I have been managing project for 3.5 years in a PMO environment. Gained vast experience, however i don't have PMP qualification.
I have been shortlisted for every job that i applied for. Went for the first interview, and that was it !!! I guess PMP does make the difference.
So does experience not count ? Saving Changes...
Sort By:
Kristina Frazier-HenryDigital Practice Leader| Fusion AllianceFishers, In, United States
Mahendra, I was just having this discussion last night with someone who used to work for me. He's a fantastic PM - head and shoulders above many and I would hire him in a minute if I could. The reality of this job market however, is that having the PMP designation is a way for a potential employer to filter out those people who title themselves as "project managers". I'm sure you've run across developers or people managers (or others) who call themselves "project managers" yet really what they did was provide SME or people management support to a project team - i.e. they didn't create PM specific deliverables.
My recommendation is to bite the bullet and get your certification. Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Mahendra, I quite agree with Kristina. Experience does count, but the PMP credential is one of many "tie-breakers". And other professional credentials and certifications also weigh in. Based upon your technology background and industry, pursue as much professional training and as many professional credentials as you can get and seek to apply them in the workplace. The combination of training, credentials, and successful application (experience) makes for a compelling and very competive candidate. Best of luck..! -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
Anonymous
This is a great topic. I am in the process of enrolling in a certification program online to get certified. I am getting lots of calls and e-mails from different online universities. Can anyone recommend one in particular? Saving Changes...
Mahendra Lutchman's post is correct. The PMP credential certainly is the tie-breaker between two skilled and experienced PMs applying for a similar job.
It's like being a super expert on the law, but never sitting for the Bar exam. It's one thing to merely write "experienced project manager" on your resume (all you need is MS-Word and spell-checker) and another to have credibility when you put those words on your resume.
Some people with "project manager" titles complain that they don't need "any stinking test" to make them a project manager. Their 20 years in the trenches is what does it. Well, if they really know their stuff as PMs and have been successful managing schedules, budgets and resources to bring project deliverables in on time and in scope, then they should do well on the PMP cert after a bit of studying. Those who only have "trench" time but no solid grasp of PM methodologies and practices will find the cert questions very confusing and probably complain that it's just B.S. they need to "memorize." They think that project management is just "common sense." They are probably still doing things the same (probably incorrect) way they did 15 or more years ago. Such people are not project managers and the PMP cert will filter them out. Recruiters and hiring managers know this and use the PMP to filter these people out.
Prove to hiring managers that you have both the experience (which PMI audits before you can get certified) and a grasp of the PM profession by getting yourself certified.
Saving Changes...
Andree Emsley PMPIT Project Manager| Coventry Health CareAvondale, Az, United States
Go for the PMP certification. You will never regret it. Never. Saving Changes...
The title ‘Project Manager’ has been used more often than not to denote some level of supervisor. I have known an individual who called himself a PM, had PM on his email signature and most likely puts his job title on his resume that of a Project Manager. The fact however is he is in no way shape or form a PM. His job duties include setting up workstations in people’s offices and troubleshooting PC issue, in sense he’s a PC Helpdesk guy. However since he has 4 other individuals under him he decided he’s a Project Manager. If he was competing for a job with an employer against someone all they would see is that they both had jobs as PMs. The PMP cert helps differentiate a self proclaimed PM with someone who has PM experience and has shown the initiative to take the test. This is the number one reason I decided to obtain this certification. So as stated below, knock it out and you’ll be glad you did. Saving Changes...
Shawn O'MalleyIT Manager II| AmazonTemecula, Ca, United States
I've just finished up the online Project Management Certificate program at UC Irvine, it's definately one of the better programs out there. Saving Changes...
Francis LovellDelivery & Scheduling Administrator| Raydon CorporationPort Orange, Fl, United States
I have several years working on different types of projects. Some are logisitcs orientated, construction and others. I have more than three years worth, but how do I document everthing that I have done. The longest project was for one year. The rest are scatered over several years. I do not refer to myself as a PM. I realize what is required for that title. I may just sit for the CAPM exam. Any ideas? Any suggestions as to how to get EVM certified as well?
Thanks.. Saving Changes...
HEMAM RANJIT KUMAR SINGHFounder & Director| TechSure Global Consultancy LLPGuwahati, Assam, India
Some informative discussions from the past !!! Happy to join though quite late.
You've really initiated an excellent discussion by here!
Saying that, nothing to add. Just agreeing with the very well written words in the contribution of Jerry Bucknoff.
I believe that if you are looking to be recognized as a PM, you need to listen to the experienced ones first. If PMI was created to help focus in a disciplined way to conduct the projects in the past and along this time has improved and implemented many processes through researchs and tools to adapt what matters most in this subject, of course there is a diferentiation between the certified professionals and those that, even considering all the cumulated experience, aren't.
Good lucky and all the best in your "walking" to the PMP certification.
"Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world."
