Obtaining a certificate in project management, which often requires extensive study, opens doors to new opportunities for professional development. In addition to improving a project manager’s credibility with current and future colleagues, clients, and employers, it also appears well on their résumé and LinkedIn profile.
Project managers can increase their expertise, credibility, earning potential, network, self-assurance, and pay by obtaining a certification in project management. As PMP Certification is a popular project management certification, it is important to explain What is PMP here. This blog also compares different project management certifications, such as PgMP and CAPM with PMP Certification and helps you to choose the best project management certification for your career advancement.
Table Of Contents
- What is Project Management?
- Why you need a certification in Project Management
- Project Management Certifications
- How to choose the right certification for you?
- Conclusion
What is Project Management?
The introduction of new products or services is made easier by project management, which also ensures that operations work according to the budget and deadline. The project manager’s job is to organise, carry out, oversee, and finish the project.
They communicate with stakeholders, team members, and leadership on behalf of developers. Management of projects includes a wide range of activities, including planning, resource coordination, team assignment, budget creation, process design, progress measurement, reporting results, and analysis for future enhancement. Along with taking ownership of their work daily and ensuring the team is happy, they must also consider responsibility for others.
Why you need a certification in Project Management
Earning a certification in project management can open doors to better positions and better salaries. Organizations look favorably at trained project managers who can handle complicated situations with proven expertise.
Both online and traditional classroom settings are available for certification programmes. It is essential to find project management certifications online and decide between a general certificate or a focus on a specific area.
Project Management Certifications
Certifications in project management can range from entry-level to expert, depending on the specifics of the programme and the employer’s needs. Gaining experience in the workplace allows one to get additional certifications.
To accommodate a variety of schedules, educational institutions provide project management certificates through both in-person and online programmes. In the long run, certification in project management can open doors to better job opportunities.
PMP
In the field of project management, a few credentials are well-known and popular such as Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. A bachelor’s degree is necessary, along with 36 months of project management experience in the last eight years, and 35 hours of project management training through authorised training partners, on-demand courses, or webinars.
Additionally, you must have completed 35 hours of project management training and have a secondary education diploma or its equivalent. You must also have sixty months of experience leading projects within the last eight years. Exam topics cover the five stages of project management as outlined by the Project Management Institute (PMI): Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.
CAPM
If you are an entry-level project manager looking to learn the basics and get a head start in your career, the Certified Associate of Project Management (CAPM) credential is for you. A secondary education and 23 hours of course work in project management are prerequisites for consideration.
You can take the 150-question test as often as three times per year. Project manager responsibilities, communication, scope, scheduling, risk, and resource management are all part of the curriculum. To get your project management career off the ground, earning this certification is a terrific first step. Once you have some experience under your belt, you can go on to the PMP certification.
PgMP
Certified Programme Management Professionals (PgMPs) oversee interdependent projects with a high degree of complexity in order to accomplish overarching organisational objectives. Applicants are required to have a secondary degree and either 48 months or 84 months of experience managing projects or programmes during the past fifteen years.
Both the application and the experiences are evaluated by a panel review, which may take up to sixty days. If accepted, candidates will be asked to complete a multiple-choice test consisting of 170 questions. The test will cover several subjects such as stakeholder management, the programme life cycle, and strategic programme management. You can take the exam up to three times a year, either online or at the Pearson VUE Testing Centre.
PfMP
Project managers with extensive experience overseeing many projects and programmes can benefit from earning the PfMP credential. Projects and programmes are monitored by portfolio managers to make sure they fit in with the goals and strategy of the organisation. Project managers with experience and expertise are the target audience for the PfMP credential.
Different from the PgMP certification, the PfMP requires a secondary degree, 84 months of portfolio management experience, and 96 months of professional business experience as minimum requirements for eligibility. Advanced subjects like strategic alignment, governance, portfolio performance, portfolio risk management, and communications management are covered in the 170 multiple-choice questions that follow the panel assessment in the application process. You can take the exam at least three times each year.
Along with these popular project management certifications, CSM, PRINCE2, PSM 1 are also considered as valuable project management certifications.
How to choose the right certification for you?
Earning a certification in project management has several advantages, but picking the right one is a matter of taste. Choose a project management certification that speaks to your strengths and interests. Here are some things to think about when deciding on the right certification:
Evaluate your current skill set
Some credentials address general principles, while others zero in on specific areas of expertise. Pick a credential that relates to your expertise.
Think about your field of work or speciality
Certain credentials attest to mastery of areas of project management, such scheduling, risk assessment, or Agile principles.
Consider your employer needs
While certifications are often endorsed by employers, it’s important to consider how they will benefit the organisation.
Think about career goals
Think about where you want to go professionally and what skills you’d like to have before you start looking for a job. Select credentials that are relevant to your job goals.
Think about how much time you have available
The amount of time needed to prepare for exams varies across certifications. The amount of time you devote to professional development should be reasonable.
Conclusion
Ultimately, there are a lot of advantages for experts who take Project management Courses. Credibility, employment opportunities, and earning potential are all positively impacted. Education, work experience, and training are the three components that make up the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential, which is well-known and in high demand.
Additional credentials that address varying degrees of expertise and specialisation in project management are the Certified Associate of Project Management (CAPM), Programme Management Professional (PgMP), and Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP). In order to choose the best certification, one must consider their degree of experience, area of specialisation, employer’s needs, professional objectives, and available time. In conclusion, getting a project management certification will help you advance in your career and access new prospects.