PMP Certification Value for any would be PMP is the most sought after question. Is the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) only a job hunting-down certification or a career booster or much more?

I am a project manager and am doing a great job of delivery of Projects for my organization. Why would I need a PMP certification?

A very valid question, indeed. This is the stigma which goes around in the mind of the working project managers and the project management professionals at multiple levels.

Often the customers, who speak to me asking serious advice on their project management careers, come with a preset mind and the intention to make me say “Yes”. Yes to qualify them for the PMP training programs.

In fact, many project managers do their own extensive research on PMP certification, they just want me to confirm their research answer is correct.

Am not surprised, to see the value of PMP certification weighs on many project managers and project management professional’s mind over time as they progress upon the corporate ladders to success.

One of my blog reader called me up to ask, is it true that the PMP will get me employed again? After reading my earlier blog Certifications that will land a great job & career opportunity!

What is the real PMP Certification Value?

PMP brings coherence between professionals to talk the same lingo, terminology and framework as defined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK) guide. The latest version is PMBoK 5th Edition.

PMP brings uniformity to adopt 47 processes, 10 knowledge and 5 process groups along with ITTO’s (inputs, tools & techniques, outputs) for any given project.

PMP gives a holistic idea to the professionals on the vastness of the Project management subject matter. PMP provides a networking platform for peers and community to connect to each other at same level. PMP certified professionals mean that the credential holders have:

First. Acquired the base minimum project management subject knowledge.

Second. Exhibited documented project management experience of running the real time experience projects.

Third. Demonstrated or at least are aware of the professional ethics and code of conduct being PMP.

PMP certified credential holders are ready to be employed as project management professionals.

That being said, employers cannot merely rely only on PMP credential. The credential only evaluates knowledge, application of concepts and checks if one has gained professional experience.

This cannot substitute the fact of how one was really a successful project manager on the job in reality. For a similar story on the PMP Certification Value was published by Andrew Makar on TechRepublic, Project managers’ views on the value of a PMP certification.

Project Management Recruitment – Insider Story!

Many years when I had recruited the Project managers, I adopted the mechanism to ask the resume sourcer to keep the pile of PMP professional resumes separately from the Non-PMP’s when hiring for project management roles.

Non-PMP’s often would lose the edge to ask for a big packet salary. In fact, already PMP certified salaries were higher and then they would again further ask for much bigger packs compared to the Non-PMP’s. Being in the project management profession, I would expect the mere diligence to get the Non-PMP’s to equip with the PMP training if not certified.

There were many a times, I encountered Non-PMP’s to be less expensive to hire with much superior skills than the PMP’s. The number of years’ experience delivering the projects along with the project type, size and industry those projects were handled; was one significant parameter I often considered to give weight.

In final, my recommendation:

  • Non-PMP’s had to be qualified in the 1st round of screening.
  • Non-PMP’s with PMP training, qualified to 2nd round for evaluation.
  • PMP’s directly qualified to 3rd round to be interviewed.

For decision making, add weight-age to the nature of projects handled and how successfully those were delivered. Measure the project managers actual success, not the project managers PMP success. Kindly observe, success is delivered by people with right intent and attitude in project management – although it is very hard to measure this parameter with just a resume.

Overall, PMP Certification helps one get better by boosting their confidence, level of knowledge & application of concepts on the job, increased employ-ability, higher salaries, promotions, enhanced professional network, social status and reputation in the peer community. True PMP Certification Value Defined Finally.