PMcrunch

It can be very helpful for PMP candidates to have a PMP Mentor, or someone who is PMP certified and can assist on a moment’s notice when the student is stuck.  A PMP mentor can provide a high level of comfort and assurance that a candidate is on the right path to passing the PMP certification exam.

Access to a PMP mentor should be part of a PMP candidate’s exam preparation strategy. One of the early decisions that candidates need to make is whether they will take a classroom course, or whether they will devise their own individual plan of study.  The field of options includes taking a classroom course, studying PMP Prep books, purchasing PMP exam simulations, taking online project management training, purchasing audio programs, taking refresher courses, joining study groups, and in most cases, using combinations of these options.  The choice is based on the individual’s experience, knowledge of project management, financial resources, time available, self sufficiency, and level of discipline.

Here are 3 approaches:

1. Many PMP candidates opt to take a PMP fast track or bootcamp course, and these courses provide great mentoring.  The PMP bootcamp puts the student through an immersion process for a week, at the end of which they often take the exam while the material is fresh in their minds.  This is the ultimate in mentoring, as the student is essentially surrounded by mentors, not to mention other PMP aspirants, for the week.  The only negative about PMP bootcamp training is that it is the ultimate in cramming, and retention for the longer term does not necessarily happen.  Also it is the most expensive training, both in terms of raw cost, time away from work, and possibly travel.
2. Many other PMP candidates combine training methods into a personalized or customized program, where maybe they attend a class for a couple of days, perhaps join a study group, network with others in online groups, read some books, and do exam PMP exam simulations.  They might also add some online training and audio to their mix.  This is much less expensive than the PMP bootcamp courses, but from a mentoring standpoint the candidate is on his/her own during most of the process.  The classroom, and possibly review sessions, if they attend, are great supplemental opportunities that can fill the mentoring gap, but these also are for limited times, and the student is otherwise on his./her own. 
3. Another viable option also involves multiple sources of training materials, but includes some sort of online PMP prep training that incorporates PMP mentoring.  Due to time and money constraints, it may also exclude any classroom or course review sessions.  In these “self-sufficient” programs, the students get the benefit from training on their own schedule, with little lost time away from work, and cost and time is much lower.  If they pick the right online PMP training, they also can receive the benefit of as needed, on demand access to PMP mentors 24×7, as their questions occur.  

PMP mentoring can be a valuable and indispensable part of a such program of study, with the goal of PMP certification in mind.  Project Management Training Online offers 24×7 PMP mentoring as part of its Premium PMP Prep Bundles.