Certification Vs Experience

I'm a believer of that you need both (and a bit of luck). You need to present skills understand the concepts when for when you get your first job. Then when you have some further experiences and exposure aim to master these concepts. The "luck" part if finding a job that gives you that experiences and certification.

George,
Very early in my career, I had the priviledge of working for organizations that required a phased approach to learning and certification. Essentially, you learned through mentorship and on-the-job training and, when you demonstrated a certain level of competency on a consistent basis, you were given permission to certify via either examination or board review. This process was repeated as your progressed through each layer of increased responsibility. The certification was also linked directly to the performance evaluation system; which meant that an individual had to make the effort to certify as a performance criterion.
Since this type of process has gone by the wayside I would say that, in today's world, certification depends on the needs of a potential employer. I can appreciate the need for certification because it represents a few key factors about the individual. First, we learn the individual has demonstrated a specific level of knowledge within an industry or technology. Second, we learn the individual has made a commitment to either an ethical or a quality standard. If these attributes are high on the potential employer's criteria for candidate selection; then certification will assure proper filtering. However, if a potential employer prefers a candidate pool where proven experience is of critical importance.
There is a side effect to the certification versus experience debate. I'm convinced that many well intentioned professionals simply use certification as a means to gain entry into a particular field. While there isn't anything wrong or unethical about this approach, in my experience, the individual usually gets frustrated by the lack of opportunities stemming from simply "punching the right tickets". Unfortunately, in my opinion, the frustration is a direct result of the misrepresentation of high profitability associated certifications.
Thanks,
Frederick

I'm also an example of the acquire experience first path because my goal was to get a PMP. It depends on the type of certification you want. Some require experience as part of the prerequisites and others don't. I agree with Mounir and Michelle. For a new PM, having a foundation certification would give them a good base to start and it helps to demonstrate knowledge.

As an aspiring PM, what did you mean by "having a foundation certification"? My goal is to finish my college education and then find work as a PM to earn the experience and apply for my PMP. Are there other certifications that I do not need experience for and that might assist me in my venture?

Sincerely,

Ben

In regards to the PMP certification, I thought you had to have a certain number of hours of experience managing projects before you could even apply for the certification? I am earning my Bachelor's in Project Management then I hope to find a position as a PM, or even volunteer to earn the required hours to take the exam.

Hey Ben. Check out PMI's CAPM Exam Preparation. You should qualify for the exam under Option 2.

Good for you Benjamin! I wish you well in finding a PM position. Remember, experience can be gained under a number of titles and at entry level positions that pay a salary, as long as you are doing PM work. Coordinator, Business Analyst, some System Analyst perform PM work with out the title. However, you might pursue the CAPM certification to help jump start your career. You do not have to have PM experience to sit for that exam, and your degree should cover the education requirements:
Prerequisites
Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent)
1,500 hours of project experience

or
23 hours of project management education completed by the time you sit for the exam