Sunday, May 31, 2020

All You Need to Know About PMP Exam

All You Need to Know About PMP Exam Home career All You Need to Know About PMP ExamcareerAll You Need to Know About PMP ExamBy Ankita Banerjee - May 21, 20197060Facebook PMP or Project Management Professional is considered as the most significant industry-recognized certification for project managers. You can see the leading project for PMP in almost every country that emphasize on a particular domain or geography, but the PMP ® is legitimately global. It is easy to work in any industry regardless of its location and strategy for a PMP certified.The PMP has lots of advantages when it comes to earning potential, increments, and salary. Employers benefit in large numbers. An organization having more than one-third of its project managers as PMP certified get its projects completed on budget, on time, and meet original goals swiftly.Be a PMP Certified and Become a Project Expert! Contents hide 1 Be a PMP Certified and Become a Project Expert! 2 PMP Exam Requirements 2.1 Step 1: Sign in or Register for a Project M anagement Institute membership at pmi.org 2.2 Step 2: Fill the Online Applications Carefully 2.3 Keep the Following Things in Mind: 2.4 Step 3: Recipient Confirmation 2.5 Step 4: Proceed for the Payment Process Online 2.6 Step 5: Wait for Application Approval and If You Are Audited, Take the Exam! 3 Items Required for Pre-Application Process 4 Tips for Project Documentation 5 Why Is It Essential to Become a Certified PMP An individual with PMP certification is able to understand the global language spoken in the field of project management. PMP connects you to a community of organizations, experts, and professionals worldwide. In order to meet all criteria of a professional and knowledgeable project manager, it is essential for you to go with PMP ® Exam, which is based on the PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).Also read 15 trending courses after graduation in 2019PMP Exam RequirementsWhile you plan to prepare for the PMP Certification Exam, it is essent ial to fill an application. After this, the Project Management Institute (PMI) can mark your years of experience in the field of project management. Here is a complete overview of applying for the PMP ® exam so that filling application process won’t seem overwhelming to you.Step 1: Sign in or Register for a Project Management Institute membership at pmi.orgIt is wise to become a PMI member before signing up for the test. A computerized test costs $405 for PMI members whereas, for non-PMI members, it costs $555. It means you are able to access to free PMBOK guide available in the form of electronic copies. There are also effective ways to become a PMI “global” member without becoming a part of your local chapter.Step 2: Fill the Online Applications CarefullyWith the help of PMI’s online certification system, it is easy to complete the application process. A total of 90 days is provided to fill the complete application, and once you submitted it, you can visit the site to chec k its status. In an online application, you need to mention the source of your 35 contact hours, documents for hours of experience, and an annual year of your education with the name of the institution. Fill all the fields precisely in the application form.Keep the Following Things in Mind:Years of experience should not be consecutiveA year with 80 hours per week is counted as one year onlyThere is no need to have hours in every process group on each project.Step 3: Recipient ConfirmationOnce the application is submitted by you, PMI reviews the application within five working days. Keep checking the site for updates.Step 4: Proceed for the Payment Process OnlinePMI requests for the payment online after your application has been processed.Step 5: Wait for Application Approval and If You Are Audited, Take the Exam!Wait for the Application Approval: It is essential to review the content of the application. You may be flagged for an audit after the review process. A confirmation for the audit is received within a week. In case, you are not audited, you’ll be informed and induced for the test registration.If you are Audited: You will get 90 days to submit your every required audit material such as copies of your high degree certificate.Take the Exam: The computerized test is conducted at Prometric sites across the nation. No scheduled breaks are provided during the 4-hour duration of the exam. Bring your ID proof with you that has your photograph, signature, and the English language. No calculator or scrap paper is allowed in the exam. These will be provided to you upon arrival.You can get your score instantaneously after finishing the exam. Your score will determine your Pass or fail designation, but you’ll be unable to know about the number of questions you have attempted correctly in the exam. You can give PMP exam thrice in a year.Also read 15 Top MBA Specializations and their scope in IndiaMust-know Things to Ponder before Applying for the PMP Certificatio n ExamIt is imperative for you to understand PMI’s definition of a project.You need to ensure that you meet all the eligibility requirements including all levels of your education.A candidate with a secondary degree should have experience of five years in which at least 7500 hours are spent directing and leading the project. Also, formal education with 35 contact hours is required.A candidate with a four-year degree must have a minimum of three years of experience with non-overlapping professional project management projects where at least 4500 hours are spent on directing and leading the projects. There are 35 contact hours of formal education.Items Required for Pre-Application Process Documents of 35 hours of project management training from a Registered Education ProviderCopy of diploma for the highest degree you have obtainedContact information for references to validate a number of hours spent and years of experience, you have mentioned in the application.A detailed list of y our projects with description and number of hours spent on them.Tips for Project DocumentationEvery project description should have an objective of the project at the beginning and should include the outcome of the projectYou should clearly demonstrate that you were leading the project.Insert abbreviations to maximize the availability for characters. For instance, IN for initiating.Why Is It Essential to Become a Certified PMPGlobally recognition of you as a project managerIllustrates proof of Professional AchievementsEnhances Your Management SkillsBoosts your Marketability and Customer ConfidenceHighlights your willingness and passion to pursue growthPMP is valued globally and its examination is quite simple. The exam has no negative marketing and includes 200 multiple questions. There are randomly generated questions and 24 pilot questions. A candidate has to choose the best possible answer. The required percentage to pass the exam is 62%.The types of questions in PMP include defi nitions, situations, illustrations such as Network Diagram, scenario-based, fill-Ups, computing and formulas, two likely answers, and negative descriptorsThat’s all! PMP exam helps you build your career effectively.

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Understanding The College Resume Writer

Understanding The College Resume WriterWhen creating a case for why a prospective employee should hire you as an example college resume writer, take into account the research you have done to develop an innovative and strong presentation. Many applicants who will be using your resume wonder how you came up with it and how you can maintain it. Find out how they are able to sustain it.In addition to experience and education, a good college resume writer must possess the ability to come up with innovative ideas. Creativity is an absolute necessity in this field. Most resumes require only information that can be verified or which is easily checked. These resumes are used for job hunting and are not meant to be relied upon as references or professional endorsements.Most people who use an example college resume ask questions on how they were able to carry out this task. It is important to state that most college students find this form of writing very easy to do and extremely convenient as well. If a prospective employee is searching for this type of resume writer, they will find many resume writing services available online that are able to produce a similar type of resume.A resume is a document that outlines a person's experiences, accomplishments, educational background, hobbies, and other necessary information. A resume must be created according to the company that requires it. The resume writer must ensure that their resume is creative, informative, and compelling.A resume writer should also know that they must utilize all types of writing styles in order to produce a persuasive resume. When a job application is submitted in writing, it is easier to maintain a format. However, a resume needs to be formatted as well and used accordingly.The resume writer must make sure that the way they layout their resume matches the proper format. This ensures that the reader understands what the resume is not. This is where a resume writer can begin to realize their potential. Once they begin to understand the basics of creating a resume, they can continue to refine the style as they continue to create more resumes.Resume writers can always enhance their resume with information that will assist the reader in gaining a better understanding of their career. One such technique is to provide a link to the employer's website. A link that is easily understood and can be considered vital to the resume. This link is only there for the reader to gain knowledge about the site.The resume should clearly show the writers credentials and should clearly show that they have been employed at the company for several years. These details will help the readers realize that the writer has knowledge about the company and can therefore produce an educated resume. The best examples of resume writers are those who know how to use the internet, other forms of writing, and how to write using these internet marketing techniques.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Are You in the Wrong Occupation - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Are You in the Wrong Occupation - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Are you in the wrong  occupation? Probably. Here are a few of the top  reasons you are likely to be in the wrong occupation: There are over 10,000 standardized occupations and you have not even considered 9,995 of them You would consider it wasting you education to go into another field You are not happy in your current occupation, but dont have an idea of what you would prefer more You fell into your current occupation when you were younger and never thought about it any further You are financially comfortable in your current occupation and afraid to change In fact, most people will spend more time planning their next  vacation than they  spend in their entire lifetime  planning their career. So,  why not take a moment now and consider  five important  questions? 1) Do you enjoy the part of your work that is directly related to your occupation? 2) Does your occupation pay at or above what your desire? 3) Are you proud of what you do? 4) Do you feel you are building the kind of career you desire? 5) Is the demand for your  occupation growing and the outlook promising? Your answers to these five questions will tell you a lot about whether you are in the right occupation or not. If you are part of the majority of people the ones who are in the wrong occupation then finding a better  one could be just what you need to kick-start your career happiness. As I mention in Chapter 3 of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!), Experience, education, certifications, or other historical realities can be potential barriers to your entry into new professions and industries. In most instances, however, they are not absolute barriers. You dont have to stay stuck in an unfulfilling occupation. Choosing an occupation that matches well with your unique needs and desires will pay off in the long run. I encourage you to do more exploration.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

9 Fatal Mistakes Most Employed People Make Today - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

9 Fatal Mistakes Most Employed People Make Today - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You are employed. You are extremely busy. In fact, you are harried, frazzled, and oftentimes, any semblance of a good work/life balance seems a very distant, almost quaint memory. Additionally, you have seen your colleagues downsized. You have either gone without pay raises or the ones you have received have been less than hoped for. Promotions? Much slower in coming these days! You currently are doing the work of at least one and a half people, and quite probably even more. Based upon recent surveys, the above describes 120 million currently employed Americans, or about 75% of the U. S. workforce. Which means: You are miserable and long for something new. -Or- You are not necessarily miserable but still long for something more. You want career progression as well as appropriate recognition and pay for what you do. Fatal Career Mistake #1 â€" Forgetting (or not realizing) that the best time to find your next opportunity is while you still have a job Stop and think about this for a moment. When a college decides to go look for a new sports coach, whom do they want? They want the coach who is at the pinnacle of success with their current team,  the coach who is winning games. So, whether you are happy in your current job or not, if you are performing, hitting the performance objectives and doing the job, NOW is the best time to consider new opportunities. In today’s brutally competitive economic environment, you have to oftentimes make a job change in order to: Receive competitive pay Achieve appropriate recognition Obtain that next promotion Get back on an upwardly mobile career path Fatal Career Mistake #2 â€" Believing that a company will be loyal to you Company loyalty to employees is gone. They don’t care if you are on the unemployment line. They don’t care if you and your family have  health insurance. They don’t care if you can feed, clothe and house your family. Your keeping an eye open for better opportunities is no different from the company keeping an eye on its bottom line and determining every month whether you are worth it to them to keep you on the payroll. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security on your present job. Don’t believe that your current position is secure; know, with absolute certainty, just how secure it is NOT! Fatal Career Mistake #3 â€" Thinking there are no jobs available In 2011, on average, there have been 4 million jobs filled each and every month; another 3 million jobs have gone unfilled each month. (Source: BLS JOLTS report). The perception that there are “no jobs available” is driven by the news media. Each month they heavily report on the “new jobs created” data. However, that is too often translated into “jobs data.” While it is certainly true that few new jobs are being created, the number of job openings each month, as noted above, is a significant figure and one seldom touted by the news media. Fatal Career Mistake #4 â€" Not effectively branding yourself as someone who can “make a company money” and/or “save a company money” Today, you will not be hired exclusively because you have the correct technical skills, experience and/or “know how.” Additionally, you must brand yourself as someone who can a.) solve a hiring manager’s (or hiring company’s) problem(s); and/or, b.) deliver a solution (or solutions) to his/her business needs. In other words, today, it all boils down to this simple question: “Can you make a company money or save a company money?” If you aren’t in the mindset of recognizing that everything you do must make a company money or save a company money, start today. Regardless of the position you are in, learn to translate (in dollars, numbers or percentages) how everything you do impacts the company economically. Fatal Career Mistake #5 â€" Thinking that the only way to find a job is to actually look for one You are now thinking: Yes, I am good at what I do Skip is right, the company won’t be loyal to me I do make my company money and save them money, So why shouldn’t I be rewarded and get one of these 7 million jobs out there that could enhance my career, give me a promotion and enable me to get a pay raise? Because I don’t have time! So don’t look for a job! Instead, let the jobs find YOU! Create an “inbound” marketing plan. When it comes to getting a new job, the adage used to be, “It is not what you know but who you know.” Today, the appropriate adage is this: “It is not what you know or even who you know, but rather, it’s who knows you and can you be found?” So, at the very minimum, make sure you have an updated and relevant LinkedIn profile. Why? Because LinkedIn is the number one resource used by both corporate recruiters and “headhunters” to look for talent. Fatal Career Mistake #6 â€" Not building a relationship with a “headhunter” NOW Three percent of all jobs are filled by “headhunters.” We often know about the “sweetest” opportunities in the marketplace and we will first call the people we know and with whom we have a relationship. The odds of you calling us and our having that perfect opportunity available when you call are low. Build an ongoing relationship NOW with 3-4 recruiters in your niche so that we know about you and will proactively call you. This becomes part of your “inbound” marketing plan. Additionally, in “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever” we show you how to become your own “headhunter.”   How to find the “sweetest” opportunities yourself! Fatal Career Mistake #7 â€" Failing to become visibly involved within your industry or professional specialty Now is not the time for staying “hunkered down.” It is critical today to achieve maximum visibility! Become a “hub,” an industry expert, the “go-to” person in your professional circle. Join organizations within your professional specialty. Become an active participant in appropriate LinkedIn groups. If a company is looking to replace its vice president, are they going to advertise? NO! If you are branding yourself as a highly visible, impactful, contributing member of your profession, YOU will be the one contacted by the hiring manager, the corporate recruiter or the “headhunter” for that “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Fatal Career Mistake #8 â€" If offered a new position with another company, you even think about entertaining a “counter-offer” from your current employer To do so usually is tantamount to “career suicide.” Why? From the moment you submit your resignation you will forever be considered to be “disloyal” to your current employer, a “traitor.” It doesn’t matter that they wouldn’t hesitate to be disloyal to you. When made a counteroffer, you will be led to believe that the company values you. That they can’t do without you. That couldn’t be further from the truth. All the company really is doing is buying “time” until it ultimately can replace you with someone who is more “loyal” to the company. Fatal Career Mistake #9 â€" Failure to entertain an exploratory conversation Let me conclude with this example from just this past week. I received a call that went like this, “Skip, you called me three months ago about a National Sales Manager’s position. I told you at the time that I was happy in my current job and felt reasonably secure, so I was not interested. Unfortunately that just changed. I was let go yesterday and now I desperately need your help! Is that position still open?” Unfortunately for this person, the position is no longer available. (We filled it two months ago.) When you receive that call from someone making you aware of a potential career opportunity, unless it is totally off the mark, in today’s brutal economic environment you owe it to yourself to have a non-committal exploratory conversation. Author: Skip Freeman is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever! and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

How to Prepare For Your Engineer Resume

How to Prepare For Your Engineer ResumeAn entry level engineer resume has to be tailored to the needs of the engineering industry. These need to reflect your career goals, skills and qualifications as a professional in this field. While this is usually done by the hiring company, it should also be done by the engineering professional as well. A good engineer resume can get you that job you deserve.The best way to prepare for your job search is to make sure you are getting the material you need for your good engineer resume. As a result, you need to get good material from reputable sources. This means hiring the services of an engineering professional that can not only draft a top notch document for you, but can also give you the information you need to ensure you get the most comprehensive information possible.A good engineer resume will include the necessary information for the employer to decide if you are a fit for the position and provide you with the qualifications you should ha ve to do the job. These are usually the skills and qualifications you will be teaching in college as well as your previous professional experience. If you are trying to get an entry level engineer resume, these are the details that you need to include.There is a reason the companies are paying you to take these classes. They want to make sure you have the skills they are looking for when they are offering these positions. They want to make sure you have the knowledge and the training to teach their students how to do their jobs properly.While there are many career tracks within the engineering industry, the one track that is becoming increasingly popular is project management. These projects range from construction sites to manufacturing plants and research facilities. It is important that the engineers who are coming up with these projects are prepared to handle them.While project management may be one of the more difficult engineering fields to learn, it is also one of the most re warding. With projects such as these, the possibility for improving the business and their careers is great. This is why so many engineers are trying to earn their degree in project management.In order to gain a project management degree, however, you first need to gain an entry level engineer resume. This includes a resume showing a variety of experiences and skills so you can make a decision on the program you want to take. A well-written entry level engineer resume should not only have the required skills, but should also highlight these skills as well as other relevant information to help you determine which programs might be right for you.Once you have a solid project management resume, you can begin preparing for interviews. Your interviewer will want to know what projects you have worked on and whether or not you have ever worked in other positions. If you show them that you have, they can build their confidence in you and give you an interview based on these factors.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Baby Boomers - Are you making adolescent decisions - Career Pivot

Baby Boomers - Are you making adolescent decisions - Career Pivot Adolescent Decisions? Are you in a position to make adolescent decisions? Many baby boomers are making the same decisions that they had to make when they were adolescents. Think about it. When you were young: No money No stuff You knew you needed to work for the next 30 or 40 years You needed to make a career decision Now a lot of baby boomers are in a similar position: No money or at least not enough to retire on A lot of stuff that costs you money to keep You need to work for the next 10 or 20 years You need to make a career decision and possibly multiple career decisions over the coming years See the similarity? Can you make better adolescent decisions now? Most of us when we left home and made our first career decisions, made those decisions in a vacuum. We did not know what we did not know! We certainly know more today and can make better decisions. Why are we having to make these decisions? Whole industries and job categories have gone away! Many are being forced to make these decisions kicking and screaming. Listen to the most recent episode Let me tell you about John. I met John shortly after I started my business. John had been a successful photo journalist for a major newspaper. John saw that photo journalism was going away along with the newspaper business going into decline. During the last decade, he retrained and became a home inspector. He had a business inspecting homes when they were to be sold. Just as he was making a go of it, the great recession hit. We know what the great recession did to the real estate market. John once again made a move into the energy efficiency market place where he partnered with contractors to help home owners determine how they could save money by making their home more energy efficient. John enjoyed the green energy part of the job but he was a salesman which he did not enjoy. However, he learned a number of sale techniques that he felt comfortable with. John could not make a go of it financially and took a job working in a boutique home improvement store. He is making half of what he made as a photojournalist. However, he is making a go of it! He is now looking at moving back into the new home business as that segment of the market improves. If all goes well he should return to his previous earning potential. Family All of the shifts has been stressful on his marriage as his wife became the primary provider. To put it bluntly this whole transition has not been easy on him or his family! I had coffee with John last week and for the first time since I have known him I saw optimism in him. He has learned something new at each step of the way. Kind of like when we were adolescents making adolescent decisions. The difference is we have obligations that we did not have when we were young. We have spouses and children. It would have been easy for John to throw in the towel and give up. It probably would have wrecked his marriage. He did not give up and is willing to make yet another transition. Kind of like when we were adolescents making adolescent decisions. Are you making adolescent decisions? [UPDATE: John now has a job with a growing home improvement company. He is not back to where was as a photojournalist but he is on the right trajectory.] Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Asking Questions During an Interview

Asking Questions During an Interview Dear Coach Wolfgang, I have an interview coming up and someone mentioned that I need to ask questions  of the employer. If Im the one being interviewed, why do I need to ask questions?   Thank you for the question and congratulations on your interview! You received good advice. If you don’t ask solid questions during an interview you might as well kiss the job goodbye. I’ve interviewed plenty of job candidates over the years. In one instance, the candidate I was interviewing did a fantastic job during the interview. When  asked if he had any questions, he replied with ‘No, I’m all set. This was a main factor in why the candidate did not get the job offer. There are many good reasons to ask questions at the end of an interview. We are going to focus on the main two: Show the Employer You Are Interested in the Position Doing some research on the company and asking questions related to that research will show that you are serious about wanting to work at the company. Asking good questions demonstrates that you took the interview seriously and shows the motivation you have to land the job. It is important to ask questions about the future of the company or department because they demonstrate that you are a serious candidate who wants to invest in the company long term. Will You Enjoy Working in this Position for this Company In an interview, not only are you interviewing for the position at the company, but also you are interviewing the company. Just because you are interested in a particular position does not mean you will be a good fit for that company. Also, the job description cannot tell you everything about the position. Ask questions that will provide you with more specific information about the job and the company. Write the answers you receive down so that you can review them later when a decision has to be made. For further insight, review the scenarios below: SCENARIO 1: Clarify Job Responsibilities “Data analysis” is listed as one of the job responsibilities on a job posting you are interested in. YOU ARE skilled at data analysis and don’t mind completing it, but it is not your favorite task. YOU ASK the employer to break down the weekly responsibilities into major categories YOU LEARN that data analysis is actually 55% of your daily tasks. Learning this information may influence your decision to accept the job. SCENARIO 2: Evaluate Work Environment The job description lists a desired skill as is a team player. YOU ENJOY working with teammates in person and brainstorming ideas in groups. YOU ASK a question regarding the team environment at the company. YOU LEARN that 65% of your team members work virtually and you will only connect with them via teleconference. Learning this information may influence your decision to accept the job. Tips  For Formulating Interview Questions It is important to formulate 5-10 question in advance of the interview.  Rank the  questions by importance because you will likely not ask all of them. You will want to review the job description to see what information is missing that you would like to know more about. You will want to evaluate your work values (those things that are important to you in a job) and frame some questions around those values to see if they will be met in this job. You will also want to research the company and formulate some questions around what they do and where they are headed.

Friday, May 8, 2020

What Separates Good Resumes from Bad Resumes

What Separates Good Resumes from Bad Resumes Resumes mean so much to hiring managers. Its your first introduction to a prospective employer and its how you differentiate yourself. But what separates the bad resumes from the good ones? The best resumes avoid abbreviations. Abbreviations are not professional nor are they accepted. Nothing makes HR managers cringe more than seeing sentences like the following: “Answered the phone and went 2 C clients” (yes, I truly have seen this). It may be the information age but this is not a text message so dont treat it as such. Giving up too much personal information is a no-no. You should leave off anything related to hobbies or interests that are not related to the job. Do not include your weight and height unless youre applying for a position as a  gym trainer. If its not related to the job in any way, do not include it on your resume. Leave out your illnesses or why you took off 2 years to care for a dying parent. As hard as that may have been, it will count against you. The best resumes are the best because theyre not being used as an art canvas. If you try to stand out by having large graphics on your resume its a bad move, because this will give you an unprofessional and amateurish looking resume. Your prospective employer only wants to see your skills, your duties and achievements. Youre not going to get anywhere by having a Word Art picture of a snail on your resume. Keep the negativity to yourself. The best resumes are neutral in tone or highlight the best attributes of the applicant. But, if you have information on your resume that is negative, such as, leaving your previous employer because you did not like the boss, just keep that part to yourself. Do not try to explain the situation on your resume. Thats an impossible battle that you should not fight. Your resumes job is to sell and promote you. So dont eliminate yourself because you were negative. Good resumes include dates. Do not make an HR manager have to guess. This kills your resume on the spot. You have to include dates. What years were you in college, did you attend graduate school or did you graduate from a trade school? How long have you been working at your current position? Do not make the hiring manager have to ask questions about your resume. The second they have to guess, your resume is going straight to the trash. Make sure your resume flows easily and there are no date gaps. If you took a year off to go travel or to go back to school, include this on your resume. Bad resumes do not highlight achievements. Many people will fill their resumes with irrelevant information, but they leave off the most important part of the resume â€" focusing on their achievements. You want to stand out from other applicants, so how can you do that if you do not showcase what youve done. Explaining your past accomplishments means that the HR manager can see what youve done and know how you can fill their need. If you have the abilities, you need to showcase them on your resume.