If you are an experienced project manager looking to advance your career in the field of project management, then the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification should be top of your list as it’s the leading certification regarding project management.
This article will dig deep into this highly sought-after credential looking at its constituents, benefits of attaining it, and also how you can become PMP certified in your location.
So What Exactly Is The PMP Certification
The PMP certification is a highly ranked credential in project management conferred to professionals upon passing the PMP exam handled by the Project Management Institute(PMI). Apart from being recognized worldwide, the PMP certification is also validated by several national standards agencies, notably the American National Standards Institute(ANSI).
Numerous perks come with PMP certification. Some of the benefits include having access to the Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide (PMBOK®). The guide is authored by PMP experts world over, including globally-recognized PMP expert Yad Senapathy – the Founder and CEO of the Project Management Training Institute. The PMP exams are typically set from the PMBOK® Guide, which comprises a set of guiding principles explaining the 47 processes, including the inputs, outputs, tools, and techniques involved in each of the processes.
PMI members also enjoy other benefits including
- Newsletters
- Webinars
- Networking opportunities
- Discounts on exam fees
- Professional development opportunities.
Being PMP Certified: Is It Worth It?
As mentioned earlier, obtaining the PMP certification comes with numerous benefits. PMP certified project managers are offered the advantage of quickly landing a lucrative job in an established company and also earn higher salaries compared to their counterparts. According to a report titled “Smartsheet’s 2018 Comparison of PMP Salary Sources and Survey”, PMP certified project managers earn 22% more salary than non-certified project managers in the United States.
While the benefits of attaining PMP certification cannot be overemphasized, it’s crucial to obtain such a credential. The current world’s economy is mostly service-dominated, with firms looking for specific skills in recruitment. Project managers with PMP certification are most sought after by job recruiters all over the world. Additionally, thanks to PMP certification, your employer gains trust in you as they are assured you’re well equipped to finish projects and within the set budget and on time.
From the PMI’s 2019 Pulse of the Profession, report it’s evident that firms employing PMP certified project managers lead the way in completing projects. This finding indicates that PMP certified project managers enhance customer satisfaction rates and also save on the available resources, in turn, benefiting the company. Also, the results suggest that the rate of project failure is lower when a PMP certified project manager is in charge as compared to the non-certified colleagues (8.5 percent versus 16.3 percent).
In essence, if you are looking to advance your career in the field of project management, attaining the PMP certification is not an option but a necessity. PMP certifications considerably enhance your skills and knowledge in project management and also demonstrates that you have what it takes to be a successful project manager.
PMP Certification Requirements
Before enrolling for the PMP certification training course, it’s vital that you first ensure you meet the PMI eligibility requirement. There are three significant conditions you have to satisfy to be eligible: experience, education, and professional training. If you meet these criteria, you are set to start the registration process.
The preconditions you ought to meet are:
Category I
- A high school diploma, associate’s degree, or a global equivalent
- Complete at least 7, 500 hours of overseeing and directing projects with a minimum of 5 years’ experience.
- Attend at least 35 hours of formal project management training.
Category II
- Have a 4-year bachelor’s degree
- Have completed up to 4,500 hours of supervising and handling projects with 3 years’ experience.
- Attend 35 hours of formal project management training.
If you doubt whether you are eligible, you can take a PMP eligibility assessment and get to know whether you are qualified in 5 minutes or less.
The PMP Exam
You are eligible to sit for the PMP exams after achieving the required 35 contact hours and having your application approved.
To sit for the PMP certification exam, non-PMI members are charged $555, while PMI members are charged $405. You can save money by paying both the membership fee and exam fee, which will cost you only 544 USD.
The PMP exam consists of 200 questions with 175 questions counting towards your score. The remaining 25 are pre-test questions and, therefore, don’t count towards your final score. The pre-test questions are indiscriminately placed throughout the exam for research. The PMP exam is designed to test your understanding of key project management concepts as well as your ability to solve problems occurring in real-life. In summary, the PMP Exam assesses the candidate’s ability to utilize project management concepts rather than just examining its knowledge.
The exam questions are divided into five process groups:
- Initiation (13%)
- Planning (24%)
- Executing (30%)
- Monitoring and Controlling (25%)
- Closing (8%)
The entire PMP exam is set from the PMBOK® guide and is intended to measure your knowledge on how to handle real-life occurrences. Here is a sample of the PMP exam.
What Is The Best Way To Train For The PMP Exam?
The ideal way to realize success in your PMP certification exam is by enrolling for a PMP exam preparation course from a PMI Registered Education Provider (R.E.P). There are various modes of study you can choose from to prepare for the PMP exam. The ideal methods include:
In-Classroom Boot Camp
The In-class boot camp is led by instructors and conducted in a physical classroom. While these classes are quite a bit more expensive than other modes, they present the fastest way to study, especially if you would want to get set for the exam in a matter of days. The majority of the boot camps take approximately 4-5 days and are designed to sufficiently prepare you to take the PMP exam following completion of the training.
Online Live Training Classes
The live online training classes are best suited for individuals with a busy schedule and can’t find time to attend an actual boot camp classroom session. You can virtually participate in these classes from the comfort of your home or office as they are conducted online and are led by qualified PMP instructors. It’s worth noting that live online courses take the format of physical classes only that you don’t need to travel. Nonetheless, you still have to access PMP study materials as well as practice questions.
Self-Study Online Classes
While the self-study online classes option is the cheapest and most wished for study mode, it requires a lot of time as well as self-discipline to achieve success. Despite the presence of hundreds of PMP training readily available online, the 35-hour contact hours required by PMI can only be completed by enrolling in a course offered by a PMI registered REP.
How To Select An Ideal PMP Certification Training Provider?
Like all certification training, it’s essential to find world-class training offering up to date content. Numerous institutions are offering PMP training; therefore, it can be overwhelming to choose an idyllic training provider. A crucial factor to consider in selecting an ideal training institution is the quality of training offered. You should also consider other factors, such as the pass rate as a high pass rate indicates adequate preparation. Also, find out whether the institution offers a money-back guarantee since it enhances your confidence level when sitting for the exam. A notable training institution is the Project Management Training Institute- an exemplary institution providing high-quality PMP training in the US, with training boot camps all across the country, including San Diego, Albuquerque, and Phoenix.
PMTI has been the number one choice for candidates seeking to obtain their PMP Certification since 2003. In 16 years of their existence, the institution has prepared more than 111,000 professionals in passing their PMP exam with a remarkable 99% PMP exam pass rate.
On enrolling in PMTI’s PMP Training Boot Camp, you will be taken through project management concepts using an intense, four-day training program. These sessions, held anywhere in the US and Canada, are conducted by experienced and knowledgeable instructors with a lone responsibility to ensure that you comprehend the concepts surrounding PMP and that you can utilize them in real-life situations.
PMTI also offers two forms of online courses: a Live Online course and an Online Self-Study course. PMTI also offers corporate/group training sessions designed for corporates seeking to prepare their employees to undertake the PMP exams.
Students enrolled in PMTI training programs are granted access to 1,000 PMP sample questions as well as proprietary study guides plus other free study resources, including PMP exam application prep tool, PMP Exam Information Seminars, and recorded lectures, among others.
What Next After Obtaining Your PMP Certificate?
After successfully passing the PMP exam, you are now officially PMP certified. Nonetheless, you’ve still not completed the journey as PMP certification only lasts for three years. To uphold your accreditation, you still need to attain 60 Professional Development Units(PDUs) to build on your PMI status every three years.
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has addressed all your questions concerning PMP certification. If you are looking for an exemplary top of the world PMP training provider offering, cost-effective, top-quality, and flexible PMP training, PMTI is your ideal institution. Their training will not only guarantee you success in the PMP exam but also equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to oversee projects proficiently.
