Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

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Topic Author
Calico
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Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Calico »

I have a gut feeling the place I work is slowly dying. It's a membership non-profit and our membership numbers are down a little more every year for the past 10 years, they refuse to raise membership dues out of fear of losing more members, we don't replace staff that leave (the work left over after people leave is just spread out among the remaining workers), and no one has had a pay raise in two years due to lack of funds. While it's temporary due to the pandemic, out second biggest source of revenue has been a flop two year in a row: our annual conference. I am sure the shortfall must be coming out of reserves. I could list other indicators, but I think those are the biggest ones.

I like the place where I work, but the main advantage of working there was that it was family friendly and I am a single mom. With my daughter off to college next fall, I can tackle a less flexible (but maybe higher paying or better benefit job in the for-profit sector). And if my suspicions of my employer slowly running out of money are true, it's only a matter of time before I am job hunting anyway.

To that end, I've been trying to think of ways to prepare for a job move. Unfortunately, I let life (AKA being a mom) get in the way of advancing my career the past few years. Most of my free time was centered around raising my daughter. But I don't regret that and I figure it's not too late to start shifting my focus. I considered some bolder moves (all new careers), but I think the logical choice would be to pursue PMP (professional project management) certification. What I do now is basically project management (I run several member benefit programs and manage dozens of volunteers), so I have project management experience. I am trying to figure out the ways to start preparing for the PMP exam. I did a google search on where to get started and it's overwhelming! There are courses, classes, books, blogs, message boards, you name it. If anyone here is a PMP, can you share some tips on how to start down this path? Or is PMP a waste of time? Just a bunch of hype? Should I focus on something else?

Thanks!
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Kingghoti
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Kingghoti »

PMP since 2006. I found it gave me lots of flexibility. There's always contract work available. So I stress less about being unemployed. I did transition to regular employment with current company. Often a possibility. Like you I already had years of business experience as PM.

So, 3 pre-requisites.

1. Hours of experience. Often what you have been doing in your business activities does pertain to and count for this. Learn the PMP jargon. Stakeholder management, e.g. You just need to recast/explain things in PMP-ese.

2. Pre-qualifying formal education/training, to even sit for the exam. I think it was about 27 hours? Online courses can suffice. Make sure they are REPs. (PMI,org's Registered Education Providers).

3. The formal exam. You can do it, there are lots of resources available online. Many free.

Edit: What I'd do first is review PMI.org content. Getting a copy of even an older edition (3rd or 4th ed.) of the PM-BOK is a good first step. May be able to find on used book site. Start to think about how to categorize your experience to meet #1. Look at the CAPM if your experience is light. Hope this helps you!

Feel free to message me if you have specific questions. I have mentored several people to help get them through the hoops.

Best

Kingghoti
Last edited by Kingghoti on Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kaizen Soze
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Kaizen Soze »

It depends on how you study effectively. I like immersion. I'm not good at studying an hour or two each day. I took a 4-day PMP boot camp which was learn on Tues, Wed, Thurs, practice exam and review on Friday. Then I used their online portal for another practice exam on Saturday. Reviewed about 100 questions on Sunday. Real thing on Monday. This approach only works if you already have the education prerequisite before the boot camp.

I found the 4pg cheat sheet provided by the class to be extremely valuable as a quick reference guide. If you don't want to spend money on a course, I'd recommend purchasing question banks.

Also, if you've been out of school for awhile, take a few practice exams. A 4hr. exam can be mentally grueling if you're not used to them.
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Calico
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Calico »

Thank you to both of you for the information. There was just so much information online (and so much of it was basically advertising) that is was overwhelming. It looks like the formal training is my next step. Thanks for the tip picking the right ones. PMI.org does sound like a good place to start (the google results were so full of ads, they never popped up). Luckily, after our big, annual conference, I get a couple of months of a breather at work. So November and December are good times for me to start training programs.

I have a certification now for association management (CAE). I earned that about 15 years ago so it's been a while since I took a path like this. But I think I will take the same approach to the PMP. I had to do formal training for that too, did practice tests, studied, and took an exam. I passed that one of the first try, so I am confident I can take this one on too.

Thanks again! And I will PM you if I have questions. But it might be a while before I do.
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AllMostThere
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by AllMostThere »

PMP Certified since 2005. Yes, it is worth the effort to obtain as it's usually looked for by employers. As suggested by others, start at PMI.org and look for local chapters in your area. Many local chapters offer multi-week training that usually will satisfy the PM Required Training ~ 40 hours to sit for the exam. I would be more leaning towards the local chapter training over the boot-camp style training sessions (mostly more time for retention rather than garden hose consumption). Additionally, take a look at https://rmcls.com/ as they offer many good references and tools for purchase. The more practice tests you can take, the better you will be ready. Just get ready taking a test that may or may not have any resemblance of PM as you are accustomed. The PMP Exam is based upon PM processes as defined by the PMBOK, not on actual real-world PM. IIRC, Every multiple choice answer appeared to be correct, but you need to select the "one" correct answer per the PMBOK! You need to remember the PMBOK inside & out. I was in the Automotive realm of PM, so slightly different and more based on product development & launch processes (rapid processes). I truly believe that the PMP (plus my MBA) added 10's of thousands $$'s to my annual salary (annual increases are more also more dramatic with experience level & project success). PMP is totally doable and worth the effort. Good luck.
Last edited by AllMostThere on Fri Sep 24, 2021 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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invest4
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by invest4 »

I think PMP is still worthwhile, but would also consider others such as Agile / SCRUM depending on what opportunities you may wish to make available to yourself.
Last edited by invest4 on Fri Sep 24, 2021 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
stan1
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by stan1 »

The right "cheat sheet" (that you basically have to memorize) is important. PMI uses their own unique jargon that is probably different than you've ever used in your career, although what you've done maps into it. You have to be able to recognize "correct" jargon from incorrect, know the their sequence of steps using their jargon, and generally know what each step consists of. You basically have to forget everything you know about project management from your work experience and only use what PMI has taught you.

As for the utility it varies by industry, company, and manager. Some industries like defense contracting use it heavily and it can be a selection factor (or they will require you get it as an employee). Other industries not so much. Some managers, possibly those who have a PMP themselves, see more value in it than others. Professional certifications have been around for a long time now; every experienced manager has come across someone who has collected lots of certifications yet was ineffective or unable to do basic work while someone else who did not have a certification did great.

In your case it sounds like it might help and certainly would not hurt. The latest version of the PMP test includes agile and hybrid along with waterfall management models. As for studying my best advice would be to start with "know thyself". As we age we sometimes learn differently than in our 20s. Some people will be able to read a very dry book cover to cover, do a few flash cards, and that will be fine. Other people need a learning style like a boot camp over a few days or even more spread out over a few weeks while also working or doing other family duties. Knowing which learning style will help you decide how to prepare.

Good luck with your career transition. I think the labor market for capable and proven project managers is quite good right now so its mostly a matter of finding a match with someone who respects your experience. Then it is up to you to be enthusiastic, eager, and optimistic in your interviews until you find the right match.
Jungle Cat
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Jungle Cat »

I have been a PMP since 2012. I will echo what everyone else mentioned and add I know many people who have done the boot camps and just about all of them failed. The problem is not so much with the boot camps but their approach. It is way too much information to take in during a one week class. Most people I know, including myself, studied over a 3 month period. Learning styles are different and while some studied PMBOK on their own, in my case, I purchased a self study class that I found very helpful. As others have mentioned you need to get into the PMBOK mentality.
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Calico
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Calico »

Thank you again everyone. I had a feeling there were some PMPs on this forum. You've all given me a lot of information to get me started and I appreciate you taking the time to answer. This forum is the best!
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Ependytis
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Ependytis »

I have had my PMP since 2003. I’d strongly recommend you take the classes as others have said and lots of practice tests. The class I took was from the local chapter and was excellent. The practice tests are available for sale at pmi.org and other online resources.

One thing they said in the class is most people don’t pass the test because they don’t take it. It was a true in my class. We all emailed each other when we passed the test. After the fourth person passed the test, out of a class of about 20, I never received another email. I suspect people didn’t take the test. When I saw someone from the class a couple months later, my suspicion was confirmed. Also, as others have said, when you take the test you need to answer the questions per the PMBOK and not based on the way you do it on the job.

The PMP really helped me see that the company I was working for when I got it was really lacking best practices from staff to senior level managers. That’s when I made the decision to go to another company.

I believe the PMP and other certifications helped me to transition to different careers with ease. You’ll find project management is applicable across industries and jobs and that if you have the certification, as well as certifications specific to the job your applying for, it’s easy to convince a hiring manager that you can do the job even if it’s different from your current role.
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by carolinaman »

The PMP is a good certification but needs to be augmented with PM experience to be truly meaningful. Hopefully, what you have been doing applies. Putting the PMI methodology to work in future projects will be very helpful to you.

Congrats on your devotion to your children. You had your priorities right. Best wishes in your career.
waskiri
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by waskiri »

I would just add a recommendation: Double check the value given to a PMP certification in your field.

PMP Certification is certainly useful, but checking is worth the effort. I got it because it is widely used in my field of work, and having a formal validation of my knowledge really added value. Almost all documentation in my industry is based on PMI or AACE guidelines/standards.

In my case, I took the test on my own, just like Junglecat. I reviewed several forums and, following recommendations, I used PMbok and a self study guide (Rita’s was the best one by then).
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Aslan18
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Aslan18 »

Join PMI, apply and buy Rita’s book. It is gospel. I aced the exam first attempt. I also trained hard for the exam. Did not take a class.

https://www.amazon.com/PMP-Exam-Prep-Ei ... 1932735658
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cashheavy18
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by cashheavy18 »

Before committing to taking the exam (I am also certified), landing a project/program manager job is first dependent on whether you've have experience in doing this work. Having the certification alone won't suffice.

It also depends on industry/company and how they view the certification. The tech firm I'm at sees it as a nice to have, but not a requirement.

Learning the basics/skills of being a project manager are very helpful.

I personally feel the certification is a money making racket. I say this even though my company paid for a bootcamp (over $2k) and the exam.

Start researching what type of jobs you'd be interested in and what qualifications they list other than the PMP.

Wishing you the best in your job search!
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Elric
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Elric »

PMP for many years. As others posted, some fields and companies value it highly, others don't. For government contracting, where I worked, many times the government requires that project managers have PMP certification, so it becomes a necessity. Like many certifications, there are great project managers without PMPs and lousy ones with PMPs. But when hiring, or evaluating contractors, it's hard to judge actual past performance, so the PMP is a convenient gate one must pass through.

Once you're pretty sure you want to do this, go ahead and fill out the application that requires you to demonstrate sufficient past project management experience. Read up online on guidance on completing this. No point in studying or signing up for a course if you don't get through that gate.

As others also said, but it's important to emphasize, the exam is NOT easy, and it absolutely requires memorizing the PMP terminology AND the PMP methodology, which at least in the past when I took the exam is often overly rigorous and not fully aligned with real world practicalities. That doesn't matter. If you want to pass the exam, you learn PMP terms and methods and echo those back when taking the exam. That why study is critical, even if you've been a project manager for decades.

I saw where at least one person stated that they found folks taking boot camps mostly did not pass. My experience was completely different. I know folks who did fine with the several months of independent or group study, but almost everyone I know who took a boot camp course passed the exam. I combined a boot camp (which my employer paid for) and self study over a short period. One key is to take the exam shortly after the course while everything is fresh in your mind.

There's no question that Rita Mulcahy's book is the most widely recommended study guide. Personally, I found it a bit overly negative. My personal recommendation is Andy Crowe's book . I found it more straightforward and an excellent supplement to the boot camp I took. You WILL want one of these study guides. The PMBoK itself is a necessary reference, but imho, not sufficient for studying for the exam. Older versions of the study guides will give you some idea of what the exam is about, but do NOT rely on them to study for the exam. The methodology, terms, and taxonomies change every few years, and the newest exam has a lot of material on agile that was not in previous exams and not covered in older exam books.
Last edited by Elric on Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Calico
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by Calico »

Thank you for the additional information and recommendations to see if PMP is important in my line of work. I know that it isn't. I work in the non-profit sector and I have CAE certification (which is a good cert to have along with CMP which I don't have). But I am hoping to branch out of the non-profit world. Most non-profits pay less and don't have as nice of benefits as for-profits. They make up for it in "soft benefits" like being family friendly and great with time off, but I need less of that now.

I was hoping PMP would open more doors for me. I live in the DC area and there are a lot of government contracting jobs.

I will look into things more. I've been doing a lot of online reading and watching of YouTube videos and I'll be honest, the jargon is confusing. I understand the concepts behind some of the jargon, but it's going to be a lot of vocabulary to learn. It was the same when I earned my CAE. And like PMP, CAE concepts and testing don't reflect "real world." I actually think I had an advantage with the CAE because most people who earn that certification are on the executive level (and I am mid management). I had to learn it all from scratch where a lot of the executives had real world experience and they let that get in the way of learning the CAE "testing way" of doing things.

I am going to look into the resources shared here and do some more reading up on things. If I do take this exam, it's going to be many months from now... to give myself time to prepare, take classes, and study. Maybe look into the 35 hours of PM education too. I am self taught on managing things, no formal training at all (I literally fell into this because my superiors at work liked my organizational skills and work ethic). I also need the But before I spend any money, I will do more research into jobs I would be interested in to see more what they require.
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stan1
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Re: Anyone here have PMP certification? Recommendations?

Post by stan1 »

Calico wrote: Sun Sep 26, 2021 9:50 am I was hoping PMP would open more doors for me. I live in the DC area and there are a lot of government contracting jobs.
With this additional information, yes a PMP can help you get government contracting jobs. Contracts often have qualification requirements for personnel that might include commercial certifications such as a PMP. PMP is the most common certification for management positions. A PMP certification very much could help you secure a job working as a government contractor. PMP certification can become a checklist item for government contracting jobs.

In DC I'd also talk to your social network (neighbors, friends, former co-workers). There are so many people working as government contractors in the DC area I'm sure you'll find some contacts with recommendations in line with your experience (if not a job offer).
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