INTRODUCTION
What Is the CAPM® Certification?
The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry-level certificate in project management that proves the certificate holder has a solid foundation in project management fundamentals.
Is the CAPM Certification Right for You?
Are you managing projects but don’t have the project manager title? Are you a new project manager? Are you working towards becoming a project manager?
If so, you need the knowledge of a project manager but may not yet have acquired the work experience required to achieve the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. The CAPM certification can be a stepping stone to gaining that work experience.
As a CAPM-credentialed project manager, you have proven that you have the personal motivation needed to distinguish yourself in today’s job market. Both the CAPM exam and the PMP exam are based on A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition. The foundation knowledge is the same!
CAPM PMI Eligibility Requirements
To sit the CAPM exam, the PMI prerequisites are to either have 23 contact hours of project management education or 1,500 hours of project experience (using a 40-hour week as an example, this would be 38 weeks or 8.5 months working on a project team). In addition, a high school diploma or global equivalent is required.
The 1,500 hours of project experience mean that even if you have not directed and led projects (the threshold for the PMP credential) at this point in your career, your project experience is directly applicable to the CAPM credential.
If you choose project management education as your evidence of eligibility, one classroom hour of instruction equals one contact hour (23 are needed). Course content can include project topics such as quality, scope, time, cost, resources, communication, risk, procurement, and integration. Excluded from the 23 contact hours are PMI chapter meetings and any self-directed learning such as reading project management books or watching project management videos.
Typical Job Titles and Roles
CAPM candidates typically have job titles like Project Team Lead, Associate Project Coordinator, Project Analyst, Project Coordinator, and Project Staff Lead. Job roles matter as well, and any role that requires you to manage yourself and others to achieve project goals and create deliverables can benefit from the knowledge required to earn the CAPM certification.
Applying for the CAPM Certification
To apply for the CAPM certification, use a web browser to navigate to https://certification.pmi.org/default.aspx, where you can log in to your existing PMI account or register for a new account. The Certification Program overview page lists your current certifications and certifications for which you are eligible to apply. Click the link to “Apply for the CAPM Credential,” confirm your address and contact information, then input the information for the education level you have attained followed by your professional project experience or your project management education hours.
For any questions unique to your situation (e.g., special accommodations), e-mail your question to [email protected].
Preparing for the CAPM Exam
To prepare for the exam, read A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition and drill on practice exam questions like the ones in this book and in the companion Total Tester tool. The CAPM exam is a three-hour timed exam containing 150 multiple choice questions. Each question has four possible answers, and you must choose the single best answer.
Exam Content Outline (ECO)
The 150 questions cover 13 topics in percentages balanced according to the PMI CAPM Exam Content Outline dated October 2017 (commonly referred to as the 2017 ECO). Both the chapters in this book and the companion Total Tester questions are balanced with the ECO.
Types of Questions
Many of the questions will test how well you have read and absorbed the information presented in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition. You’ll be tested at the knowledge, comprehension, and application levels. You can expect questions that ask
• What is…
• Which of…
• What are…
• What next…
Inputs, tools, techniques, and outputs are tested. These are commonly referred to as the ITTOs. Each of the processes in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition begins with a diagram that defines the ITTO for that process. Questions on ITTOs may be asked, such as “Which of the following is an input to…” and “What would you do next if you have (this set of inputs)….” When asked what to do next, the question will provide you with a short scenario to place you in the context of a real project situation, and based on what project management task you are performing, what inputs you have, and what outputs are created, you will need to distinguish what to do next by choosing the best answer.
The CAPM Exam Experience
The CAPM exam is offered through an online proctored environment taken from your home or work computer, or it can be taken at one of the Pearson VUE testing centers located around the world.
If you are taking the online proctored exam, log in to the exam website 15 to 30 minutes prior to your exam start time. This will give the live web-based proctor a chance to compare your picture identification (license, passport, etc.) with your face and to scan your office with your webcam to make sure your desk is empty (no extra computers, no papers, no books, no anything!). You’ll need to pick up your laptop with its embedded webcam or your external webcam and do a 360-degree turn to let the proctor scan your room, then your ceiling, and then your floor. You may not take a break from the test. If you step away from your testing environment before completing your exam, the exam is terminated.
If you are taking the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center, arrive at the testing center 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. You will be assigned a locker to store your personal items and then escorted into the testing room and assigned a computer cubicle to take your exam. If you step away from your testing environment before completing your exam, the exam clock will continue to count down but does not terminate your exam.
About This Book
This book and its companion Total Tester is a compilation of 900 sample test questions useful to candidates studying to pass the CAPM exam.
In Every Chapter
Each chapter opens with a short narrative describing the purpose of the process group under discussion followed by the bulleted certification learning objectives for the process group. The four to six certification learning objectives for each process group are from the PMI CAPM Exam Content Outline dated October 2017. Each chapter concludes with a set of questions for the process group tied to the certification learning objectives.
In the Total Tester
Included with this book is access to the Total Tester, an online exam engine that contains even more practice questions with detailed explanations of the answers. Using this set of practice questions provided in the Total Tester exam engine is another tool to help you prepare for the CAPM exam. Please see the appendix for more information about accessing the Total Tester.