I’m about to submit my hours, but I’m terrified of being audited. Does the rigor of the application process itself contribute to the , or is the audit just a simple paperwork check? How detailed do my project descriptions need to be to pass?
3 answers
The application is the first "gate" of difficulty. It requires a very specific way of describing your experience—using PMI terminology like "monitored risks," "managed stakeholders," and "executed project plans." If your descriptions are too focused on technical tasks (like "coded a website") rather than management tasks, you are more likely to be rejected. An audit is random, but it isn't "hard" if you were honest. You just need your former supervisors to sign off on your hours. The stress of the audit is often worse than the actual process, provided you have your documentation ready in advance.
If someone is audited, does that mean their exam will be harder or that they are being watched more closely?
Be concise in your descriptions. Focus on the high-level management actions across the five process groups. That's what the reviewers are looking for.
Good tip, Brandon. Using the "Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring, and Closing" structure in your project summaries really helps the auditors.
Not at all. The audit is handled by a different department than the exam scoring. It has zero impact on the questions you get or how you are graded. It's strictly a quality control measure to ensure the integrity of the PMP brand. Once you clear the audit, you are on the same playing field as everyone else. The only "difficulty" it adds is a slight delay in your ability to schedule the actual test.