Book Image

CompTIA Project+ Certification Guide

By : J. Ashley Hunt
Book Image

CompTIA Project+ Certification Guide

By: J. Ashley Hunt

Overview of this book

The CompTIA Project+ exam is designed for IT professionals who want to improve their career trajectory by gaining certification in project management specific to their industry. This guide covers everything necessary to pass the current iteration of the Project+ PK0-004 exam. The CompTIA Project+ Certification Guide starts by covering project initiation best practices, including an understanding of organizational structures, team roles, and responsibilities. You’ll then study best practices for developing a project charter and the scope of work to produce deliverables necessary to obtain formal approval of the end result. The ability to monitor your project work and make changes as necessary to bring performance back in line with the plan is the difference between a successful and unsuccessful project. The concluding chapters of the book provide best practices to help keep an eye on your projects and close them out successfully. The guide also includes practice questions created to mirror the exam experience and help solidify your understanding of core project management concepts. By the end of this book, you will be able to develop creative solutions for complex issues faced in project management.
Table of Contents (13 chapters)

How to apply for the CompTIA Project+ exam

While the steps for gaining your Project+ certification may seem fairly easy, it's important to know what those steps are, so you can begin to prepare for your exam. The following steps will help guide you through the process:

  • Review the exam objectives
  • Practice for the exam by answering the practice questions at the end of every chapter
  • After you have studied for the exam, review and answer as many sample questions as you can to prepare for exam day
Review the certification objectives to make sure you know what is covered on the exam: https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/project.

Ready for your exam?

There are several steps involved in preparing to take your exam. The following information will walk you through the process:

  • Purchase your voucher from the CompTIA website and then find a testing center and schedule your exam at a nearby location. It's possible there will be an in-home remotely-proctored exam if a location can't be found near you.
  • Pearson VUE are the proctors for in-person exams, so you will need to create an account on their site as well. Visit https://home.pearsonvue.com to do that.
  • Once you have an account, you will be able to buy a voucher (if you haven't obtained one through the CompTIA website already); choose a testing center near you and schedule your exam.
  • Pearson VUE also offers scheduling via phone if you are having trouble scheduling online.

From the CompTIA Project+ page, you can navigate to all of the information to pay for and schedule your exam.

What to expect on exam day

Here is what you can expect on exam day:

  • Show up a few minutes early so that you can sign in. You will be asked to provide two forms of identification, and to leave your belongings in a locker provided by Pearson VUE. The proctor will give you something to write on and something to write with, and then walk you to your computer station.
  • The exam will be computer-based with one question presented on the screen at a time. You will easily be able to navigate the exam by using the Next and Back buttons.
  • You also have the ability to mark questions for later review in case there's a question you're not sure of or that you cannot answer.
  • You may have a short tutorial on how to navigate and mark questions before you begin your exam.
I marked about twenty questions on my exam and had plenty of time to complete all of the questions and cycle back through the exam to double-check my answers.
  • For any questions that involve formulas, you will have access to a calculator built into the question, so you don't have to do any math in your head. Yay!
  • The exam will present you with situational questions and will ask you to put yourself in the shoes of a variety of positions on a project team. The majority of the questions are written from the project manager's perspective, but be prepared to understand all of the roles on the project team.
  • You may find that some questions have two or more correct answers. Do your best to select all that apply. It is also likely that you will get questions that contain extraneous information that doesn't pertain to the correct answer.
  • Once you submit your exam, you will find out within a minute whether you have passed your exam, and Pearson VUE will give you a certificate proving you have passed. Your certification is good for life without the need for continuing education credits or future retakes of newer versions of the exam.
  • CompTIA will mail you your certification shortly after. You may want to buy a frame for it. It's a big accomplishment and you should be very proud!
You will be in a room with other test takers. These test takers will be taking different types of exams, some of which will include typing. Try not to get too distracted by what everyone else is doing so you are able to focus on your exam. You may be offered headphones to use during your exam but this may depend on the testing location.