Why I’m Glad I Got My PMP
From the Voices on Project Management Blog
by Cameron McGaughy,
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Voices on Project Management offers insights, tips, advice and personal stories from project managers in different regions and industries. The goal is to get you thinking, and spark a discussion. So, if you read something that you agree with--or even disagree with--leave a comment.
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By Conrado Morlan
Over the years, I’ve had many discussions about whether project managers should pursue the Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential. Some people argue that extensive experience is much better than the knowledge they can acquire through the PMP credential.
I appreciate the value of my counterparts’ experience and respect their opinions. Before I earned my PMP certification, I shared their views. But while studying the PMBOK® Guide—my employer required all project managers to be certified within six months of hiring—I found that my experiential knowledge was enhanced by the new tools and techniques I learned about. I wished I had known about them during previous projects.
My eyes were also opened by a quote from Lewis E. Platt: “The danger of success is to think what made you successful in the past will make you successful in the future.”
The project management profession, like many others, evolves constantly. As a responsible practitioner, I need to keep my skills and knowledge current by reading the latest PMBOK® Guide edition, as well as being familiar with evolving methodologies and standards in project management.
Here’s an example of why not keeping up with the latest publications and standards can be problematic. I often hear people talk about the “triple constraint.” But that concept is not in the latest edition of the PMBOK®. Nowadays, project management is a strategic competency for organizations. It enables them to tie project results to business goals—and thus, better compete in their markets.
Finishing a project on time, on budget and within scope doesn’t necessarily help an organization meet its business goals. Today, organizations need to respond quickly to internal and external influences, which may lead to sudden changes in scope, budget, and schedule.
The need for competent project managers will persist—PMI projects that between 2010-2020, 15.7 million new project management jobs will be created in just seven project-intensive industries.
Organizations no longer look for project managers with technical skills only. They’re looking for people whose technical skills are complemented by business, strategic management, and leadership skills.
The project management profession is changing, and pursuing a certification makes it more likely that you’ll stay up to date with the times.
What’s your view on the value (or lack thereof) of the PMP certification? Share your thoughts below.
Posted
by
Conrado Morlan
on: March 30, 2016 08:01 PM |
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Comments (9)
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Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates
New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Conrado,
Great Blog - I definitely agree with you and it somehow reflects the same story I went through and how my views changed while I was studying.
Absolutely True !
Markus Kopko
Principal Project Management Consultant| Karer Consulting AG
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Good article, like Rami i do absolutly agree with you and also have same experienced.
I know some guys who "learned" project management through a lets say 5 day course many years ago and since than they think they where good or even great project managers til today ... well, some of them really are, cause of the knowledge and expereince they have obtained meanwhile and also cause they have continuusly developed and sharpened their knowledge ...others didn't and you do recognize the difference within seconds ...
The last part of you blog was excatly the reason why i do target the PBA certification this year (after obtaining PMP last year).
Regards,
Markus
Julia Cunningham
Manager Project Management| Battelle
Richland, Wa, United States
I'm glad I got my PMP. It is, however, just one arrow in the quiver of a well equipped project manager.
Steven Wong
Training Advisor/Project Lead| National Bank of Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Like Julia, I'm glad that I also got my PMP, but I think that experience in gathering some of those project management skills is also an added benefit in keeping up to date. Having almost completed a course in Agile PM, I can see where studying to obtain/maintain a PMP designation definitely has its benefits.
Julia,
I agree with you. Just because you achieve a PMP certification it does not mean you have to stop your professional development. Project Management is a profession that keeps evolving and new skills need to be acquired and mastered.
Congratulations on your PMP certification.
Rami,
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment the blog post. I am sure there are other PMPs that share our experience.
Markus,
Thank you for your comment.
I am glad to hear you are acquiring new skills and pursuing the PBA certification. I had learned after acquiring other certifications that I can apply different approaches, tools and techniques that had helped me to lead and manage projects that contributed to achieve the company's strategic goals.
Good luck in your certification journey!
Steven,
Thank you for your comment.
We both agree on Julia's comments. Good luck in the Agile world, I am sure your experience and PMP certification will complement your Agile PM certification.
Ezara Penning
Systems Administrator I| Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield, Il, United States
The project management field is continually evolving. As a credentialed PMP, I feel it is crucial that I too evolve with the profession. To that end, I stay involved with PMI. I am actively working towards additional PMI credentials and I stay current with the literature within the field.
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