The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a world-renowned credential that validates your project management knowledge, experience and expertise. However, preparing for the PMP exam can be challenging without the right guidance and training. This article will cover everything you need to know about pursuing the PMP certification in Austin, including the demand for project management professionals, eligibility requirements, training options, and local resources.
We’ve also included a ‘60-day PMP study plan,’ which explains how you can create your own study schedule, stick to it, and pass the exam in 60 days or less.
Project Management in Austin: Project Management Professional (PMP) Jobs in Industries
Various sectors and industries in Austin require project managers or professionals with project management degrees and experience. Here’s a list of sectors where you may see a high demand for PMP project managers.
Technology Sector: Austin has a thriving and rapidly growing technology scene and is often referred to as the “Silicon Hills.” With companies like Dell, IBM and Google having a visible presence in the city, it is driving demand for project managers with expertise in software development, IT infrastructure, and product management.
The IT industry has a long history of hiring capable and skilled project managers to manage their large and complex projects. Additionally, the expansion of agile frameworks has led to the emergence of new roles, such as Agile Project Manager and Scrum Master, who are also playing a critical role in managing complex and dynamic IT projects.
Healthcare and Biotechnology: Austin also has an expanding healthcare and biotechnology sector, with startups and large companies driving innovation in medical research, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare services.
In such industries project managers can manage projects related to clinical trials, meeting compliance and expansion of facilities and having a PMP certification can help you land a job in this stable and exciting industry.
Construction and Real Estate Development: Construction and real estate are ever-growing industries in North America, and Austin is no exception to this. Austin is also experiencing a rapid surge in population, leading to growth in housing, commercial construction, and government-funded public projects. Additionally, the construction industry has been well-known for hiring project managers who can bring valuable expertise in project scheduling, procurement, and quality management to ensure successful project delivery.
In addition to the industries mentioned above, Austin and Texas have other popular industries, such as financial services and the creative and entertainment industries that require project management skills. Because a large swathe of industries benefit from and use project managers, these versatile individuals can fit into various sectors and provide their expertise in management to deliver successful outcomes.
PMP certification in the Austin Metropolis: Need for Project Managers
Apart from Austin, which is the epicentre of economic development, there are other major areas in Greater Austin which present various job opportunities in the project management domain. A few stand-out cities in the Greater Austin area are Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, and Pflugerville, with promising employment opportunities in technology, engineering, manufacturing, construction, urban planning, healthcare, and public-sector organizations.
Here are some statistics related to project manager salaries in Michigan from ZipRecruiter:
- As of the first quarter of 2024, the average annual pay for a Project Manager in Austin is $103,596.
- The average hourly rate for a Project Manager in Austin is approximately $49.81.
- This is equivalent to $1,992 per week or $8,633 per month.
- Salaries for Project Managers in Austin range from as high as $160,576 to as low as $38,162.
- The majority of Project Manager salaries in Austin currently range between $77,800 (25th percentile) to $121,900 (75th percentile).
- Top earners (90th percentile) in Austin make $144,716 annually.
- Usually, the average pay range for a Project Manager in Austin varies greatly, suggesting opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.
For an individual to land a job with a salary around the 75th percentile, he/she would need to possess advanced skills and a proven track record of successful project delivery. These individuals would also need to hold relevant certifications, such as the PMP certification, and exhibit excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving capabilities.
Requirements for PMP certification
PMP is a certification designed for professionals who have applied their project management skills and knowledge to manage and deliver projects. Thus, people without project management experience would struggle to qualify for the PMP. To sit the PMP exam, you must complete the PMP application process with PMI and pass it successfully.
PMP Eligibility Criteria are as follows:
- If you have a Bachelor’s Degree, you need to show 36 months of project management experience in the last 8 years and 35 hours of project management education.
2. For High School Diploma or Associate’s Degree candidates, the requirement is to show 60 months of project management experience within the last 8 years and 35 hours of project management education.
60 days PMP study plan: 8 weeks PMP Exam Prep Strategy
Most PMP aspirants are professionals with full-time jobs and have personal obligations such as managing family and kids. So, finding time to study for the PMP exam can be very challenging and would require discipline on the part of the individual. PMI also has a long list of reference books that they suggest you study for the exam. Let alone several books; working professionals barely have the bandwidth to study even one book in an entire month.
However, PMP is a tough exam that requires your commitment to sit down and study. Therefore, to ease your burden a bit, we’ve created a 60-day study plan, which you can use as a roadmap to studying and passing the PMP exam on the first try. Feel free to modify this plan based on your schedule and personal circumstances.
This plan requires you to study a minimum of 20 hours per week. And it will help you pass your exam on the 60th day. This plan requires eight weeks, which is 56 days, plus 4 additional days that serve as a buffer.
Alright, so this is how the plan is going to look like. Here’s what we propose you do every week for the next 8 weeks.
Week One:
During the first day or a maximum of two days of week one, you should review the selected preparation materials to understand the topics tested in the PMP exam. You can look at the exam content outline in addition to the course materials you have selected to prepare for the exam. You can note topics you may not have been exposed to earlier or may not have handled those aspects of project management. You can get some basic project management understanding before you dive deeper into detailed topics for the PMP exam.
We recommend that you select a programme that can help you remain consistent for an extended period of time for your PMP rather than taking four—or five-day boot camp courses.
Create your own daily study schedule, planning for 20 hours of study time each week. Begin your studies and gather as much study momentum as possible.
Week Two:
Starting this week, dive into topics related to waterfall project management. We suggest this approach because the exam’s waterfall content is vast and complex. Go through each of the knowledge area chapters. Completing the waterfall portions of the exam will allow you to cover a larger percentage of the syllabus.
Try to completely immerse yourself in learning the materials the best you can since it will keep you interested, engaged and motivated to completing them faster.
Weeks Three to Five:
Keep working through the waterfall materials and dedicate at least 55-60 hours of learning during these weeks. Additionally, in these three weeks, start studying the agile and hybrid portions of the exam, as they require less study time than the waterfall sections. Aim to begin the agile portions as soon as you finish the waterfall sections, and by week five or a few days into week six, target completing the entire waterfall and agile syllabus for the exam.
To understand and absorb the agile portions of the exam, you don’t need more than one week of dedicated study.
Week Six:
Start doing short form and full length practice questions provided by your training provider. Usually, you’ll have different test sizes ranging from short form tests of 10-15 questions to around 180 questions in a full length exam. Start testing yourself in different types of tests during the course of this week and spend a good amount of time dissecting the correct answers and understanding the rationale once you complete the test.
Begin practicing with both short-form and full-length practice questions provided by your training provider. You’ll encounter tests of varying lengths, from short-form quizzes with 10-15 questions to full-length exams containing around 180 questions. During this week, try solving different tests, allocate sufficient time to review correct and incorrect answers, and understand the underlying rationale for every question after completing each test.
Week 7 and 8:
By week 7, you’ll have a fair understanding of your test performance, where your gaps lie, and the topics where you need to pay more attention. Focus on reviewing the complex topics, resolving doubts with your coach or instructors, solving additional practice questions, and continuously revising the areas where your scores are lower.
In the final week, aim to attempt at least three full-length mock tests in a simulated exam environment. Doing that will help test your performance under pressure and help you mentally prepare for the exam, which is as much a test of endurance and mindset as knowledge and application.
Do not study too much on the final day before the exam, and don’t try to burn the midnight oil the night before because that will only cause more exhaustion on the day of the exam and negatively impact your results. Try to get a good night’s sleep before the 7 to 8 hours exam.
Passing the PMP Application Process
While you are studying for the exam, it’s equally important to work on your PMP application and get it approved as quickly as possible. To apply and ensure that PMI accepts your project management experience in the PMP application, you will need to demonstrate 36 or 60 months of experience.
Many people are unable to get past the PMP application process so it is crucial to focus on meeting the guidelines and expectations of PMI reviewers. Therefore, you will need to spend time documenting your PMP application project descriptions examples with care.
CareerSprints.com offers a PMP application review and rewrite service that has helped several hundred students pass the PMP application process on the first try.
Their dedicated team of experts carefully reviews your PMP application, providing valuable feedback and guidance to strengthen it. They also assess the application for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with PMI’s requirements.
They have seasoned experts who possess an in-depth understanding of the PMP application process, help identify any areas for improvement and work closely with you to enhance your application.
Their application review process includes:
- Help with extracting the right projects and make sure that they meet PMI’s definition of a project.
- Differentiating between operational activities vs project management work.
- Thoroughly evaluating your application to ensure it is complete and error-free
- Identifying any gaps or inconsistencies in the information provided
- Offering personalized feedback and suggestions for improving your application
- Assisting with rewriting or revising sections of your application as needed
By leveraging their services, you can save time by avoiding potential application errors, omissions, delays and most importantly, rejections.
PMP Blended Program: In-depth Training with Personalized Coaching
CareerSprints.com also offers their flagship PMP Blended Programme that includes in-depth training, high-quality study materials, and personalized coaching. The advantage with this programme is that it is designed to provide you with all the necessary resources, support and coaching to help you succeed in your PMP exam preparation journey.
The PMP certification training offered by CareerSprints.com includes thoughtfully compiled study materials in the form of detailed videos on all essential exam topics, various real life and easy to understand examples, practice tests, structured content booklets, exam cheat sheet and insightful PMP Test-Taking Tips.
All of these valuable materials, coupled with personalized coaching, are meant to help you develop a deep understanding of how to tackle the exam, thus maximizing your chances of success. Their expert coaches will work closely with you to identify your strengths and weaknesses and provide tailored guidance to help you overcome any challenges you might be facing. The priceless insights, proven strategies, and lessons learned from past students are meant to amplify your exam performance and ensure you are entirely prepared for all levels of exam difficulty.