Next in my blog series on certifications, I tackle the ever-daunting Project Management Professional (PMP)® offered through the Project Management Institute (PMI). This has long been a coveted credential, but in recent years I have been wondering if it is still relevant and worth earning. Full disclosure: I am not PMP®-certified at this moment in time.
What’s the big deal about the PMP®?
The Project Management Institute started as a non-profit organization in 1969 and has dominated the certification of professional project managers ever since. This designation quickly became the “gold standard” for anyone who wanted to join the ranks of globally-recognized project management experts. Anyone with a PMP® immediately garnered respect, as the body of knowledge is extensive, and earning this certification is intense.
Is the PMP® still desired by employers?
I was a bit doubtful about this, but it turns out that, yes, the PMP® does still seem to be in demand by employers. I searched for PMP® on Glassdoor, and there were 13 thousand job postings. The PMP® is a way for employers to filter out those who claim to be Project Managers and those who have gone through the rigor of earning this intense certification. For this reason alone, if you want to make as a Project Manager, it might be in your best interest to get this certification (whether you want it or not).
How many people hold the PMP® now?
You can search the PMI’s certification registry to find out how many active PMP® holders there are in a country. I happen to live in the United States, and as of today’s date, there are 344,777 PMP holders in the United States alone. That’s a veritable army of Project Managers. And worldwide, there are more than a million Project Management Professionals. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I’m not sure. It may mean that there are so many PMP®s that it won’t make much of a difference when it comes to getting hired.
Can the PMP® really make a difference in your salary?
According to the PMI, based on their most recent salary survey, it makes a significant difference. I have known Project Managers who could attest that earning the PMP® got them a big pay bump or a promotion. The numbers from the PMI say that “The median salary for PMP holders in the U.S. is 25% higher than those without PMP certification.” That could add up to a much higher salary.
What does it prove if you have the PMP®?
Well, it does a few things. It:
- Proves that you put in the time to learn the knowledge necessary to pass the test
- Doesn’t prove that you can do the job. Just because you were able to absorb stuff from a book doesn’t mean you’ll be a good practitioner
- Shows a dedication to your own professional development. It’s a big investment of time and energy to earn this certification, so if it proves nothing else, it proves you can stick with something.
Is Project Management as a profession going extinct?
This is a touchy subject, I know. Based on my experience, I would say that the need for formal command-and-control style Project Managers is dramatically diminished compared to 20 years ago. The introduction of agile practices has dispersed the normal tasks of a Project Manager across a team of people. While this may reduce the amount of Project Managers in the workforce, it doesn’t mean that there won’t be a continued need for project management. There are many types of projects that wouldn’t work in an adaptive environment, so I would argue that there will always be a need for Project Managers or project management skills.
How difficult is the PMP® to earn?
This one is tough for me to answer because I haven’t yet earned the PMP®. But all the people I know who have the PMP® have said that the test is very difficult and that requires extensive study, preparation, and experience. Even filling out the application to sit the exam is terrifying. But that’s a whole other blog topic. Suffice it to say that earning the PMP® is not for the lazy or the faint of heart.
So, to PMP® or not to PMP®?
This is the question that I ask my audience. Should I, or shouldn’t go for it? Well, I put it next on my development plan because I do see value in understanding all the different ways to deliver value, which is what projects are ultimately about. I have had several PM friends tell me that the test is extremely challenging and stressful. If you want to put yourself through that torture, I commend you. After I pass the exam (I say with great confidence), I’ll blog about the experience of earning it.
Final Thoughts
I am embarking on this journey, and if you have earned the PMP®, I would love any advice or tips you may have to help me pass the exam. If you are preparing for this test, and you need a study buddy, then let me know! My goal is to complete the application and take the exam by the end of this year. So, I’m asking all of you to hold me accountable!
In the “What does it prove if you have the PMP®?” section, you neglect to mention that hours of real project management experience are a requirement in addition to passing the test. While this still may not prove that you can do a particular job, it is required to be documented to prove at least experience in the field that you could potentially be audited on. So to me this goes towards the fact that the PMP is more than just absorbing stuff from a book, or passing a test that is required (again, technically…) to earn the cert. Nice writeup otherwise…and valid points I would agree on the pure PM role from a few decades ago to today, when most organizations do things with some form of agile. Roles and their dissemination may change over time, but on the whole I think the need for project management as a discipline is still here to stay.