Boost Your Career with PMP Certification
Become a Certified Project Management Professional and Enhance Your Job Prospects
What is PMP Certification?
The first step to finding out if PMP certification can boost your salary and make you a more appealing job candidate is understanding what PMP certification is. PMP stands for Project Management Professional. Obtaining PMP certification means that you have taken the necessary steps to prove that you are an expert at managing projects.
Why is PMP Certification Important?
There was a time when PMP certification did not exist. Professionals still had to manage projects and work with the skills covered by PMP certification, but they had no official benchmark to prove their expertise. There came about a need for a way to monitor industry standards. In the late 90’s, the first PMP certification tests emerged focused in technological fields.
The practice has expanded greatly to cover many industries and help individuals stand out thanks to their well developed project management skills.
Why Should I Get PMP Certification?
You may already have extensive experience managing projects. And, while employers will review work history to make a decision about hiring you, official PMP certification can move you up one step higher. Obtaining PMP certification means that you have already proven beyond a doubt that you are an expert project manager.
It also shows that you take your profession very seriously and are willing to invest time and effort to obtain the certifications necessary to do the job well. It also saves the prospective employer time in researching the validity of your work history claims. As soon as they see PMP certification, they know you have met or exceeded industry standards for project management skills.
How Do I Obtain PMP Certification?
PMP certification requires a significant investment in your profession. Candidates must have at least three full years of experience in project management. Specific examples are requested when submitting the PMP certification application. A PMP review board will read through the application and approve the candidate’s work history.
Once accepted, the candidate must take an exam which is offered by the Project Management Institute. This examination is available throughout the world, although a majority of them are offered in the United States. Candidates in France, Belgium and UK will also be able to access the exam in their home countries.
PMP Training
PMP training can help you prepare for a more lucrative career. This exam is required for individuals to earn Project Management Professional certification (or PMP certification). To be permitted to even take the exam, interested parties must apply to the Project Management Institute.
The application requires a detailed listing that shows the applicant has completed all prerequisites, including thousands of hours of project management experience. Even those who have been managing projects for decades can benefit from enrolling in PMP training courses before taking their exam.
Is online or offline better for me?
PMP training courses are available both online and offline, and the best choice depends on your learning style and schedule. While online courses offer flexibility, many participants find they stay more focused and attentive in physical classrooms.
Building a foundation with PMP training
Various PMP training courses are available, including foundation-building courses that cover basic project management aspects. These are ideal for students needing significant training and are often tailored to specific industries like Process Improvement, Engineering, or IT.
Lean Six Sigma specific & PMP training courses
Another option is to work through your PMP training in combination with Lean Six Sigma courses. The focus on project and change management skills are an ideal link to your PMP certification.
PMP Certification Requirements
PMP certification requirements can be very stringent. PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is a highly regarded credit that can help individuals become more desirable employees. Through PMP certification, professionals can prove their experience and show that they can meet or go beyond expected industry standards for project management.
Managing a project may sound easy, but in a fast-paced professional environment, it is extremely challenging. Project managers must create a realistic schedule that meets all necessary deadlines and find ways to work within the project’s budget. They must also monitor performance and quality factors to ensure an ideal outcome.
How Do I Obtain PMP Certification?
PMP certification requires a significant investment in your profession. Candidates must have at least three full years of experience in project management. Specific examples are requested when submitting the PMP certification application. A PMP review board will read through the application and approve the candidate’s work history.
Once accepted, the candidate must take an exam which is offered by the Project Management Institute. This examination is available throughout the world, although a majority of them are offered in the United States. Candidates in France, Belgium and UK will also be able to access the exam in their home countries.
I Can Manage a Project, Why Can’t I Take the Exam?
Since the late 1990s, PMP certification has been helping professionals improve their resumes. The reason this single certification is so important is because it is the highest, most official measurement of project management skills. The Project Management Institute (PMI) keeps to very high standards so that those testing are fully prepared and have proven they have the potential to pass. Rather than taking every interested candidate’s word for it, PMI requires each applicant to prove their project management experience meets the PMP certification requirements.
Testing with a High School Diploma or Associates Degree
Individuals with a high school diploma or associates degree are eligible to take the PMP certification exam. Individuals in this category must have 60 months (a total of 7,500 hours) of project management experience as well as 35 contact hours to be considered. The quantity is higher when the candidate has less formal schooling to back up their experience and skills.
Testing with a Bachelor’s Degree
PMP certification requirements for individuals with a bachelor’s degree are a little lower. The candidate must have 36 months (a total of 4,500 hours) of project management experience. Just like those with a diploma or associates degree, bachelor’s degree candidates must also have 35 contact hours logged.
How Do I Apply for PMP Certification?
Individuals who meet the above PMP certification requirements can begin the application process. This is done online through PMI’s website. The application requires a detailed list of the candidate’s experience so that PMP certification requirements can be verified.