Is The PMP® Credential Right For You?
How to Know if Getting Your PMP® Certificate is Right for You
If you are a project manager or aspire to be one, you might have heard of the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification. This is a globally recognized credential that validates your skills and knowledge in managing projects of various sizes and complexities. But is it worth the time, money and effort to get it? How can you decide if it is right for you? Here are some questions to ask yourself before you pursue this certification.
1. What Are Your Career Goals?
The PMP® certification can help you advance your career in project management by demonstrating your competence and credibility to employers, clients and stakeholders. It can also open up more opportunities for you to work on challenging and rewarding projects across different industries and domains. However, it is not a magic bullet that will guarantee you a promotion or a raise. You still need to have relevant experience, skills and performance to back up your credential. Therefore, you should consider your career goals and how the PMP® certification aligns with them. Do you want to specialize in a certain area of project management? Do you want to switch to a different industry or domain? Do you want to take on more leadership or strategic roles? Do you want to work as a consultant or freelancer? Depending on your answers, the PMP® certification may or may not be the best option for you.
2. What Are Your Current Qualifications?
Do You Meet The Educational Requirements?
The PMP® certification has some prerequisites that you need to meet before you can apply for it. You need to have either a four-year degree or a high school diploma (or equivalent), plus a certain amount of project management experience and education. Specifically, you need to have 35 hours of project management education and:
A four-year degree and at least three years (36 months) of project management experience; or
A high school diploma (or equivalent) and at least five years (60 months) of project management experience, and 35 hours of project management education.
You also need to agree to abide by the PMI® Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and the PMI® Certification Application/Renewal Agreement. You can check the details of these requirements on the PMI® website.
If you meet these prerequisites, then you are eligible to apply for the PMP® certification. However, if you do not meet them yet, you may need to gain more experience or education before you can apply. Alternatively, you may consider other certifications that have lower or different requirements, such as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® or the Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®.
3. What Are Your Learning Preferences?
The PMP® certification requires you to pass a four-hour exam that consists of 180 questions. The exam also tests your knowledge of the PMI® standards, such as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)® Guide and the Agile Practice Guide.
To prepare for the exam, you need to study the PMI® standards and other relevant sources of project management knowledge. You also need to practice answering exam questions and taking mock tests. There are many resources available to help you with your exam preparation, such as books, courses, webinars, podcasts, blogs, forums, study groups and mentors. However, not all resources are created equal or suit everyone's learning style and preferences. Therefore, you should evaluate your learning preferences and choose the resources that work best for you. For example:
Do you prefer self-study or guided learning?
Do you learn better from reading or listening?
Do you like interactive or passive learning?
Do you need visual aids or examples?
Do you enjoy group discussions or individual reflection?
Do you have a fixed schedule or flexible time?
Depending on your answers, you may prefer different types of resources and formats for your exam preparation. You should also consider your budget and availability when choosing your resources.
4. What Are Your Motivation And Commitment Levels?
The PMP® certification is not an easy feat to achieve. It requires a lot of dedication and hard work from start to finish. You need to invest time, money and energy into applying for the certification, preparing for the exam, taking the exam and maintaining the certification. You also need to deal with potential challenges and setbacks along the way, such as application rejections, exam failures, schedule conflicts and personal issues.
Therefore, before you embark on this journey, you should ask yourself how motivated and committed you are to getting the PMP® certification. Why do you want to get it? What benefits do you expect from it? How will it help you.
If you feel that you are ready to attain your PMP® credential, you can look at our upcoming online events which feature exam application preparation as well as the FREE Pass Guarantee.