In this article, we will discuss the certification exams held at the Prometrix offices.
Before the exam, it is important to eat and drink well (not too much) and get some rest. It is recommended to halt your studying the day before the exam and definitely not hold off studying to the last minute – save your energy.
The day of the exam:
On the day of the exam, you must arrive at least half an hour prior to your scheduled time to the offices of Prometrix in Building No. 6, ground floor, Ramat Gan College, 87 Pinchas Rotenberg St., Ramat Gan. It is best to arrive an hour ahead of time. There is free parking in the college parking lot.
The exam is limited in time and the clock does not stop even if you ask to take a short break, so every minute counts. Before signing up and registering for the exam, it is recommended to find the nearest bathroom in order to prevent unnecessary searches that would waste precious time during the exam and thus reduce your stress level.
Personal Effects:
It is recommended to bring the least personal effects possible (wallet, keys, glasses, etc.). All of your belongings will be put in the locker you will receive, with no possibility of opening it until after the exam. There is no point in bringing drinks, food, etc., because it will not be possible to enjoy any such products during the exam.
For drinking, there is a mineral water cooler, but its use requires exiting the exam room to the lobby with permission only (as detailed below), and this takes precious time.
Registration Process:
You must bring a valid passport (including signature) in order to prove your identity. During the registration process, you will be asked to present the passport. In addition, you will receive an instructions page in English listing the dos and don’ts for the exam. After reading it, you will be asked to sign it.
After registration, you will receive a personal locker in which you must store your personal belongings – you may not bring anything with you into the exam room.
Next, you will be asked to empty your pockets, remove your glasses (if you have any) and go through a metal detector.
Next, you will receive a personal calculator, two blue pages and two pencils. Please make sure that the calculator is working properly. Except for this equipment, it is not possible to bring any additional personal effects into the exam room.
Exam Room:
When seated in front of the computer in the exam room, it is recommended to adjust the height of the chair to a comfortable position and arrange the equipment you received. However, you may not write anything until the exam begins.
Other people will be sitting next to you and taking different exams. Sometimes there will be some noise in the room as a result of the typing and movements of your peers. Those if you who are sensitive to background noise can ask for earplugs.
Before you start the exam, you will be shown a short video tutorial on how to operate the computer, navigate between pages, mark questions, etc.
After the video is finished, click on “start the test” and the four-hour countdown will begin. On the top right of the screen you will see the clock, and on the left side the number of the current question.
Important tip – Before you start working on the first question, write the formulas you studied for the exam on the blue page you received. This will help you during the exam, save time and alleviate stress so that you can focus on the substance.
Once an hour, make sure that you are making good progress and leave about half an hour at the end to go over the questions you marked during the exam.
If you need more pages (from experience, you will not need more than four), you will be asked to return the pages you already have and in return you will receive new ones.
Exiting the room during the exam:
If you want to take a water or bathroom break, raise your hand and call the examiner to escort you outside. When you exit the room, write down the time and go to the bathroom. When you wish to return, you will have to undergo another pocket inspection and pass through the metal detector again. You will then sign a return form and only then be escorted back to your seat. Remember, the clock keeps ticking the entire time.
Completing the Exam:
At the end of the test, after you click the “finish” button or when the four hours have passed, you will be asked to answer a short survey, which is optional. You can fill it out or skip it. Then, the longest minute of your life will begin, as the score is calculated. After a few seconds, you will see the following message on the screen: “Congratulations, you passed the exam”. Click “next” to the end and then ask to be escorted outside the room. You must return to the examiner the calculator, pencils, and pages you received.
The examiner will print you an official PMI document with a stamp confirming that you passed the exam, including a general score for each subject. This official document should also indicate whether your score is below average, average or above average.
Now you can open your locker and go celebrate!
Two days after passing the exam, you can download your new certificate from the PMI website.
Good luck!
Oren Sior, PfMP®, PgMP®, PMP®
