There are a lot of people who would reach a certain point in their lives when they do not know what they should do next. They may have reached a job position that allows them to be comfortable but they would like to excel further.
If you are a project manager and you feel that your career has plateaued, what are you going to do next? Getting PMP certification is one of the options that you may decide to do. This is credential that is respected and recognized all over the world but honestly, this is not something that will be liked by everyone.
You can try to weigh in the pros and cons of getting PMP certified. If you would check different search engine sites, you will be encouraged to take the exam. How will you know if this is a test that you can take if you would not try, right? You will get a lot of results about the changes that may happen to your career after you pass the exam. Some would say that getting certified will allow you to accelerate your career early. Other articles would say that you may want to gain more experiences first as a project manager. It will be up to you to decide which advice you would take.
It is certain that you have to know as many details as you can about it so that you can decide if this is a certification that is worth taking or not.
You Need Real Project Management Experience
One of the mistakes that people make is assuming that working on a project can already be considered as an experience. This is not true. You need to show that you are the leader of the project so that it can also be considered as management experience. What will happen if you cannot find proof that you assumed the position? Then that project will not be counted.
If you would really like to pursue the certification, you have to make sure that you already know what your career plan is going to be. If you believe that you want to work from project to project and you want to make sure that you will have the ability to execute the projects properly, then you will benefit from this certification.
You may need more project management experience if you do not have a bachelor’s degree. For project management education, this will be the same whether you are a high school or a college graduate. There is a need to complete the required experience in eight years after you have submitted your application.
Another requirement is a project manager should only handle one project at a time or if in case there are two projects that are being done at the same time, only one project will be considered for that time period. You have to be careful that there will be no overlapping or you may have further issues when you try to pursue getting a certification.
What If You Do Not Meet the Requirements?
You may be someone who would really like to get certified but you also know that you will not meet the requirements. What are you supposed to do then? It may take a few months but you will be able to complete your requirements soon. The PMP course that you can take may cost a lot of money but if you know that this can truly help your career then there is no reason why you should not pursue it.
If you finally meet all of the requirements, you will be asked to pay a certain amount of money. The fee may change depending on whether you are a PMI member or not. If you are a PMI member, you can pay less than the required $500 charge. The moment that you finish the test, you will be informed if you have passed or failed the exam. If you failed, you can pay the retake fee. You will be allowed to retake the exam three times a year. If you fail after your third try, you can try again the following year.
Taking the certification sounds like it would require a lot of effort, right? It is true that you need to exert more effort and money in order to get the certification but it will all be worth it in the end.
Better Job Opportunities with PMP Certification
You have to admit that your CV will look better when you have the PMP certification. This can further help you when you are known to be a project manager that can do his/her tasks properly. There are a lot of recruiters who may like to narrow the people that they will consider to hire or to promote. Getting certified will help you become recognized as someone who is “more talented.” Sometimes, you may even be considered as “more qualified” as compared to other project managers. Just remember that it is not just the certification that will set you apart from others. It is also your overall experience that will make you more sought after.
Possibility of Earning Higher Salaries Compared to Non-Certified Project Managers
Who does not want to earn more money? Everyone would like to earn more and this is definitely something that you can do if you get your certification. Someone who is certified is expected to earn about $20,000 more in a year as compared to those who have not gotten their certification yet. If you truly want to have a more comfortable life, this is a good investment that will serve you well in the years to come.
Just remember that it does not mean that just because you are certified, you will be qualified forever. You still need to continuously learn and do more tasks that will help you grow. Based on the things that you have learned, do you think that this certification is something that is worth pursuing? The choice will be up to you.
