BRIDGE Blog

Over the last several years, there has been a dramatic increase in the need for Project Managers. Large and small organizations are increasing their use of Project Managers for IT initiatives. Along with the increase in positions, we have seen the number of job requirements for Project Managers increase steadily. In the past, many clients expressed only a preference for certifications. Now, it seems, the majority of job descriptions for Project Managers require that candidates be a Project Management Professional (PMP). This trend has us thinking about the value of getting certified versus the potential danger of not.

To that end, BRIDGE would like to share information about the PMP certification: where to get it, required time, costs associated, and potential benefits. Read on:

The Project Management Institute, which administers the PMP Certification, has designed the process to ensure only serious project managers are eligible by requiring a minimum of 3 years of project management experience (more if you don’t hold a bachelors degree). During your three years they require 4,500 hours spent leading and directing project tasks. There is also a four hour computer-based exam. The exam costs $550 ($405 for PMI members) and covers material from the Project Manager Professional Examination Specification. The 200 multiple choice questions cover content from six domains including; initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing, and professional and social responsibility. Once you decide to get certified it can take from one month to one year to get through the application and testing.

There are many reasons why you might decide to get certified; it could be a personal goal, you want to distinguish yourself from others, you want get a promotion or a better job, or you think it might be required for your next job. This last reason might be worth considering given that many companies are moving from preferring to requiring PMP certification.

Related Events:
On Thursday, January 8th, BRIDGE Technical Solutions will be sponsoring the Ocean State PMI dinner meeting at the Marriott Hotel in Providence, RI. The topic will be “Case Study: How Project Management Guided Harvard Pilgrim from Near Collapse to #1” presented by Lisa DiTullio of EPMO Advisory Services of Cohasset, MA.

Check out our new web page exclusively for Project Managers. We have collected information on PM certification, training opportunities, and current news which we hope will be useful. We also provide links to local project manager professional organizations. If notice something missing from our page please let us know.

So what do you think? Is PMP certification worth the cost? We appreciate your insight.
Thanks, Joe Devine