Why A PMP Certification Is Important For Your Career

What sets a true professional apart from a novice in any niche?

It’s a constant need to improve skills and become a better version of yourself. While it can be subjective in many industries, project managers have a great resource to prove their experience and knowledge as Project Management Professional (PMP).

It’s one of the most important certifications for project managers that are recognized worldwide across the industry.

The PMP certification helps professionals climb up their career ladder and increases their salary dramatically. This certification validates candidates skills in project management and helps them better handle future projects.

It is an unprejudiced endorsement of the Project Management skills and experience at a global level and offers high market value, increased credibility, and higher pay.

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The process of certification, however, requires an investment of time and money. Therefore, you should decide first if it’s a worthwhile step for you. This article will help you make this decision.

Are you Eligible for the PMP Certification?

PMP certification is designed for experienced project managers who meet such requirements as:

• Performing duties under general supervision and is responsible for a project in its totality
• Leading and directing the team to complete projects limited by time and resources
• Having knowledge and experience required to use a specific methodology to projects with predefined requirements and results

It follows strict quality processes and has been maintaining the certification standard from 1969. Therefore, there are certain eligibility criteria. Following are the Project Management Institute PMP requirements:

• The secondary education degree
• 35 hours of professional education with 7,500 hours of managing projects

Or

• Four-year degree
• 35 hours of project management education with 4,500 hours of projects management

Why a PMP Certification is Important?

Project Management Professionals lead projects in many countries based on the fact that certification is globally recognized. It doesn’t focus on a particular region or niche, unlike other certifications. It can successfully work in different industries and locations.

The certification validates that professionals have an understanding of the project management trends and it connects them to a network of experts, professionals, and organizations worldwide.

Here we have listed the reasons why a PMP certification is important for your career:

Credibility

If you are a certified professional and looking for new job opportunities, then you can impress a potential employer through your resume. Certification helps you stand out of the crowd of other candidates. It also adds credibility to your skillset, experience, knowledge, and how serious you are about your career in the eyes of an employer when they see certification.

Certification is especially valuable for beginners in the field of Project Management. It’s proof of your learning, professional skills, and your ability to conquer obstacles and achieve complicated long-term goals.

However, certification could be useful even if you’re not planning to leave your job anytime soon. Your certification will be the evidence of your hard work for your current boss and clients. It proves that you’re trying to become the best project manager possible.

Career Growth

According to SimpliLearn, there will be more than 15 million new Project Management job opportunities by 2020 while the industry is expected to grow by $6.1 trillion.

This means that you will become a part of the fast-growing industry if you decide to pursue a career in project management.

On the other hand, Andrew Kallman, an Enterprise Agile Coach, conducted a survey on Simplyhired which indicated that the number of Project Manager Jobs is larger than the number of job opportunities for Agile Coaches, PMI-ACPs or Agile Project Managers.

The PMP certification course is recognized in many countries and industries. Moreover, you’ll have better chances to find a job as most organizations look for project managers with a certification.

It’s also a great opportunity for networking. While you’re pursuing a PMP certification or after you’ve become a certified project manager, you’ll be in constant contact with other professionals. These connections might get useful when you look for a new job with better career opportunities or a higher salary. Therefore, earning a PMP certification brings a better job and salary.

Skills Enhancements

For passing the certification exam, candidates need a lot of effort. The key aspects that are learned during the process like planning, initiating, implementing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. These skills help them better manage any kind of projects.

Marketability

A PMP certification, being global, increases professional’s marketability and legitimizes their skills as project managers. They will also communicate with colleagues who learn the course and professionals who have already got the certification. Multiple project management forums and social media groups are a great source to master expertise and ask for advice.

Higher Salary

Project managers usually have higher salaries than their non-certified colleagues. Surveys prove that a certified manager earns 20% more than the non-certified counterparts.

As Simplilearn study shows, certified PMPs have an average salary of $109,405 – it’s almost two times more than the average household income in the United States.

More Value for an Organization

Certified project managers are a valuable resource for any organization. A certified manager is a person any business owner can rely on knowing that work is led by someone who knows what to do and how to achieve results most efficiently.

How you can gain and maintain Your PMP certification?

The PMP application requires professionals to organize their work experience.

The certification provides 200 multiple-choice questions and four hours to complete it.

To maintain the PMP, it is required to earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) every three years.

As you can see, the requirements are pretty high. However, a PMP certification is a good investment of time and money for a manager and a company. A certified specialist has all the skills and knowledge to lead any business activity and deliver the best results with fewer resources.

Top 10 PMP Certifications to Boost Your Project Management Career

PMP® – Project Management Professional (PMI):

• Overview: The gold standard in project management, the PMP certification by the Project Management Institute (PMI) is renowned globally.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: PMI’s PMP certification sets the standard for project management excellence, emphasizing adherence to industry best practices and a comprehensive understanding of the PMBOK Guide.

PRINCE2® (PRojects IN Controlled Environments):

• Overview: Developed by the UK government, PRINCE2 is a widely adopted project management methodology.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: PRINCE2 offers a structured framework that focuses on project control, flexibility, and adaptability, making it popular across diverse industries and sectors.

Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM):

• Overview: Offered by Scrum Alliance, CSM is a popular certification for those practicing Scrum methodologies.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: CSM equips professionals with the knowledge to facilitate Scrum practices effectively, fostering collaboration and iterative development.

CompTIA Project+:

• Overview: An entry-level project management certification covering a broad range of project management concepts.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: CompTIA Project+ is vendor-neutral, making it suitable for professionals across various industries and roles.

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®:

• Overview: Also from PMI, the PMI-ACP certification focuses on agile principles and practices.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: In the era of agile project management, PMI-ACP validates professionals’ ability to apply agile methodologies to projects effectively.

Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®):

• Overview: Offered by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), CCBA focuses on business analysis within project management.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: CCBA certification is ideal for professionals who play a crucial role in identifying business needs and finding solutions.

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®:

• Overview: Another offering from PMI, CAPM is an entry-level certification for aspiring project managers.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: CAPM provides a foundational understanding of project management concepts and is an excellent stepping stone towards PMP certification.

Certified Project Manager (CPM)™:

• Overview: Offered by the International Association of Project Managers (IAPM), CPM is a comprehensive certification covering various project management aspects.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: CPM is recognized for its emphasis on practical project management skills, making it suitable for real-world project scenarios.

Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP)® – Agile Project Management:

• Overview: ACP, offered by the Project Management Academy, focuses on agile project management principles.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: ACP is designed for professionals who wish to enhance their skills in managing projects using agile methodologies.

Certified Project Director (CPD):

• Overview: Issued by the Global Association for Quality Management (GAQM), CPD is an advanced certification for experienced project directors.
• Why It’s Top-Ranked: CPD acknowledges the strategic and leadership aspects of project management, suitable for those overseeing complex projects and portfolios.

Conclusion

The PMP certification is can significantly boost your career. Consider the growing market and the need for professional Project Managers and the value of a PMP certification becomes obvious. It can not only make your resume stand out among the other candidates, but also creates great networking opportunities and can directly increase your salary.