Hello friends,
On the 9th April-2012, I have passed my PMI-RMP Exam.
In this blog post, I’m going to share my lessons learned to pass the PMI-RMP Certification Exam with you. I hope that these lessons I learned will motivate and encourage you to go for the PMI-RMP Certification exam once you become a PMP.
I passed my PMP Exam in December-2010. After becoming a PMP, I decided to apply for the PMI-RMP Certification exam and I started collected information and study materials for the exam. Once I was equipped with all information and the study materials, I started my studies. Initially, I used to study two to three hours per week.
In March-2012, I took the date for my PMI-RMP Certification and started to study two to three hours per day.
During my studies, I was focusing more on the concepts instead of practicing questions. I never paid much attention to practice the questions. Though, I have purchased the uCertify exam simulation software to practice sample PMI-RMP exam questions but could not utilize it fully. I have never given any full length simulation test for the PMI-RMP exam.
Anyway, I found the quality of questions of this software was good and near to the real exam.
30 Contact Hours Training Program
I joined the Carl Pritchard Training program to get my 30 contact hours for PMI-RMP Certification Exam. It was a hybrid training course consisting of online support and mp3 audio with three exam preparation books.
Study Materials for PMI-RMP Certification Exam
This is a list of books and other materials that I used for my PMI-RMP Certification Exam preparation.
- Rita’s Risk Management Book
- Abdullah J. Al-Kuwaiti’s Risk Management Book
- Carl Pritchard’s Risk Management Book and MP3
- Risk Management and other Chapters from PMP Exam preparation books
- PMI Practice Standard for Risk Management
- The PMBOK(R) Guide
- uCertify Risk Management Software.
I read each book at least twice.
Along with these books, I also referred few chapters; e.g. Quality, Human Resource, Communications, Risk and Procurement from my PMP Certification Exam preparation Books.
On the Exam Day
On my scheduled exam date, I reached prometric center before 40 minutes. After completing all formalities, I was allowed to enter inside the test room.
About the PMI-RMP Certification Exam
Exam questions were easier than the PMP Certification exam.
Most of the questions were from the Risk Management. A few questions were from Time Management (especially PEART), Procurement, Human Resource, Communications and Quality Management.
I finished my exam in about two and half hours. In the remaining time I reviewed my answers. I took my only break after completing 100 questions to freshen myself.
My Recommendations for PMI-RMP Certification Exam Preparation
Please make sure that you understand following concepts:
- All six processes of Risk Management (from the PMBOK Guide).
- Type of Risks.
- Risk response strategies for positive and negative risks.
- Risk Attitude.
- PEART Analysis.
- Probability Distribution.
- Decision Tree analysis.
- Motivation theories; e.g. Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor and Expectancy theory.
- Contingency reserve versus management reserve.
- Contingency plan versus fallback plan.
- Read the Risk Management Chapter from the PMBOK Guide as many time as you.
These are my entire lessons learned for my PMI-RMP Certification Exam.
Feel free to contact me for any further information.
Thanks & Regards,
M Fahad Usmani, PMP, PMI-RMP
image credit => photostock
Hi ..COngratulations !!!!!!
you shared information is very useful …:)
Thanks Kanav.
Hi Fahad,
Based on your own experience of both exams, is it clever or make sense to take PMI-RMP exam before PMP exam? I’m studying by myself and feel PMP exam is difficult at this time, and I’m more interested in risk. Thanks for your suggestion.
Btw, congratulations
Khanh
Thanks for congratulations.
If you're determined to take the PMP Exam after the PMI-RMP, I will suggest you to go for the PMP exam first then apply for PMI-RMP. Although, PMP exam is tough but once you earn it, RMP exam will be a piece of cake for you.
But if you're only interested in Risk, then you should go for the RMP directly. PMP and RMP certifications are independent and you can go for anyone you like.
It is your choice but if you pass any one of them, surely it will help you to pass the other.
Fahad, Congratulations on passing!
Great write up and thanks for your thoughts on the whole process.
with respect to your reply directly above, where you talk about sitting RMP after PMP, I believe the correct way of phrasing this would be either:
RMP exam will be a piece of cake for you
or
RMP exam will be a cup of tea for you
I have never heard cup of cake. Unless it’s a local saying I’m not aware of..
NRS
Corrected!
hi fahad i really glad to see your success.! i read your complete written blog about your success and plan of study.it is very good guideline to other students of life.best of luck my best wishes with you.keep it up
congratulations!!
Thank you for your wishes.
Hi Congratulations !
Thanks for sharing the materials needed for the exam since I was looking for it, I have just passed my PMP at April-2012, now I want to pass the RMP. the point is that you have mentioned almost 7 resource materials but in the Recommendations section those points are almost covered on the PMBoK guide. Please advice.
Thanks and congrats for passing the PMP Exam.
In my recommendations I've provided a list of important concepts for the test. This is not a whole list of topics for the PMI-RMP Exam.
And yes, all these topics are covered in the PMBOK Guide. PMI-RMP exam is nothing but a thorough test of few chapters of the PMBOK Guide and your experience in the risk management. You have to study these chapters with little more detail for the PMI-RMP exam. Since you're a PMP now, I assure that PMI-RMP exam will not be tough for you to crack. It is much easier than the PMP exam
Hope it helps.
Dear M Fahad Usmani
Do you have soft copy of books you mentioned.
regards
Tarun
Hello Tarun,
I have only PMBOK Guide and PMI Practice Standard for Risk Management in soft copies that you can download from the PMI Website after becoming a member of it. Rest I purchased from the Amazon or got from my training program.
Thanks for the useful info. I've just applied for this cert and I'm looking for some options to save money in the study material. Are you willing to sell your used text books? If so, please send me some lines to [email protected]. Thanks,
You're welcome!
These books are important source of knowledge for me. I still refer them for many things. Therefore, can not give it to you.
Reference to 30 Contact Hours Training Program
Simplilearn doesnt offer any online training for required 30 PDUs for this. Thanks
Yes, you’re right. I have contacted them and they told me that they have taken this course out due to some reasons and working on it to bring back.
I also removed the link from this post.
Thanks for pointing it out.
Thanks Farhard.
I really apprecaite you guidance. i have passedmy PMP exam on 06 Dec 12, just now and now i am planning for Risk management in a next 6 to 8 months.
Really all you share is valauble.
Tanks
Qaisar
Hello Qaisar congratulations for passing the PMP exam. Regarding your PMI RMP exam, I would suggest you to plan it within three months.
Hello
Please suggest how to earn 30 PDUs to be eligible for PMI-RMP online, i did google but would not find any online provider.
Appricate your quick response
Thanks
Hello Sachin,
Earlier Simpli Learn and http://www.iipmchennai.com used to provide 30 PDUs for online PMI-RMP exam but now they stopped it. I don’t know the reason behind it.
Anyway, you still have an option to register with http://www.carlpritchard.com for RMP course. It is cheap and very flexible and tutor is very knowledgeable and responsive.
Thanks Fahad,
Great, I will check for http://www.carlpritchard.com to register. One more question, can we claim 30 education hours while doing the selfstudy and avoid any courses.
Any idea, please inform
Thanks
I know one case where a students got the 30 training hours by studying under the supervision of a PMI-RMP, and PMI approved it. But in case, if you’re selected for an audit you have to show them that the course content is align with their requirements.
If you’re strictly asking about self-study, I doubt it.
Therefore, it would be best if you get it through any R.E.P. because their courses are pre-approved by the PMI.
Many Thanks Fahad,
I shall query this to PMI as well for selfstudy.
Dear Sachin,
Did you query PMI for selfstudy? If you can let me know, I was thinking the same if it is possible.
Thank you.
Regards,
Hi Fahad,
I am a member of PMI but i cant find the download link to PMI Practice Standard for Risk Management, kindly drop me the link….
Thanks…
Mike
Hello Mike,
Please login to PMI with your credential and then click at below given link-
http://www.pmi.org/PMBOK-Guide-and-Standards/Standards-Library-of-PMI-Global-Standards.aspx
Hi .. Congrats to you.. Could you please share some free books for RMP or PSP
Hello Jabran,
I have already shared the resources or the books used by me in my lessons learned.
Hello again Fahad (and all the surfing visitors of this trully amasing and yummy PMStudy Circle website) .
I have just read that blog post: Sincere Felicitation!!!
Look, I’m really interested in the PMI-SP(Scheduler Professional) Credential’s exam integral on-line preparation. You know, in SPAIN is rare to found educational programs (we are not the “3rd world” but we are “behind schedule” and still so far away from USA’s Project Management level).
Taking appart your always complete blogs, above all the ones regarding Planning, Time & Cost for the referred PMI’s certification, I would like to be provided with:
a) Prestigious E-LEARNING center(s), especifically in PMI-SP Credential. It is not a chip question cause I have sailor deeply internet I have not discover anyone; to give you an example the blue-chip PMStudy trainning offer do not include PMI-SP’s test instruction; also, the ones referred on PMI’s website have been contacted and they have left a residual and incomplete training on this particular credential.
b) If not, or additionally, any valid contact, of someone of your knowledge, that have successfully achive PMI-SP (please, if someone else see this comment be free to contact me on email adress [email protected], I will be trully ).
You know, information like: mainly PMBOK sections/concepts with high probable number of questions in PMP-SP exam, like the ones your experienced comments allow us to know reading your blog posts regarding PMP and/or PMI-RMP, are absolutly desireble.
Many thanks again for your time.
Best regards,
Arturo
Hello Arturo,
May I know if you are a PMP?
Hello Fahad,
no, I’m not a PMP.
I’m:
Industrial ENGINEER in Engineering Mangement.
Projects Planning, Scheduling & Controls Manager.
Oracle Primavera P6(EPPM v8.2) specialist and Deltek Cobra 5.1 aware and theirs interfaces with Msoft Project & Excel.
Critical-Path Method hands-on expertise and state-of-the-art in EVM techniques.
I woould like to achive PMI credential to enhace my Resume/CV; I have considered that attempting into the specific PMI-SP first, because of matching tightly my experience and competences, could be a good way to start.
In any case I would like to know your opinion?
Thanks,
Arturo
In this case I would suggest you to look possibilities for applying PMP exam. The PMP certification is more valued than the PMI-SP. Once you get it, you can try for the PMI-SP.
Anyway, in case if you’re looking for any PMI approved training provider for PMI-SP, I think that you should look at
http://www.iipmchennai.com/
are Pmbok and Rita for risk management enough to pass PM-RMP or not
No, these alone would not be enough to pass the PMI-RMP Exam. You must refer the PMP exam preparations books for few chapters as mentioned in my lessons learned.
Fahad
Thanks for becoming the North Star for us.
Can you please let me know if I need to buy following from from PMI?
“PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)SM Examination Specification”
http://marketplace.pmi.org/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?GMProduct=00101065201
Regards
Souvik
Hello Souvik,
I did not go through this book, therefore, I can not give you an honest answer.
Anyway, I visited the given links and after reading the short description of this book, I think that this book can be useful for you. Of course, PMI is the publisher of this book and who else can explain the subject better than them.
Hi brother… I’m irfan maqbool nd have recently passed the PMP exam.. I just like ur opinion about Rita Risk management books nd simulator packge .. is it good enough to pass along with PMBOk guide… I have also done masters in project management so concepts are very clear.. just advise on Rita package… thanks
You should also refer the PMP exam preparation books for some knowledge areas and topics.
Though I did not studied the Rita’s software package but I think it will be helpful.
Dear Friend,
is it a must to have training , or you can have self study and the apply for the exam?
As per my knowledge, it is must for you to attend a training to apply for PMI-RMP exam.
hi fahad assalamalaikum,
i want to know about the pitchard 30 contact hours. he is providing this by online or classbased. because i am leaving in Kingdom Of Bahrain.
Wa-Salaam,
If you join his course, he will send you study materials. You will have to go through it and send him the assignments. After the completion of course, you will receive the certificate by email.