plan. I made a 45 day countdown plan, had time blocked off in my outlook calendar, and made a goal to take all the practice tests in study hall. The smaller goals made it feel a lot less overwhelming.
- I used ChatGPT to analyze my test trends and to do drill on definitions - however chat was not good for complex questions and I do not recommend that. Testing definitions and knowledge areas - sure.

Dont give up! This is hard, but you can do hard things. It takes discipline and sacrifice, but being on this side makes it so worth it.

Bonus: pictures of my biggest fans and study buddies.

Finally Free From Faking It

I passed!! AT/AT/T is

Test Timing Question