PMP Certification - Project-Management-Professional-PMP

Minuteman · May 19, 2015

http://www.pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP

Is this certification worth the time, effort and money to study and get this certification?

I may have an opportunity to get some free training and maybe able to get a company to pay for the test. Even if the training and test were free, it's a huge investment in time, and failing the test is not an option.

I've led several projects over the years, without the benefit of the PMP body of knowledge; still undecided.

Anyone already have this cert, and what are your opinions?

aquaman · May 19, 2015

If they are offering that cert for free jump on it.

Allium · May 19, 2015

Wife has taken test and its a big deal in some circles. Makes a difference in pays. Very costly to study for so if you have free then take it. Test is tough for most.

TheBert · May 19, 2015

Lots of work, test is harder now than it was 6 or 7 years ago, so I am told. Today's test is more situational and scenario based rather than knowing what is in the PMBOK. The best part of the whole process was the guy my org contracted to provide us the training. What we learned in the training was eye opening and the one thing that you can't manufacture is time.

ProShooter · May 19, 2015

My wife got her PMP from PMI...It does mean a LOT in her industry.

OrbitalEllipses · May 19, 2015

PMP is definitely a good thing to have.

MDFF2008 · May 19, 2015

It's listed on a lot of the jobs I've looked at as a desired cert.

Overboost44 · May 19, 2015

Agree, it is worth it in many circles. I am trying to get my company to pay for it before going it on my own.

Yoshi · May 19, 2015

I am certified and it's definitely worth it.

SWO Daddy · May 20, 2015

Minuteman said:
http://www.pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP

Is this certification worth the time, effort and money to study and get this certification?

I may have an opportunity to get some free training and maybe able to get a company to pay for the test. Even if the training and test were free, it's a huge investment in time, and failing the test is not an option.

I've led several projects over the years, without the benefit of the PMP body of knowledge; still undecided.

Anyone already have this cert, and what are your opinions?

I have a PMP. My company paid for it. It's mostly a scam/worthless, but if you work government contracts, it's valuable to have (particularly in higher level positions) to check the right boxes on your resume. ETA: yes, do it if it's paid for.

MikeTF · May 20, 2015

SWO Daddy said:
I have a PMP. My company paid for it. It's mostly a scam/worthless, but if you work government contracts, it's valuable to have (particularly in higher level positions) to check the right boxes on your resume. ETA: yes, do it if it's paid for.

I'm glad you said that. I would place more emphasis on gaining project management experience, than getting a certification.

jrumann59 · May 20, 2015

PMP, ITIL are the two I see a lot in job postings.

jrumann59 · May 20, 2015

MikeTF said:
I'm glad you said that. I would place more emphasis on gaining project management experience, than getting a certification.

That is great if you already have job and never plan on moving. I had the same thought until the last 1 year of unemployment kicked me square in the ass and I have had a total of 15 calls on probably a 1000 submissions. I didn't have the cert but more than enough experience. Also many of the people looking for applicants use a word search program of an underling to circular file those that do not meet the requirements.

MikeTF · May 20, 2015

jrumann59 said:
That is great if you already have job and never plan on moving. I had the same thought until the last 1 year of unemployment kicked me square in the ass and I have had a total of 15 calls on probably a 1000 submissions. I didn't have the cert but more than enough experience. Also many of the people looking for applicants use a word search program of an underling to circular file those that do not meet the requirements.

If that's the case and you're attempting to find jobs by sending your resume to automated bots that add up buzzwords, include the phrase, 'completed project 3 months ahead of schedule using certified PMP methods' in your resume.

jrumann59 · May 20, 2015

MikeTF said:
If that's the case and you're attempting to find jobs by sending your resume to automated bots that add up buzzwords, include the phrase, 'completed project 3 months ahead of schedule using certified PMP methods' in your resume.

I get that but even some of the live bodies I talked to told me I was going to be a hard sell to a client because of the lack of PMP cert. So I have been spending my time in the last year doing some free lance stuff and working on certs.

MikeTF · May 20, 2015

jrumann59 said:
I get that but even some of the live bodies I talked to told me I was going to be a hard sell to a client because of the lack of PMP cert. So I have been spending my time in the last year doing some free lance stuff and working on certs.

I had no idea it was so important.

Yoshi · May 20, 2015

Outside of technical certs, the PMP is probably one of the most important certs an IT professional can have. In the past, if you had one, people were like: "You have a PMP!?!?". Now, it's the norm and the response is: "You don't have a PMP?"

PMI has done a good job at keeping their credential relevant and hasnt turned it into a McDojo. The test is one of the hardest tests I've ever taken. In adition, the recert process requires effort. Having said that, there are a lot of people that think project management is a useless skill and you cant do anything to change their minds. But, they are also the ones who want nothing to do with running a project. Management tends to love that cert and that's all that matters becuase they see the value in having a vetted process for running a project. No, it doesn't ensure success, but it definitely increases the chances.

Right now, the hot topic is "Agile". There's a cert for that too and the combination of both is quite the beacon for recruiters. I have both and, along with the experience, it's quite marketable.

hodgepodge · May 20, 2015

Worth it. I have a DAWIA Level II cert. If I had the PMP, I'd qualify for a higher pay rate on the contractor side.

Maverick0313 · May 20, 2015

I have been a PM on three different contracts, spanning the last 26 years. Was pretty good at it. A few years ago, the PMP certification started gaining momentum for the contractors, and has now morphed into a requirement for becoming a PM on a Government contract. With that said, I can truthfully say that for ME, getting the PMP did nothing to enhance my knowledge base. The course taught us to memorize what we needed to know, especially in some formulas used to measure contract metrics, to pass the test. It did NOT make me a better PM. BUT. You need the PMP now, and that's all that really matters. So...just do it.

Doctor_M · May 20, 2015

It has become a requirement for the management of some large government contracts. As a tool of industry, I guess you have to play the game. If you are a competent manager and understand earned value already, you aren't going to get much actual educational benefit out of it. It is a difficult test... not because the material is particularly hard, but because it is based on PMI proprietary nomenclature and process details. You have to know what PMI/PMBOK calls certain things... if you know the stuff, by common sense terms or can arrive at the correct answer by other processes, you won't pass the test. Plus, the test is specifically designed to be tricky (lots of answers close to the right one... or several answers that could work, but aren't specifically what are lined up in the teaching material). I needed it for work so I have it and maintain my continued education requirements (because I don't want to ever have to take the test again).

My advice is take a prep course if your employer is going to cover it.... it is worth the money. My instructor said that initial pass rates are around 15% for folks who self-study and are in the high 80s for those who take an approved prep course.

People get a little crazy with the PMP credential... "Hi, I'm John Doe, PMP!" My boss got on my case for not putting PMP on my business cards next to my Ph.D. I told him that I'm proud of my Ph.D.... that took nearly four years of study and original research and a published dissertation... my PMP took a week of study and a couple of advil. Not the same thing. If I didn't need it for work, I wouldn't have bothered with it.

I think that the next thing will be the push for PgMP... I've started to see it in a few contract clauses already... another racket on the horizon.

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