PMI-LA Blogs

There is no single path to earning the PMP. 

On August 21, PMI-LA brought project professionals together at LACI’s La Kretz Innovation Campus for an honest conversation about the journey to PMP certification. 

Some attendees were exploring the PMP for the first time! Others were preparing to apply, actively studying, or returning to the process after stepping away. Wherever they were in the journey, the evening offered something valuable: practical guidance, relatable stories, and reassurance that progress does not have to look the same for everyone. 

The night started with some light networking and delicious food before we made our way to our seats for the panel. 

A Certification with Global Reach 

Trevas Williams, our Vice President of Programs, kicked off the evening with a fun reminder of just how global the PMP community is: you can find PMP-certified professionals everywhere, even Antarctica. 

She also reminded attendees that they may have more project management experience than they realize. You don’t need “Project Manager” in your job title to be doing the work. Coordinating an event, managing a budget, organizing a move, or bringing several people together to meet a deadline are all examples of project management in action. Sometimes, we are already managing projects: we just don’t call them that. 

Before the panel began, Meeta took a moment to recognize and thank the people who helped make the evening possible. Attendees also learned about PMI-LA’s PMP Prep Course and received an update on the chapter’s Mentorship Program, another resource designed to support professionals as they continue growing in their careers.  

If you are interested in partaking in the PMP Prep course taking place in September 19, 2026: navigate over to the registration page.  

 

Four Journeys, Four Different Perspectives 

The panel brought together four professionals at different points in their PMP journeys: 

• Jen García, who advises and teaches AI programs through the Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education. 

• Swetha Chandraprakash, MBA, MSPM, CSM, who works with project management communities across PMI North America and is currently pursuing her PMP. 

• Anne Chu, PMP®, who recently earned the certification and shared firsthand insight into preparing for and taking the current exam. 

• Phoebe Jane Johnson, MBA, whose experience of starting, stopping, and finding her way back to the PMP resonated with many in the room. 

Their stories reinforced the evening's central theme: there is no perfect timeline and no single formula. What matters is identifying the next mile in your own journey and taking it intentionally. 

Treat the Goal Like a Project 

One of the most practical ideas shared was to approach the PMP itself as a project. 

Anne Chu, who recently passed the PMP exam while navigating a new industry and job market, shared three practical takeaways: think with a project management mindset, set a target exam date, and find the study tools that work for you. For Anne, those included PMI Study Hall and PMI Infinity. 

Phoebe encouraged candidates to create a charter for the journey, make studying a real commitment, and avoid getting stuck trying to create the perfect plan before beginning: “Don’t have analysis paralysis.” 

She also described protecting study time with the same seriousness as an important work obligation: “It’s as important as an email from my boss.” 

Jen García brought her perspective from Caltech CTME, where she advises and teaches AI programs. She reflected on discovering project management later in her career: “How did I not know about this in college? Everything is a project.” 

Swetha offered the perspective of someone currently on the journey. For her, pursuing the PMP about becoming a better project manager and less about the certification. 

Study for Understanding, Not Just Recall 

During the audience Q&A, attendees asked about spacing out study sessions, retaining information, and working through situational questions. 

The conversation encouraged candidates to pause and reflect on the reasoning behind an answer. Rather than simply memorizing a response, ask why it is the best choice, what conditions led to it, and how the project manager should think in that situation. 

This is one of the ways PMP preparation can strengthen more than test-taking skills. It helps professionals develop judgment, examine tradeoffs, and become more deliberate in how they respond to real project challenges. 

For those preparing their applications, another practical recommendation was to ask peers to review the submission. A second perspective can help candidates recognize experience they may have overlooked and describe their work more clearly. 

Project Management Is Everywhere 

Fun fact: For those of you who follow PMI-LA know that this is our chapter catch-phrase, we like to throw around a lot and insert in our SWAG! 

The panel also explored how project management connects with other disciplines and certifications. 

Jen reflected on discovering just how broadly project management applies: “Everything is a project.” 

Drawing from her work at Caltech, she discussed systems engineering and the dynamic relationship between systems and stakeholders. A decision in one area can create consequences elsewhere, and when a key stakeholder is overlooked, an entire project can shift off course. 

Swetha similarly emphasized that project management is present in much of what we already do. She described pursuing the PMP not only as a credential, but as part of becoming a stronger project manager. 

The conversation also touched on specialized learning such as CPMAI. One helpful analogy compared the PMP to a chef’s knife: an essential, versatile tool. Additional certifications and focused knowledge can add more specialized tools to the set, helping professionals deepen their expertise and distinguish themselves. 

Learning, Conversation, and Community 

The evening was informative, but it never felt limited to presentations and exam preparation.  

Attendees enjoyed food from Delicia, including burgers, bruschetta, chicken skewers, and cookies: while connecting with peers at different stages of their careers. 

The event concluded with networking, giving participants time to continue the conversation, exchange advice, and build relationships with others who understand the journey. :) 

That sense of community matters. Preparing for the PMP can feel like an individual goal, but the process becomes more manageable when candidates have access to shared experience, honest encouragement, and people willing to help them take the next step. 

 

Looking Ahead 

The path to the PMP may include pauses, doubts, changing strategies, and unexpected turns. It may begin with recognizing that the work you already do is project management. It may continue with an application, a target date, a study plan, or simply a decision to begin again. 

There is no single path to getting there. 

But every path moves forward one mile at a time. 

 

Thank you to LACI for hosting us at the La Kretz Innovation Campus; to Jen García, Swetha Chandraprakash, Anne Chu, and Phoebe Jane Johnson for sharing their experiences; and to Trevas Williams, Vice President of Programs, and the PMI-LA Programs team for delivering another enjoyable and exceptionally organized event.