Things to do before taking up CAPM Certification Exam
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an asset that will distinguish candidates in the job market and boost their credibility in working with project teams, regardless of their professional level. So, how does one receive a CAPM Certificate? Of course, by passing the examination. However, clearing the CAPM Exam in one sitting is not easy. Individuals need to comprehensively understand exam information, prepare well, work hard, and use appropriate study materials in order to pass the exam.
What does the CAPM Certification Exam cover?
Candidates should be aware of the CAPM Exam content outline in order to effectively prepare for the exam and avoid wasting time on irrelevant topics. According to the PMI handbook, the CAPM Exam focuses on the following 13 domains until January 2023.
- Introduction to Project Management -6%
- Project Environment -6%
- Role of the Project Manager -7%
- Project Integration Management -9%
- Project Scope Management -9%
- Project Schedule Management -9%
- Project Cost Management -8%
- Project Quality Management -7%
- Project Resource Management -8%
- Project Communications Management -10%
- Project Risk Management -8%
- Project Procurement Management -4%
- Project Stakeholder Management -9%
Each domain breaks into tasks that define project managers' duties. Candidates should have a thorough knowledge of these subject areas to easily crack the CAPM Exam on their first attempt.
What is the procedure for applying for the CAPM Exam?
The CAPM exam application process is quiet simple. Candidates merely need to be attentive and have the essential information on hand. They can apply for the exam by following the instructions below.
Complete Certification Requirements
Before applying for the exam, candidates must ensure that they fulfill PMI's eligibility requirements. They may discover eligibility requirements by reviewing the CAPM guide, which will be available on the PMI website. Moreover, they cannot fill out the application form or take the exam unless they satisfy the eligibility requirements.
Complete Application Form
Candidates can apply for CAPM exams online or offline, however, PMI recommends applying online. The required information is the same, but the online process is faster. It takes approximately 24 hours to get approval, whereas the offline method may take 8-10 days. Create an account on the PMI website to apply for the CAPM Exam online. Aspirants can apply offline by downloading the application form in printable PDF format from the PMI website.
When filling out the application form, candidates should provide the following information.
- Contact information- name, email address, mailing address, and phone number
- Education - the level of education, the school, the college or institution attended, as well as the country where it is located.
- Domain experience - project details, organizational details, job brief, and major tasks performed by applicants.
- Domain education - course names, institutions attended, dates, and qualifying hours.
Candidates have 90 days to complete their applications. As a result, they can take their time filling it. They must double-check the information before submitting their application form as modifications cannot be made once the form is submitted.
Application Review
Applications will be processed within 24 hours, and PMI takes 5-10 days to verify candidates' eligibility to take the CAPM Certification Exam. PMI will send an email once the evaluation process is complete. They also perform audits for a specific percentage of applicants chosen at random to maintain the credibility of the certification program and its holders.
Payment and scheduling
After receiving the approval email, candidates can pay their exam fee through PMI online certification system. PMI determines the fee, which is subject to membership and regional pricing. After paying, candidates will receive an eligibility number. By entering the code on the Pearson VUE website they can schedule their exam.
The table below provides candidates with an overview of the application procedure and its timeline.
| Steps | Timeline |
| Certification requirements | Varies from person to person |
| Register on the PMI website | Should complete within 90 days of the commencement date of the application. |
| Application review | 24 hours for processing and 5 – 10 days for the review process |
| Audit ( if selected) | 90 days to submit audit related documentation and PMI takes 5- 10 days to verify it. |
| Payment and schedule | Done immediately after receiving the approval email. |
Points to check before submitting the CAPM application
Individuals must check these points before submitting their CAPM application to ensure that they have addressed everything.
- Candidates' project entries only represent professional project work experience, and not personal experiences such as their own wedding, academic research for a degree-granting program, newsletter creation, or home improvement project.
- All projects should be mentioned individually. Numerous projects should not be listed in one entry.
- In the title area, include the actual title of the project or a general description of the project purpose, not the applicant’s role in the project.
- Each project description should provide a high-level summary of the entire project. It should contain one or two sentences on the project objective, explanation of the project's purpose and goal, as well as a description of the final project deliverables.
- Routine, operational, or administrative tasks and responsibilities should not be included in project entries.
- Candidates should accurately state the number of team members that participated in this project and the project budget.
- If the application is chosen for the PMI audit process, they must obtain proper verification for the project experience listed in their application.
Things to know before appearing for CAPM Exam
- Candidates can take the CAPM exam in any of the following 14 languages: Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.
- CAPM aspirants can reschedule or cancel their online proctored exam or center-based exam at any time, up to 48 hours before their scheduled exam appointment. However, late rescheduling and cancellations will result in incurring a fee for the same.
- Individuals are necessitated to pay a cost of USD 70 for rescheduling or canceling their exam within 30 days of the appointment. They cannot reschedule within 48 hours of their scheduled exam and in case of cancellation, the whole exam fee will be forfeited.
- In order to enter the Pearson VUE testing center, or during the check-in process before the exam, Candidates must bring a valid and current (non-expired) form of government-issued identification to the online proctored exam. The identity must include English characters/translation, photograph, and signature.
- Candidates are advised to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment on the day of the examination, and if they arrive late they are not allowed to sit for the exam
Do you still think applying for the CAPM Exam is difficult?. It is easier for applicants who have all of the essential information handy. The application procedure is extensive. However, PMI gives candidates plenty of time to submit their applications. It is also advised to fact check the details before submitting the application.
Candidates gain expertise in multiple areas during exam preparation. Procurement management, risk management, and communication management are some of these areas. This ascertains that individuals passing the exam with moderate to high scores are definitely all-rounders. The exam validates how strong a professional’s grasp of project management methodologies and concepts is.
The exam throws light on all the five crucial domains of project management. Candidates become confident about initiating projects while preparing for the examination. Training makes them knowledgeable in the project planning domain, as well. The exam evaluates the potential of aspirants in effective execution of projects. It covers every section right from monitoring to closing a project. It is essential for candidates to review the outline of the exam content at the beginning of the preparation.