Would you like to add PMI into your resume? A PMI certification, wherein PMI is an acronym for Project Management Institute, shows an individual’s competence in the field of project management. Hence, it is important for a professional to earn this certification because it is proof that you have the knowledge and skills needed to handle corporate management duties.
There are unique processes involved with acquiring a PMI certification, along with various types of certification that you can get depending on the area of focus for your studies.
About PMI Certification
PMI or Project Management Institute is one of the top credentials in the global employment scene, which aims to certify one’s skills in the field of project management. There are five specific credentials under this main skills recognition, which aim to delve onto more specific types of skills and knowledge.
There are specific duties and responsibilities expected off of a project manager in an organization. Hence, securing certification is one way to showcase that one is able to handle the job. The more advanced your knowledge in the field of project management, the higher the salary range and job position that you can fill in. However, there are several steps you need to comply with before you can get that certification. The requirements range from educational requirements, to work experience, or any other additional training to ensure you have specialized skills.
Different Types of Certification
There are several types of PMI certification and programs that you can choose from. Hence, it pays to evaluate each one to better decide what kind of program would work best in your working environment and what class will benefit you. You can get more details about each type below:
1. PMP – This is an acronym for Project Management Professional, which is one of the most important types of PMI certification. The main focus of this training is one developing skills or knowledge required for effective project management. Other important skills that you will learn aside from project management include budgeting, scheduling, and resource management.
2. PGMP – These professionals, also known as program management professionals, are assigned with the task of project manager. Thus, this type of certification class will aim to provide individuals with the skills to initiate and define a project. A work experience of at least 4 years is required before you can enroll into this program.
3. CAPM – This program literally translates to Certified Associated in Project Management, wherein someone with this kind of certification is responsible for handling the functional areas of an organization. You need to have either a diploma degree or high school degree before you can enroll into this class. If not, you must either have at least 1,500 hours of working experience or 23 hours of training related to project management.
4. PMI-SP – The acronym stands for PMI scheduling professional, which is intended to manage and organize schedule of a project or event. Since this is a more specific type of certification, the requirements for taking a certification class are not too stiff as the broader management professionals.
5. PMI-RMP – This program is dedicated in developing skills and knowledge needed to develop a risk management professional (RMP). It is their responsibility to identify and handle any threats to a project.
As you can see, there is a different focus for each program. You can choose from any of these specific programs depending on which area of project management you want to practice or focus your study on.
Is PMI Certification Important?
There are several merits to having PMI certification that will open up endless opportunities to your career. Management is a viable discipline that requires proper skills and knowledge, which is why someone must have training and experience before they can take on project management duties. However, employees, and even employers, misplace their faith on the idea of having a certification causing many to question whether it is even necessary.
The PMI certification represents the baseline for your employment. It certifies that you have the knowledge and ability to perform the job required of you. For instance, someone who just graduated with an engineering degree needs to take and pass the engineering board exam in order to “certify” that they are competent enough to handle major engineering jobs and responsibilities. Much like engineering, business or project management is a huge responsibility with important consequences.
Real work experience is also an important requirement for someone taking a PMI certification exam. After all, there is a huge gap between theoretical knowledge and real world application. The work experience cited as requirement to getting actual certification aims to communicate the idea that the person has had experience applying whatever management skills or knowledge they have into an actual working environment.
When you take management or PMI classes, you will encounter more complex methodologies or concepts that aim to enrich your ability to relate or understand human behaviors. These concepts include politics, human behavior, and matrixed organizations. These courses aim to bestow you with an understanding on how to manage people and organizations, which are important components to making a project work.
Another reason why securing certification is important for project managers is the ability to qualify for more high paying jobs. As of June 2011 in the US, the average salary range for a project manager is at $81,133. Meanwhile, Senior Project Managers can enjoy a more financially rewarding job at an annual average salary of $95,608. If you were to compute the salary range on an annual basis, the hourly rate for project management professionals is somewhere around $43. Thus, the investment you make for your education, training, and certification to validate your knowledge and skills in this professional field is important to gain competitive edge in the job market.
How to Get PMI Certification
There are steps you need to comply when you want to earn a PMI certification. This is a step by step process that requires you to 1) fulfill a set of requirements (which will vary depending on the specific program you choose), 2) take a PMI exam, and 3) undergo PMI or other PMI-related training.
Candidates for PMI certification have a few basic requirements to comply, such as work experience and educational attainment. There are various programs to choose from when enrolling into PMI class for certification, so make sure to check the requirements for each program. You must also agree with the professional code of ethics that is stipulated by the Professional Management Institute.
The next step to securing PMI certification is to pass an examination designed to measure an individual’s knowledge on project management. There are two basic components in this exam: multiple choice and question examination. All questions on this examination are compiled by professionals that were already given their own certification in this field.
However, your quest for a certification does not end there. All those who pass the examination are encouraged to undergo further education through various forms of training. The goal with these training courses is to demonstrate project management expertise and also to further enhance an individual’s knowledge base, especially since this field is constantly evolving.
PMI certification is a must for all professionals looking to venture into the field of project management. This is a promising career with lots of exciting rewards and huge salaries to offer. There are a few steps you must comply with before you can earn a certification, but it will be worth it as you can find more employment opportunities open up.
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