PMP A-OK?
June 14, 2009 7:54 PM Subscribe
Do you have a Project Management Professional Certificate? If so, how has it improved your earnings and/or employment opportunities and how do employers see the qualification?
I'll offer a counter point - the best project manager I worked with had her PMP certification. Its only one data point, but I've worked with several project managers, and she was the only PMP certified, and by in far the best.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 8:31 PM on June 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 8:31 PM on June 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Certification, as opposed to scholastic credentials, is generally seen in my field (mechanical engineering) as fluff; and people who take certificates seriously or sport more than two hard-core, difficult-to-get ones (e.g. certification from the American Vacuum Society for competence in residual gas analysis, signed by Ronald Outlaw) on their résumés are considered weenies.
posted by jet_silver at 8:34 PM on June 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by jet_silver at 8:34 PM on June 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
In some areas/industries, it's a requirement (many of the Puget Sound tech firms, Boeing, etc).
Of course right now there are so many unemployed PMPs (I'm one of them) that I'm not sure *what* would help.
I'd been doing project management for a while before I got my cert (as you must in order to even qualify to sit for the test), but I found that studying for/taking the test helped me understand some areas that often warrant closer attention.
Centerweight - I know a few of the folks you're talking about, and it seems that PMI really likes that style, the test in some ways caters to it. But please don't confuse good process with 'command and control' - you probably aren't, but I've heard of some places that think PMPs are too much into process; if you take the process out of Project Management - well, you don't have much left. Plenty of room for creativity, though.
posted by dbmcd at 8:35 PM on June 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
Of course right now there are so many unemployed PMPs (I'm one of them) that I'm not sure *what* would help.
I'd been doing project management for a while before I got my cert (as you must in order to even qualify to sit for the test), but I found that studying for/taking the test helped me understand some areas that often warrant closer attention.
Centerweight - I know a few of the folks you're talking about, and it seems that PMI really likes that style, the test in some ways caters to it. But please don't confuse good process with 'command and control' - you probably aren't, but I've heard of some places that think PMPs are too much into process; if you take the process out of Project Management - well, you don't have much left. Plenty of room for creativity, though.
posted by dbmcd at 8:35 PM on June 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
I personally believe that certified or not, what is going to make the difference is your personal ability to manage a project using the right tools for the project. In some cases that means using PMP techniques. In others, maybe Scrum is a better bet. Sometimes you should just let chaos happen and things will get done. It really depends on the project. What is more important than the certification is the training and ability to use all the right tools. Success is its own certification. Show that on a resume and the paper doesn't matter.
Anecdotally, I recently went through CSM Plus certification. In my class of a dozen people, four or five were PMPs from a very large, global company. They were very good at doing their PMPing and had a wealth of experience and success underneath them. If you want to see a PMP squirm and writhe, suggest they add Scrum as a tool to their belt and put them at the same table with some people who have had great success with Scrum too.
posted by boba at 5:25 AM on June 15, 2009
Anecdotally, I recently went through CSM Plus certification. In my class of a dozen people, four or five were PMPs from a very large, global company. They were very good at doing their PMPing and had a wealth of experience and success underneath them. If you want to see a PMP squirm and writhe, suggest they add Scrum as a tool to their belt and put them at the same table with some people who have had great success with Scrum too.
posted by boba at 5:25 AM on June 15, 2009
Anecdote: Back in the day, I worked in a Helpdesk/Sys Admin office and only 1 person out of the dozen or so in the office had his MCSE. He was utterly useless and we had him sort cables while the rest of us did work.
That said, many years later, I am now a PMP and think very highly of the toolset that studying for the exam and following a methodology has given me. Nothing replaces instinct (gained through experience) and creativity, however, and the PMP methodology doesn't always fit perfectly with every situation.
Depending on the industry you're looking at, PMP is a requirement or preferred for all PM jobs. In a more...buttoned down industry like insurance, finance, airplane-making, you'll find PMP's sought after and appreciated (as much as any organization appreciates PM's). In a more creative industry, such as software development, entertainment, etc, you may find that PMP's are rejected because they try to put too much structure around a fast-moving, always-changing process.
Personally, I've found it a big help to my career and great for networking. YMMV.
posted by bluejayway at 2:10 PM on June 15, 2009
That said, many years later, I am now a PMP and think very highly of the toolset that studying for the exam and following a methodology has given me. Nothing replaces instinct (gained through experience) and creativity, however, and the PMP methodology doesn't always fit perfectly with every situation.
Depending on the industry you're looking at, PMP is a requirement or preferred for all PM jobs. In a more...buttoned down industry like insurance, finance, airplane-making, you'll find PMP's sought after and appreciated (as much as any organization appreciates PM's). In a more creative industry, such as software development, entertainment, etc, you may find that PMP's are rejected because they try to put too much structure around a fast-moving, always-changing process.
Personally, I've found it a big help to my career and great for networking. YMMV.
posted by bluejayway at 2:10 PM on June 15, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by centerweight at 8:21 PM on June 14, 2009