To be or not to be a PMP

The Project Brief, Saturday, October 21th, 4 min read.

There is no doubt in my mind that those three letters after your name add an aura of credibility in everyone's eyes.

Unfair as it may seem, there are those who have it and those who don't.

I met some good project managers who didn't have this certification and who were very competent.

The one thing they had in common was the number of years' experience behind the tie. Over time, if you put your mind to it, competence develops.

But what if you put in the time, and after a certain number of years of practice, you commit yourself to taking the PMI exam?

That's what I did. After ten years as a project manager, I enrolled in a week-long bootcamp with my local PMI, with a view to becoming a PMP.

The only thing I regret is not having done it sooner.

Reviewing all the concepts of project management in an accelerated mode (the PMI bootcamp is a full week), explained by experts in their fields, made me realize just how vast project management is and how varied its solutions are.

I came out of the week pumped up and delighted.

I didn't wait to start preparing for the exam.

Some people get their PMP certification very quickly after becoming a project manager. This is not my case, and I doubt that the learning process is optimal when you obtain this certification too soon.

You have to give yourself time to try things out for yourself, to experiment and then fall flat on your face, trying to catch up and fix the situation, or blaming yourself for making things worse.

Earlier I mentioned that I regretted not having taken it sooner. Now I'm telling you not to take your PMP too quickly, to give yourself time to build up your experience first.

The PMI requires a certain number of hours of recognized experience directly related to project management to become eligible to take the exam.

Personally, I think that a minimum of 6 years of full-time project management experience is the most optimal way to combine practical experience and study-related knowledge to pass the exam.

Comparing my experience as a project manager with the latest practices in the field helped me confirm my good reflexes and identify the areas where I needed to improve.

Going through all the project management knowledge areas and processes has given me a mental map of a project's path, from birth to closure, which literally allows me to see in advance the stages that will pose particular challenges.

But bootcamp is only part of the solution. Becoming a PMP means making a personal commitment to study for the exam for a certain period of time. This period of study allows you to deepen your knowledge even further, and to put the concepts you've learned directly into practice as a project manager.

There are several sites devoted to preparing for the PMP exam. You should get as much information as possible from them, as they often offer very practical information for taking the exam, such as sample questions and a review of some of the key concepts presented in the project manager's bible, the PMBOK (Project Management Book of Knowledge), but in a more accessible, less back-breaking style.

Study time is different for everyone. Some will take 40 hours to prepare, others 120. The important thing is to feel ready, because you want to pass on the first try. Several retakes are possible, but you need to wait a certain amount of time before you can retake. It's better to arrive over-prepared than under-prepared.

No one ever comes out of an exam thinking they've studied too much. So do your homework, make summaries, get flashcards, go to sites that talk about it, but don't skimp on the effort to reach your goal.

what does the future hold for you as a PMP?

There's my life before PMP, and then there's my life after.

Right now I don't work for a company that swears by project managers who have their PMP certification, but I know that if I got the job, it's because I have that certification.

Let me tell you something. I've gotten every job I've applied for since I've had this certification. I'm sure that between two applicants with equivalent experience, one with the certification and one without, that the one who is PMP will have a good chance of being chosen.

People's attitudes towards you also change, because you have proof, in the form of three letters at the end of your name, that you've put special attention and effort into being part of a credible, internationally recognized organization that promotes better project management practices and obliges continuing education for its members.

Becoming a PMP means boosting your confidence and credibility, and gaining access to doors that weren't open before.

Feel free to share this letter with those who could benefit from it.