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September 9, 2021

The Complete Guide To Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification

Are you a project manager looking to take your career to the next level? Then getting the PMP certification is one of the best things that you can do. This article will discuss what PMP is, and why it's beneficial for your career if you get certified. We'll also go over how much it costs to get certified as well as who should be interested in pursuing this certification.

What Is PMP Certification?

In the world of project management, PMP certification is among one of the most coveted. It requires an extensive amount of education and experience to be able to successfully take on a leadership role in this field. The credential shows that you're ready for anything – from managing your own team, or directing large-scale projects across many departments simultaneously.

PMP stands for Project Management Professional, and it's a certification that shows your skills in project management. There are many jobs out there where you need to know how to manage projects effectively; so if you're looking to upgrade from being an employee into starting up your own business or managing other people's businesses then this certificate will definitely be worth it.

The PMP certification process is designed to help you work with all the necessary components that are in a project management setting. You'll learn how to handle communication, time and cost constraints as well as understanding what influences these three aspects when it comes to managing projects effectively. The course also covers building your own methodology for approaching any type of challenge.

The PMP certification is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The exam consists of 180 questions that must be completed in 230 minutes. It's composed of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot, and limited fill-in-the-blank questions PMP do not reveal the passing rate for the PMP exam. The report card format for PMP only shows the target level for each domain: Above Target, Target, Below Target, and Needs Improvement. Based on previous records and updates from PMP in 2005, candidates will need a score of 61% or higher on each section to pass.

As of 2021, the exam fee is $555 for non-PMI (Project Management Institute) members and $405 for PMI members. A PMI membership is $129 annually or a new member paid an initial one-time fee of $10 to join PMI. There are plenty of online resources to prepare for this course. If you're considering taking this course, it's important to know what your goals are before deciding on a duration. The PMP certification is done over 120 hours of studying, which consists of learning general knowledge and skills about project management and specific content areas such as planning, executing, monitoring, controlling projects.

How Does A PMP Certificate Create Value For Your Career?

PMP Certificates can open many doors when it comes to career prospects. Individuals who hold these high level credentials are ideally positioned for success across multiple industries due their multifaceted skill set; from being able to lead projects themselves, all the way up through elevated managerial ranks like managers, CEOs etc., professionals with this certification really stand out among others holding traditional degrees where there's less demand on their specific expertise than someone whose focus has been solely around Project Managership.

A professional with project management training is best suited for the following roles:

  • Director of Project Management/Project Management Office (PMO)
  • Portfolio Manager
  • Program Manager
  • Project Management Specialist
  • Project Management Consultant

How To Get A PMP Certification

Here is a step-by-step guide to getting your Project Management Professional certification.

1) Meet the PMP certification requirements

To take the PMP exam, please make sure you have either one of the following:

  • Project managers should have at least 35 hours of project management course training and at least 36 months of project management experience if they have a four-year degree.
  • 35 hours of project management course training and 60 months of experience as an associate degree or high school diploma.

In order to waive the training requirement, you must have CAPM certification.

2) Start applying!

To start your application to take the PMP exam, register with PMI and provide basic personal information like educational background and project experience.

Once you’ve been approved, you pay the fee for your assigned test and schedule a time for taking it. You can be notified by email when your eligibility has been confirmed or if there was an issue with your application.

3) Prepare, prepare, prepare!

To get ready for the exam, you can either enroll in a preparatory course or study on your own. Coursework should take anywhere from 60 hours to 120 hours depending on how frequently you study.

4) Take the PMP exam

The exam can be taken near you in a testing facility or online. It takes about four hours to complete the exam.

5) Maintain your certification

The PMP certification has a three-year validity period. You'll need to spend 60 hours of professional development over that time frame to maintain it, or else you can take the exam again.

Is The PMP Certification Worth It? 

The answer to this question is subjective; some people may find that the price of getting certified as well as the time commitment are not valuable for their specific needs. However, there's no denying that if you're in a field where project management skills will be beneficial then this certificate is essential to your career.

The PMP certification process is designed to help you work with all of the necessary components that are in a project management setting. You'll learn how to handle communication, time and cost constraints as well as understanding what influences these three aspects when it comes to managing projects effectively. The course also covers building your own methodology for approaching any type of challenge.

To learn more, take a look at the following resources: 

  • PMI's website for information on how PMP certification works and who should pursue it 
  • The Wikipedia page or other online articles for general knowledge about the benefits of getting certified 
  • Blog posts that discusses some of the reasons why you might want to get certified as well as what types of jobs can benefit from obtaining this certificate

No matter what your decision may be, do remember that if you have the time and funds to spare, getting an additional certification never hurts, especially one that will not only level you up (professionally and personally) but will also propel you to a higher position and pay!


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