Do we have enough jobs to place the rising growth of PMP certification holders?
RICHA LAMAProgram Delivery lead| ScotiabankNew Delhi, Delhi, India
Due to the lockdown which began in early March in most parts of the world and the shift to work from home or job cuts taken precedence, we have witnessed a remarkable and steady increase of PMI certification holders. This makes me ponder over few burning questions. 1) Certainly with the downturn of economy in most parts of the world and stalling of projects, there are not enough jobs to place all these certified PMP, CAPM or ACP professionals. Do you see this risk continue for more years to come. Would we have enough jobs in the future to employ these professionals or would they risk at a negative burn out and resultant devaluing of PMP certification. 2) Is there a risk of PMP certification getting devalued which once used to be so prestigious as very limited number of people would be able to pass the same. Now with the steady rise in number of certification holders and a probable risk of not enough jobs and increase in rise of unemployed PMP’s, does this certification risk of losing value. Please note these are random thoughts going on in my mind and I would be happy to welcome any clarity of thoughts from other experts and professionals. Saving Changes...
The pandemic is hitting the job market in general, and traditional "office jobs" are often easier to perform from home than jobs where you must be physically on-site so I don't see PMs being particularly impacted as a job role. The typical knowledge level and experience required even provides some additional security.
My entire team of PMs was eliminated earlier this year due for reasons largely unrelated to the pandemic, and every person quickly found other opportunities. The core competencies of PMs are very transferable.
I also don't think a larger number of PMs devalues the credentials. It's often very useful in job roles where your primary function is not as a dedicated PM. Senior technical roles often need the same skills. They may not be the people who execute projects from cradle to grave, but they are often the people who architect the high level SOW and requirements that a project team will be assembled to further plan and execute.
Often people I see with PMPs in my daily life are not classified as PMs, but are at a high enough level professionally where the business acumen, leadership skills, and technical integration across many teams are essential to job performance. They are the business analysts, the systems engineers, lead engineers, and various other job titles that work closely with the PMs in an organization. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
In my opinion, the key point is: general speaking, organizations do not hire people because they have a certification. Organizations hire people because the practical experience they demonstrate in the field. In fact, if you look at project management job postings most of them state about certification "desirable" but not mandatory. Saving Changes...
Michelle CampbellProject Manager/Program ManagerPlano, Tx, United States
I choose not to approach from a point of competition or scarcity mindset.
A client (and that what an employer is) doesn’t choose me because I have a PMP or any other certification. They choose me because of my knowledge, wealth of applicable experience and ability to immediately add value.
I can only control me and the conversations I choose to have with my client. Saving Changes...
Ashish BhartiTechnician| American Electric PowerLynchburg, Va, United States
Your post made me search for trend of PMP certification holders. I found that, as on 31st July 2020 there are 1,036,367 certification holders. There is a 4% increase in the interest in PMP in 2020 as compared to previous years. As per the trend observed in previous years there is usually a jump in PMP certifications whenever a new PMBOK edition or exam change is announced. So I believe COVID-19 (or the lockdown) is not the primary reason for the increase in the PMI certification holders.
Every decade has at least one disaster which sends the world economy a few years back. 2008 recession, dot.com bubble burst, EU debt crisis, etc. are a few to name. Like other disasters, world will recover from this one too. Now let me share my views on the specific concerns that you have raised.
1.) I think it's smart to get the certification and gain skills when there is a downturn in the economy. It pays off when the uptrend begins.
2.) For the future of jobs you might wanna take a look at the "The Future of Jobs Report 2020" by WEF. Out of top 20 job roles in increasing demand across industries, Project Manager role is ranked number 11.
I do not think that more people having the certificate is going to cause the PMP certification to lose its value. It's good to have random thoughts and its even better to discuss these thoughts to gain a broader perspective.
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1 reply by Susan Marangos
Dec 01, 2020 5:20 PM
Susan Marangos
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As Ashish mentioned, a lot of people upskill during a downturn. During the 2008 recession I went to grad school (something I planned to do anyway but made more sense at the time.)
This year I worked on certifications and classes.
A PMP is a pretty widely applicable thing - considering that there's projects in every industry and every function in a company may run projects it makes sense that more people are pursuing certification. That said, it's really going to go by expereince and expertise for jobs in addition to education and certifications.
I'll give a real world example. I can apply for a project manager job in green construction. I know nothing about green construction, I have zero experience in this field so even with my PMP I'm not going to get the job because the hiring manager is likely going to want someone with experience and knowledge of the industry.
Your post made me search for trend of PMP certification holders. I found that, as on 31st July 2020 there are 1,036,367 certification holders. There is a 4% increase in the interest in PMP in 2020 as compared to previous years. As per the trend observed in previous years there is usually a jump in PMP certifications whenever a new PMBOK edition or exam change is announced. So I believe COVID-19 (or the lockdown) is not the primary reason for the increase in the PMI certification holders.
Every decade has at least one disaster which sends the world economy a few years back. 2008 recession, dot.com bubble burst, EU debt crisis, etc. are a few to name. Like other disasters, world will recover from this one too. Now let me share my views on the specific concerns that you have raised.
1.) I think it's smart to get the certification and gain skills when there is a downturn in the economy. It pays off when the uptrend begins.
2.) For the future of jobs you might wanna take a look at the "The Future of Jobs Report 2020" by WEF. Out of top 20 job roles in increasing demand across industries, Project Manager role is ranked number 11.
I do not think that more people having the certificate is going to cause the PMP certification to lose its value. It's good to have random thoughts and its even better to discuss these thoughts to gain a broader perspective.
As Ashish mentioned, a lot of people upskill during a downturn. During the 2008 recession I went to grad school (something I planned to do anyway but made more sense at the time.)
This year I worked on certifications and classes.
A PMP is a pretty widely applicable thing - considering that there's projects in every industry and every function in a company may run projects it makes sense that more people are pursuing certification. That said, it's really going to go by expereince and expertise for jobs in addition to education and certifications.
I'll give a real world example. I can apply for a project manager job in green construction. I know nothing about green construction, I have zero experience in this field so even with my PMP I'm not going to get the job because the hiring manager is likely going to want someone with experience and knowledge of the industry. Saving Changes...
Asif GulConsultant Project Manager| Energoprojekt EntelMuscat, Oman
You have exactly pointed-out to the right Risk, with the continuously rising numbers of PMP's and simultaneous downtrend in world economy , a drastic devaluation is imminent, at least for next 1 or 2 years.
Besides PMI should re-evaluate the certification examination process ,as now the trend as i see in many aspirants is to quickly digest the material and sit in the exam, without having practical experience of Project Management and/or any sincere desire on application of it . Mushroom growth of learning platforms and trainers , which help & support one, to quickly crack the exam adds fuel to the fire. Saving Changes...
Any aspiring project manager is always going to be more attractive as a candidate if s/he has experience PLUS certification. The certification tells the recruiter that this person has spent a lot of her/his own time working hard to achieve that credential, which shows commitment, focus, resolve, and a longer term vision. That's the kind of person I want to have working for me. Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
If the economy is moving towards a projectized economy, like some PM gurus are forecasting, project managers will remain in high demand. The role of the PM will need to morph accordingly, which triggered PMI acquisition of Disciplined Agile (and cannibilizing its own Agile Certified Practitioner certificate).
In my view, PMs (or whichever term is derived in the future) will be in high demand. That being said, and like in many other professions, possessing a certification cannot or should not outweight the experience and references from previous customers/employers. Saving Changes...
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