Want to take your work game to the next level, guys? Certifications are a smart way to do that, and one of the more popular is the Project Manager PMP exam. Here’s some useful info to get you started studying for this one so you can level up your career.

The Project Management Professional (mostly known as the “PMP”) is a certification offered by the Project Management Institute that is acknowledged and respected throughout the world. The exam demonstrates that expertise in project management which improves how projects are run in a variety of fields of knowledge.

This certification is also going to add value to your resume. If you decide to interview at a firm that is looking for a project manager and you have this certificate, the chances of you being offered the position increase considerably. If you’re already in project management, the PMP certification will often produce a hike in your pay.

Either way, however, keep in mind that you are going to have to be really dedicated when it comes to pursuing the PMP credential: The exam demands discipline, as well as a solid preparation strategy.

Here are tips to successfully prep for and pass the PMI PMP certification exam:

1. The Project Management Body of Knowledge is a book that remains one of the most recommended resources when it comes to exam preparation. Thus, you’ll want to read through it over and over again to minimize missing out on some points or not understanding a key concept or idea.

2. There are some essential pieces of information that require that you pay close attention so that they are firmly rooted in your memory before the exam. This way you’ll know that as soon as you read a question about that concept, you’ll spot the relationship and know how to proceed. This information could either be present in a book that you read or a website that you surfed through.

3. You’ll want to keep the various formulas out of your practice tests and study materials in good condition as a reference: You’ll need to revise them many times during your preparation. These formulas are extremely important to the exam and you cannot afford to forget them.

Also keep in mind that there is an eligibility criterion to be able to sit for this exam, which is important: Forget to pay attention to that and you might not be able to take the certification exam at all.

There is a lot of material that is available online, which offers aid in preparing for the exam. Here’s a list of these resources which you can include in your preparation process.

Your primary reading material can include the following:

PMBOK – As mentioned above, this book has been on the recommendation list to prepare for the PMP exam for as long as it has existed. This guide is secretly considered to be rather the “bible” when you are preparing for the PMI certification test.

Pass4itsure PMP Certification Exam Prep & Practice Tests – This website is among the most helpful that you can use to efficiently prepare for this exam. It is both engaging and easily accessible.

You’ll have a better understanding of exactly what needs to be studied when you use the combination of these two sources for your exam preparation.

There are a couple of additional references that you can utilize to help ace the exam,  but keep in mind that your results don’t solely depend on the materials you use but also depends on how well you understand and remember the important information that is presented to you in these resources:

Global Knowledge Institute’s reading material is a good source for the extra references that you will inevitably need as you study for the exam. It offers a detailed approach, though is recommended for once you are done studying the primary reading materials for the certification.

Global Knowledge Institute’s flashcards are another set of resources that can really help with the basics of the topics that you’ve already covered or are going to cover in the future.

You can add other reading materials in accordance with your approach to studying but you have to make sure that all study sources are relevant to the exam prep syllabus and that you are able to follow it as you proceed with your preparation.

Once you have gone through the PMP certification prep materials, you’ll want to test your knowledge in a manner that duplicates the actual certification exam. It is highly recommended that you, therefore, go through a number of practice tests.

Here is a list of tests that match the style and difficulty of the exam that you are going to take:

1. Rita Mulcahy’s Fast Track, Super PMP Test

2. PMPForSure 100Q Test

3. Global Knowledge, 200Q Book Test

4. Rita Mulcahy’s Fast Track, 9 Knowledge Areas Test + 5 Process Groups Test

5. Global Knowledge, 200Q Mock Test

These practice tests are considered some of the best, a smart way to gain insight into the format, pattern, and experience of the real exam that you are going to eventually take.