Valer Eugen DemianMechanical Engineer| Whitewater WestPort Moody, British Columbia, Canada
Experience should come first; however in my own case until I passed the PMP exam nobody took me seriously or considered me for PM opportunities. Lots of people call themselves "project managers"...
There is a lot of misconception and lack of knowledge about the profession out there. Most opportunities require certifications like PMP, etc and in a lot of cases you can tell from the job descriptions they have very little idea what that means; still if you don't have it, you are out of luck!
Another angle to look at is what getting those certifications do to you: are they value added to what you already have? Obtaining the PMP was for sure a step forward in my case and I hope it would lead to an exciting future.
...
1 reply by John Tieso
May 15, 2017 8:50 AM
John Tieso
...
One of the critical problems of business and industry in virtually demanding certifications is the creation of a large circle. Without the certification, it becomes increasingly impossible to gain entrance to experience designed to prepare you for the credentials, and, conversely, we end up with large numbers of those with credentials but no experience. Somehow, there has to be a way to prevent the 'casting-in-stone' of these requirements that make it hard for new entrants to make a difference.
Jess De OcampoLean Six Sigma Professional/Project Manager/Consultant/| .Manila, Ncr, Philippines
I acquired experience first before pursuing the certification. It was knowledge gained through experience. Experience gave me a better understanding, appreciation and comprehension of the knowledge you gain from books. I found it easier to integrate and apply the knowledge/theories, standards you read from the books through continuous practice and experience. Not to mention the wisdom you gain through experience. As the cliche goes, "experience is the best teacher." I was just fortunate that one of my previous companies provided certification training for Six Sigma Green Belt/Lean Six Sigma integrated with project management for our team.
As you acquire experience, you must take the initiative to continually hone your knowledge and skills by pursuing a certification. As companies continue to innovate, management practices evolve, learning must not stop. Learning is a lifelong experience.
You mentioned that companies do not hire if you do not have the certification, that is a sad reality but NOT for all companies.
HIGHLIGHT and expound on your resume your project management exposure/experiences... you can manage and lead a team. You may inform the interviewer that you have acquired the pm experience but just lack the certification but you are already preparing for the pmp certification. Once you earn your certification, you're not just a "paper PMP."
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
This question keeps coming up, and we see more and more people taking free on-line courses and adding suggested certification letters...
Joe X, ABC
Jane X, ABC
It is a rush to make people, providers or recruiters think they do have a certain knowledge, but are reluctant to take certification tests from leading institutes.
Some says it's because costs are lower or even free...
I don't know, what do you think? Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
It is a very sensitive topic on both sides, and guess it's in the hands of recruiters...
Anyone can add a few letters to their signature. Saving Changes...
John RiceSustainment Engineer| Lockheed MartinHarmony, Fl, United States
Mar 31, 2016 9:13 PM
Replying to Michelle Daigle
...
I'm an example of the experience first path and am happy with how my career has played out, but I often recommend the other path to aspiring PMs, and agree with Mournir. I think a new PM will have an easier first break into the field with some formal education to give them an advantage over other junior candidates.
Michelle I too took the same path. What I am experiencing is employers do not want to invest in your learning curve Saving Changes...
Daniel LuderManager| Industrial Project ManagementPerth Western Australia, Wa, Australia
Hi George,
Experience in a project management driven industry makes the study to certification much easier. The smaller the project the better. Its like learning a craft or a trade in this environment. Some companies seem to create a culture with many project management tools and techniques as part of their day to day business. This is where I learned the right way.
I personally don't think the approach to study for certification first is going to work well, but that's me. Even with experience, I struggle with terminology and gaps in my knowledge.
Actual construction projects seem to be stuck in the old world and I didn't see much application or project management concepts down to the extended team levels. Just uncoordinated reshuffle of human resources,crashed plans and endless rework, but may be the projects I have exposed to were simply too large for any company to accomplish.
After all knowing the difference is a great take away for me.
I had many years of experience before I worked on my certification. When I was working on my graduate degree, I took several project management courses. Many of the participants told me they were going to sit for the exam after graduating.
At the same time I was also involved in a Project Management training program with the organization I worked for that was specifically meant as a PMP prep. The college courses were no way meant or designed as a PMP prep course except to demonstrate the basic principles of project management or for an entry level certificate. Saving Changes...
John TiesoAuthor, Lecturer in Business Management| The Catholic University of America, Busch School of Business & EconomicsArlington, Va, United States
Apr 07, 2017 3:18 PM
Replying to Valer Eugen Demian
...
Experience should come first; however in my own case until I passed the PMP exam nobody took me seriously or considered me for PM opportunities. Lots of people call themselves "project managers"...
There is a lot of misconception and lack of knowledge about the profession out there. Most opportunities require certifications like PMP, etc and in a lot of cases you can tell from the job descriptions they have very little idea what that means; still if you don't have it, you are out of luck!
Another angle to look at is what getting those certifications do to you: are they value added to what you already have? Obtaining the PMP was for sure a step forward in my case and I hope it would lead to an exciting future.
One of the critical problems of business and industry in virtually demanding certifications is the creation of a large circle. Without the certification, it becomes increasingly impossible to gain entrance to experience designed to prepare you for the credentials, and, conversely, we end up with large numbers of those with credentials but no experience. Somehow, there has to be a way to prevent the 'casting-in-stone' of these requirements that make it hard for new entrants to make a difference. Saving Changes...
