PMP: Pass vs. Learn

Andy Jordan - July 7, 2008

Andy Jordan is President of Roffensian Consulting S.A., a Roatan, Honduras-based management consulting firm with a comprehensive project management practice. Andy always appreciates feedback and discussion on the issues raised in his articles and can be reached at [email protected]. Andy's new book Risk Management for Project Driven Organizations is now available.

The PMP. For much of the world of project management, it’s the Holy Grail. If you have the PMP, opportunities open up to you that would otherwise be closed. You are automatically seen as more employable, more valuable, more knowledgeable. It’s clearly a qualification that’s worth securing, but should that be your goal, or is the PMP evidence that you have achieved your goal of reaching (and demonstrating) a proficient level of knowledge?

Pass vs. learn

The PMP is not an easy qualification to attain: You need to meet the stringent experience requirements from PMI, and you need to complete the required amount of classroom training. All of this is designed to ensure that candidates who apply to sit the exam are qualified and have at least a reasonable chance to be successful because they have the project management experience and knowledge.

However, many PMs don’t see things that way--they don’t focus on obtaining the required knowledge, they focus on meeting the qualifications and learning how to pass the exam. Look at the number of training programs available to people preparing to take the PMP. A number of these will willingly advertise “pass in x days or it’s free” type programs. Others will make it clear to students that while they aren’t allowed to discuss the contents of the exam, the training company …

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PMP: Pass vs. Learn

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