How Hard is the PMP Certification Exam 2022?

As a beginner and a proficient, you may have crossed paths with different concepts about the prestigious certification - The PMP. As said, we also have published a few blogs that offer you quick and detailed notes on the following:

• What is PMP?
• Can you get PMP without experience?
• What are requirements to satisfy PMP?
• PMP Vs Six Sigma: Which one to choose, and not the least
• The domains in PMP according to 2019 exam content outline

While searching across Google for new ideas to write on, we noticed several queries going viral about the same topic - “How hard is the PMP exam 2022?”

So here we are with a new blog focused on putting your doubts away.

In this article, we will see whether the PMP exam is challenging or not, followed by a few relevant details for newcomers on our site. So, let’s go!

Understanding PMP

1984 was when the Project Management Institute (PMI) coined the term or the course - the Project Management Professional (PMP). And over the years, the certification has gained much popularity across the industries, where companies began skimming through resumes to hire PMP professionals.

According to the PMI survey, there are more than 1,000,000 PMP certified holders across the globe. 

How shocking is that?

Hold on; it’s not over yet; there are more to the story to be shocked off.

Although there are more than 1Mn project managers; however, it doesn’t imply that the certification is easy to obtain. Candidates who strive to pursue a career in the project management field find PMP certification hardest. 

Why?

Reason: PMP being a globally renowned certification, its credential exam evaluates your proficiency level in managing a project. Its broad syllabus, complex question patterns, mind-tricking MCQs, and long duration make it one of the most strenuous project management exams globally. 

Moreover, PMI has set forth stringent requirements that you need to fulfill before appearing for the test.

The PMP Credential Exam

PMI ensures that the PMP exam is frequently revised and updated to match the present trend in project management. Until 2020, the exam used to cover five knowledge domains. However, according to the Exam Content Outline released in 2019, from 2021, the exam will cover three domains that measure the individual's knowledge and potential to excel in over 20 project management skills.

These changes have seen the integration of methodologies such as Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid into the testing policies.

Several candidates have defined the taking of the PMP exam as a rollercoaster ride. The exam format includes 180 combination-type questions, out of which 15 are pre-test or unscored questions.

Who Should Go for PMP Certification?

If you are looking for a career in planning and executing projects, then the PMP certification is for you. But if you wake up one fine morning and decide to have a career in project management and try scheduling dates for the PMP exam, then straight up, that won’t work.

PMP, a prestige certification, is for nothing if it was a cakewalk to acquire. To launch your pursuit of the credential, you must have professional work experience of not less than eight years in a project-based setting. Moreover, this experience must align with knowledge, skills, and tasks demonstrated in the PMP Exam Content Outline.

How Hard is PMP Examination?

PMP exam difficulty is the latest trending topic in the project management environment. Recent statistics show the fail rate of first-timers is 40-50%, with the percent plummeting with every subsequent exam taken.

Though many of you might say PMP exams are comprehensive and are updated, they often are the reasons for having more failure rates. Unfortunately, however, that's not it.

Every question in the exam is evaluated according to the difficulty. This means you might still fail the test if you get all the easy ones correct but fail the difficult questions. Since the arrangement of the questions is random, you will have no idea which question is easy and which one is tricky. 

Furthermore, there aren't any specific number of questions that you must correctly answer to pass the test. In other words, we can say PMP is akin to gambling.

What are other reasons for PMP exam being tough?

• Resource/material length: The PMP exam is based on PMBOK Guide Ed 6. And PMBOK Guide alone is a lengthy material that can't be covered in a day or two. With strict scheduling of time and lots of effort put forth, you can get a basic to in-depth clarity on the topics. Though everything isn't covered on the exam, yet its significant to be familiar with all the topics in each domain.
• Exam structure complexity: Creating a mental structure of the Guide is a complex task. To be honest, most of the questions can't be answered using just your personal logic or what experience have taught you. Therefore, its best to refer the PMI's standard.

Is 2022 PMP Exam Difficult?

In June 2019, the PMI released a new PMP Exam Content Outline, which took effect in 2021 January. The new exam focuses on three domains of knowledge (previously five), which are:

Process: This implies enhancing the technological resources vital for project management.

People: This entails upgrading interpersonal skills and activities for effective project team leading.

Business Environment: This includes improving the connection between the organization's scope and its projects.

The new PMP credential test consists of 180 questions with a combination of:

• Hotspot
• Multiple responses
• Limited fill-in-the-blanks
• MCQs

The duration of the new exam is 230 minutes.

There is no shortcut in excelling in the PMP exam. The most efficient and straightforward way to pass the exam with flying colors is to prepare adequately and study the content material.

The certification process needs you to be familiar with the PMBOK Guide, create a study plan, take a mock test, check your progress, and complete the required 35 hours of project management training.

How to Get PMP Certification?

Following are the steps in obtaining PMP certification:

1. Register in pmi.org to be a member
2. Take project management training of 35 hours to meet the certification requirements.
3. Schedule PMP exam online
4. Ensure to take the examination within one year of receiving your approval letter. You cannot take the exam more than three times the same year.
5. Take the exam.

Concluding Thoughts

It is not concealed that the PMP exam is complex, and the best way to obtain the credential is to prepare wholly for the exam. Unlike other credential tests, the PMP test covers a wide range of project management syllabi and goes beyond the fundamentals studied in preliminary exams.

Nonetheless, with meaningful insight into what to expect, you can certainly clear the PMP exam in 2022 and launch your pursuit of a PMP career.

About Us

Want to get hands-on project management expertise? Enrol for the PMP training course iCert Global offers and be fit to appear for the credential test. Our experts help you finish the projects on time and within budget without much effort. We also help you track significant PMP credentials tasks, so nothing goes in vain.

So, what are you waiting for? Enrol Now!

In this course, you will have:

If you still have doubts about PMP prerequisites, you can Contact Us with your query, and we will answer it for you.

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• What are the Prerequisites to Satisfy PMP?
• A Step-by-step Beginner's Guide to Project Management

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