In each issue, Cheetah News features an individual who shares his or her ideas, insight, and experience with Cheetah Learning's Methodology.

If you are a project manager and would like to be featured in a brief interview with Chief Cheetah Michelle LaBrosse on her EverydayPM blog, please click here to send us your contact information.

Get on Track with Your Career Goals
When was the last time you looked at your career goals? Was PMP^® certification still on the list? It's not on Catherine Craine's any longer.

Catherine received her master's degree in Project Management several years ago and had always meant to pursue certification. As a project manager in digital advertising in Columbus, Ohio, Catherine knows that some of the best advertising is simply word of mouth. That's what convinced her to get her PMP^® certification.

"A coworker took Cheetah's Exam Prep^® for the PMP^® exam course a few months ago and highly recommended it," Catherine explains. "I'm fortunate enough to have very supportive management, so I was able to take a week to focus solely on the class and the exam."

While her master's degree in Project Management gave her a solid knowledge foundation, Catherine admits that was a few years ago and a few editions ago of The PMBOK^® Guide.

"The Cheetah class taught me how to put myself in the context of the project lifecycle to be able to assess situations through a PMI^® lens. My instructor, Kelly O'Neill Baumer, was wonderful. She was extremely knowledgeable and added interest to the material. Kelly had great real-life examples that brought context to the content."

And some of that content was a challenge for Catherine. "I have to admit," she says wryly, "that my biggest challenge was staying awake while reading The PMBOK^® Guide from cover to cover."

Catherine didn't fall asleep, though, and she completed Cheetah's Exam Prep course and passed the PMP^® exam on the Friday after the class. "My PMP certification has opened new doors and new networks for me, and I feel I'm a stronger, more confident project manager."

Her advice to anyone else looking to achieve this same career goal is to make sure to give yourself enough time to prepare for the exam. "Take time off from work and away from personal obligations. Let your friends, coworkers, and families know you are unavailable for the week."