Congratulations to Nick Curtis, PMP, on being selected our Passionate Project Manager of the Month for December!

A project manager for more than three years, Nick Curtis recently earned his PMP credential and is planning to look into the Risk Management Professional certification in 2012.

Nick has worked for Philips Healthcare for almost 10 years now. He started out while still in college and has grown his career from there.

"I enjoy working for a great company, with great colleagues, and constantly being able to build on my skills and experience." said Nick.

PPM: What makes you a passionate project manager?

When you are passionate about the work you do, regardless of the role, you will never cut corners or skip steps. Keep the end goal always in sight and know the positive impact of the project you're working on.

PPM: What has been your greatest lesson learned in project management?

One of the greatest lessons learned is to stick to the tools, steps, and processes and trust them in order to be successful. When in doubt refer back to the project scope and keep the stakeholders updated constantly.

What would be your top recommendations for someone preparing for the PMP?

I have a ton of recommendations to give but some of the most important ones are:
Don't take the exam lightly, taking a prep course like PPM is crucial to give yourself the tools and study material to pass the exam.
Repetition is key, find your best method personally to learn the material and utilize that; whether is be taking practice tests, or using flash cards.
When taking the test, DON'T RUSH. Read every question and every single possible answer. Even if you think you see the correct answer, read the rest. There might be an even better answer.

What class did you take from Passionate Project Management?

PMP/CAPM Exam Prep. Belinda taught the course I took and although I experienced information overload, her training methods helped ease the pain. She is very patient and her attention to detail shows that she genuinely wants every student to pass the exam.

Why did you choose Passionate Project Management?

I had multiple colleagues take the Passionate Project Management course and not one of them had a negative review of the course or Belinda.

Tell us something special / unique about you personally:

Personally, I have been blessed with the birth of my daughter around the same time of taking this exam. In addition to studying and passing the PMP exam, the birth of my daughter, I simultaneously completed my Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. I would like to say I plan on resting now but after each of the 3 events I have only become even busier.