James WhiteTechnical Leader| Discovery EducationChicago, Il, United States
I have 9 years of experience in I.T. most of which is in software development. Over the past two years I have been more involved in business analysis and project management. This is the way I want my career to move, but I still will have some involvement in software design and analysis. I am interested in sitting for the PMP exam in a few more years, but I am not sure if it is right for a more technically inclined PM. Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to make more sense for me to go after the PMP if I am going to be involved in more process oriented work versus technical duties. Also, I just finished up my M.S. in Information Systems (focused on E-Business and Software Engineering) this past June, so I ask whether it is worthwhile for me to go after the PMP, or should my current credentials be enough?
Thanks,
JW Saving Changes...
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Andy JordanPresident| Roffensian Consulting S.A.Cherry Grove, AB, Canada
James, Gantthead has a wealth of articles and discussions on the value of the PMP, and a lot of very good points made throughout. What is clear from all of that discussion though is that there is no simple answer to that question.
There is no getting away from the fact that the PMP is viewed by many as the industry standard, and for employers it can be a black and white determining factor. It is also a knowledge based qualification based largely on one view of project management, albeit a widely accepted view.
With your amount of knowledge and experience you won't get as much new knowledge as a less experienced PM, and there may not be as many elements that you can apply in your everyday work, but you will still get something out of it. Additionally it is certainly a resume builder. If you are looking for a qualification that will build your knowledge and prove your competency then there may be more appropriate options, although they don't carry the same weight with employers (at least in North America).
Andy Jordan, President, Roffensian Consulting Inc., www.roffensian.com Saving Changes...
Senior Advisor to the CEO| PMISterling, Va, United States
Hi James,
From looking at your profile, I think you have the hard part licked. On paper, a PMP might improve peoples perception of you as a manager as many of the activities you list could either imply "team lead" or "project manager". There are likely a lot of "project management" accomplishments in your past that you didn't add to your resume, but thats true for most of us. It's funny, but I've heard many hiring managers have a real bias against PMs that are "too technical", thinking they will spend too much time down in the weeds.
As Andy implied (and given your experience), I doubt you would have any trouble passing the test with some light training/prep - so it could be a really low overhead activity compared to what youve already done.
Saving Changes...
George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
James, I am also specialized in IT/IS field, and also came “through the ranks” up to Information Architect before switching to Project Management. Everyone’s path is different based on each one’s “luck” to get the right assignments to push your career in the direction you want, but for me adding my PMP with my MSc and technical certifications made a real difference in getting the Project Management contracts I was after. It really shows to your management or to prospective employers that you’re serious about it and not a team leader that just happens to be involved in projects. If you really want to be and be treated as a Project Manager it’s important to avoid the perception that you are what it’s called an “accidental project manager”.
One other word of caution, if I may: if as a technical specialist you did not like the project manager telling you how to do your job, try as a project manager to let the technical resources do theirs. I saw many IT project managers (and been there myself) with technical background loosing themselves into the details of “how” to get the job done, instead of focusing on “what” needs to be done. A technical lead should worry about the implementation details, as a project manager you should focus on the “big picture”: what are the stakeholders’ needs, what needs to be done to satisfy them, what are the success criteria to meet etc.
The PMP is one of the best investments you can make for yourself and your career. It is definitely worth it for anyone who is committed to a long-term career in project management. The short answer...YES go for it!!! Saving Changes...
James WhiteTechnical Leader| Discovery EducationChicago, Il, United States
Thank you all for your replies and insight on this matter. I appreciate it. Saving Changes...
Just to add my $.02, I recently obtained my PMP and I think it was well worth it. I was looking for contract work, and I found that most employers now consider PMP certification either a requirement or a strong plus when recruiting for PM positions. Whether you are technical or not, I think it is worthwhile, and if you have the proper experience, it is not that difficult to pass the test. You'll definitely want to take a prep class or find a good study guide and devote some time to it, but if you apply yourself, it should be a matter of weeks rather than months to prepare yourself.
Plus, even though I have a lot of experience, I found the process of preparing for the test to be a good educational experience. I am definitely using some of the material that I learned for the test in my current position.
Good luck! Saving Changes...
Selva Saravana PuvananthiranDelivery Lead Senior Manager| Accenture Solutions Private LimitedChennai, Tamil Nadu, India
I just wanted to mention the difference between MBA(for that matter, most of the college degrees) and PMP. You attain the degrees like MBA from a college after studying for 1,2 or three years. PMP certification is NOT like the regular degree that once you obtain, you are done!!! You need to do the commit to the project management and attain the PDUs(Professional Development Units) by doing something related to project management throughout your career to maintain the certification.
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