proddey:
Are you preparing to take the Project Management Professional Exam?? I'm here to help you. This is my story.

The Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification is a global qualification program in Project Management overseen by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

I wrote the PMP paper based test in Lagos on May 7th 2016 as the CBT has been cancelled in Nigeria for some years now, and I passed at first attempt! I'm here to assist those who are also seeking to obtain this global certification.

How I prepared / Study Materials I used

After attending the compulsory 35hrs of PM training, I spent exactly 5 weeks of study. Developed a study guide/ daily time table and was reading for about 5-6 hrs per day since I wasn't working so I studied full time.

I used Rita Mulcahy's book "PMP Exam Prep" which I read over once and revised it once. I watched all the PM prepcast videos by Cornelius Fitchner and listened to all the audio CD's in Andy Crowe's "Conversations on the PMP exam" these three materials were all very very good and I strongly recommend them to anyone preparing to take the exam. The advantages of studying with the audio and video materials is that they help to minimize your study time and are specially designed for busy people who do not have much time to be reading through volumes of literature.
I also have 150 PMP flashcards that contain questions and answers/explanations on them aimed at giving you a retentive memory on the key information/knowledge that you require for the exam.

I never read the PMBOK guide as it was too boring, complex and difficult to understand so I only used it as a reference guide. The PMBOK guide in itself is inadequate as it only covers about 70% of the content of the PMP exam. You'll need to use additional materials as well.

I took all the tests in Rita's book and scored on average 77.5%. I also took all the assessment tests at the end of all the prepcast videos and scored an average of 79%. There are lots of tips, tricks and secrets for preparing and getting the answers right in the exam which I learnt from the study materials I used.


Total Cost of the exam and preparation

PMI membership registration - $139
PMP exam fees - $250 (for paper based test)

Overall I spent about 240k for the PM education training, exam fees, registration as PMI member, study materials etc. You don't have to spend that much as I'm here to guide you. But a serious minded candidate for this exam would have to budget at least 220k for everything especially due to the USD /NGN currency exchange rate.


Before the exam

A week to the exam I felt I hadn't studied enough so I was scared that I might not pass so I tried to postpone / cancel the exam but I found out that it wasn't possible on the PBT . To cancel or postpone a PBT you'd have to do it 35 days prior to the exam. I eventually just decided to take the exam anyway based on what I had studied so far. I visited the exam venue 3 days before the exam to be sure of the exact location of the venue so that I don't have to start looking for the venue on the day of my exam.


The exam day

I got to the exam venue 2 hours before the exam start time to avoid any unforeseen situations such as traffic or vehicle breakdown. The invigilators didn't allow us to use the dumpsheet before the exam started unlike on the CBT that you are given 15 mins before the exam to use the dumpsheet. There weren't more than 4 calculation questions and they were quite easy. Overall I felt the exam was very difficult as I only answered about 185 questions out of 200. I had to just guess the remaining 15 questions. I felt my chances of passing were 50:50. I had made up my mind that if I didn't pass, I would just resit the exam 3 months later in August. So I hoped for the best but prepared for the worst.

The results came out after 10 days by email as it was a PBT. I passed and I'm PMP certified now!!


Are you preparing to take PMP exam in Lagos? Would you like to have the study materials I used? then send me an email at a2space2015@gmail.com and request for the materials.

Only contact me for the materials if you've taken the required 35 hrs of PM training or you're about to and if you're planning to take the exam very soon.

Please read the post below before contacting me for the study materials.

I will also share with you some tips and tricks for passing the exam on the first try.

justi4jesu:
Goodluck...

Donfolly:
Hello house!
This is my first time of posting on this forum but been following for over 5 years ago. Fast forward to may 12 2017 I headed the immigration office to renew my passport and got it same day after paying for fast track, July 18 I got my UAE (Dubai) visa and booked tickets for August 2nd via Kenya airways touched down Dubai terminal 1 5am on August 3rd and so the hustle begin.

Thanks to Tunde on here he showed me where to get sim cards and Metro and few things, went for Florist interview same day and that was one of the most embarrassing moment of my life as I was interrupted during interview the boss said am not competent and he sees me as a troublemaker I almost cried, summoned courage and went to Ajman via Bus that night 9pm cos that's Whr my bedspace is. Touchdown Ajman 11pm and the whole hustle began.

I'm just gonna be precise and won't exaggerate I attended more than 30 interviews, spent 1050 aed on transport and 315 aed on airtime cos I was subscribing to daily saver package 2.50aed daily for calls and 50mb data to check mail and all, couple of disappointment, raised hope in nothing. The most annoying one was Ghassan aboud group I passed the interview they called me to come and sign offer letter on getting there they turned it to another interview and was Disqualified again, I cried couple of times like was I not good enough, I was one of the best dressed in my university days and graduated with Second Class upper I would say most of the interviews I attended was more of interrogation, I even told my mom that something is wrong with me, maybe witches of bad luck � we we're 8 in the room at ajman all Nigerian and I was the only educated one they almost made me feel like my dreams and aspirations are unrealistic they settled down for construction job and I refused.
To cut the story short I received a call from one of the companies I have applied and they sent interview location the following day at Abu Dhabi 2 hours away from my location my friends told me not to go cos that location will cost me 200 aed to and fro falcon tower ajman - saadiyat island Abu Dhabi, I went with faith and to my greatest surprise the interviewer was impressed and I filled employment form same day the following day the company applied for my CID check which took 6days and they sent me offer letter, position Steward team leader - salary AED 2800 with accommodation, feeding and transportation. I got my visa within 3days as its a government of Abu Dhabi hotel and I didn't pass through Labour.
I'm sharing all this information right now to motivate everyone out there that feels rejected, down or feels like things are not just going right I want you to trust in God and never settle for less, never let nobody talk you out of your dreams. I'm a living testimony of grace, if I can land a good job trust me brothers and sisters you can too....Peace out.... With love from Abu Dhabi.

nattybanta:

Ask your self which one do you think you have better chances of getting their visa and surviving.

wise14life:


You have very high expectations, I have certifications too and electrical electronics engineering certificate, but this country doesn't work like that, here in UAE, you can't say this the kind of Job I want or will get... Only God decides, come with all your certificates to UAE... But the chances of getting an Engineering job is 1/100

SLYSIM:
Thanks to all nairalanders on this thread, this thread has been very educative and provides first-hand information. Kudos to you guys.
I will need advice on the viability of getting project management or engineering job and the best emirate country one can consider traveling to. I read Electrical Engineering and have a considerable experience in engineering project management and electrical engineering design/installations. Have gotten PMP certification and preparing for PRINCE 2. Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait are on my mind anyway. Advice on any of these countries and others will be highly appreciated.
Thank u very much.

SLYSIM:
Happy new months to all nairalanders.
I am planning to travel to Qatar for hustling, though have some experiences in my profession-Electrical Engineering. I meet somebody that came back from Qatar recently and was told that Qatar government no longer issue visa to Nigerians unless on a special request by any company residing in Qatar. Have been following this thread for a while but it seems to address more of UAE- Dubai matters.
I want to know whether what he told me is true. I will also welcome advice on a better country in the middle east that anybody with technical skills can thrive better.
Any suggestion will be highly welcomed.