I was recently divorced and need to start my career over. I have over 15 years in Marketing project management but not sure what makes the most sense to further my career and maximize earning potential. I just started a MBA in Management/Project Management online but I am hearing that an MBA is not necessary. It will take two years to complete.
I know that I need my PMP certification but I have been told that I should look to get Scrum Master, SAFe, and then Microsoft Project, Microsoft Vizio, and Azure. Is there an order I should take these in or are there other certifications that are more important. I think initially I could find a job as a Marketing Project Manager but I would want to earn more so I think an industry change is necessary.
So my questions are do I continue the MBA for the next two years. Aside from the PMP what certifications are necessary?
Thanks for your responses in advance. Saving Changes...
The PMP is the only PM credential which tends to be asked for by head hunters and hiring managers. Most others might be differentiators but you'd need a savvy hiring manager to be aware of the value or scope of the credential for it to be of value.
If you are looking to change industries or types of projects, a credential won't help you much as they will be looking for domain experience. You might need to find other ways to get that first before stepping in to a PM role.
Master's degrees are for more than just landing your next job given the costs and effort involved. And outside of a couple of specific verticals (e.g. higher education, engineering), it would be more of a nice-to-have than a must have for landing a PM role.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Daniel
I totally agree with Kiron's point of view. Personally, I find industry specific certifications are more valuable these days for landing a job than a higher education university degree. I am not trying to undermine the Masters degree but that's the reality of things these days and this is coming from someone who hold both Higher Education degree and more than 50 certifications.
That said, you need to be aware, that at the end of the day, a certification doesn't necessarily mean you have the experience or can do the job. It is merely an indication that someone has an in-depth knowledge in PM processes, tools, techniques and so on.
Given your situation, I am not sure the MBA will help much with your transition. I would highly recommend to go for the PMP and PMI-ACP and then you can do your MBA.
While I would not discourage you from the MBA path, I think technical certifications would add more to your resume if you are changing career paths.
The masters degree is generally sought more for senior and principle technical positions. It is one part technical competence in a domain, often combined with business school classes as the senior tech roles often require translating tech into business value. A masters in PM seems best suited to someone starting or running a PMO, rather than an entry into PM.
It's probably also going to take you closer to 3 years. 2 years equates to 2 classes per full semester and one over the summer which is a LOT of work, especially if you have 2 labor intensive courses at the same time. A couple of my semesters were brutal on top of a full time job. According to my university department head, most people who do poorly in a masters program do so because they overload themselves.
Certifications in software are relatively short, easy and my be very useful, especially in less senior positions which involve more technical than strategic skills. Certifications in approaches like SAFe are more involved and fit best on a resume with experience how you used them effectively.
If changing career paths, I think that for the next few years, certifications will add more value to your resume, but after that you may decide the masters will help your advancement to higher levels. Saving Changes...
Kristin MeridethSenior Project Manager| HCA HealthcareRichmond Hill, GA, United States
Hi Daniel,
Some great advice and insight from the contributors above for sure. I will tell you, from my side I started as Project Manager with a Masters degree and they didn't care about that degree at all. It didn't factor into pay in the slightest. After finishing my MBA I decided to get my PMP. I am with the same organization and I now make 25% more than when I started on the Project team 4 years ago. I also get many headhunters in my inbox on LinkedIn, so from the starting fresh perspective I would focus on PMP and then finish your Masters. That would put you in a spot to potentially work into a leadership role within the project sector later on.
Best of luck on your new chapter! Saving Changes...
Thank you all for your responses. This has been very difficult decision to make on what is the best track to set myself up for success. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Daniel
different qualifications serve different purposes.
Studying for 2 years, like for the MBA, gives you a lifelong title but maybe not an immediate job or even more salary. They supply you with a basic understanding of a range of business related areas, not so much practical experience (except when you select a practically relevant thesis).
Midterm certifications (takes roughly 4 months and 200 hours to prepare) like PMP are more practical and hence, once you prove you can apply the knowledge and have a professional confidence, can lead to a good job position and better salary. PMI publishes a salary survey every 2 years, also showing the benefits of certifications. PMP has a reputation now after more than 25 years in existence. It is known that PMP requires persistance and shows you have it.
Shortterm certifications like a scrum master or Prince2 (learned in about one week) may be necessary for a specific job and can be obtained if deemed necessary. But they do not give you a base for a career. The shortterm technical certifications I obtained 40 years ago (like programming in PL/1) are worthless today, a MBA is still valued, as is a PMP.
The shortterm leadership skills learning though persists.
Thomas Saving Changes...
Ernest Roberts IIIRoberts Consulting Engineers, PLLCMatteson, Il, United States
Good Evening! Is there a website for PMP Consultants to get linked to organizations that hire PMP Professionals??
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1 reply by Kiron Bondale
Oct 31, 2022 7:37 AM
Kiron Bondale
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Ernest -
Other than regional focused PM boutique recruiting firms or the job sites of some Chapters, your best bet is to stick with good recruiting firms and networking at PM events.
Good Evening! Is there a website for PMP Consultants to get linked to organizations that hire PMP Professionals??
Ernest -
Other than regional focused PM boutique recruiting firms or the job sites of some Chapters, your best bet is to stick with good recruiting firms and networking at PM events.
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