PMI PMP Certification

Certification: PMI PMP - Project Management Professional

Certification Overview

PMP stands for Project Management Professional and PMI stands for the organisation that leads it – Project Management Institute. PMP certification is the key investment into your knowledge and professional life that will add your name to the list of renowned certificated professionals of project management. Successfully passing the PMP training means that the candidate has shown significant knowledge and experience in the field, that he/she accepts and fulfills the rules of professional conduct and accepted to keep his/her certificate updated by attending various professional education workshops and seminars in the field in years to come.

Who can/should take this certification?

Leading project teams and being a project manager is a highly renowned and demanding position in today's hectic business working environment. On the other hand, there are many professionals dealing with this job worldwide. Experienced project managers who seeking recognition that will help them consolidate their skills and knowledge and stand out in a sea of similar profile workers, PMP training and certification is the right thing to invest in.

Benefits

The benefits from obtaining a PMP certification are numerous. The holder of the PMP certification will gain the competitive difference that will help him/her be selected for renowned project management positions more often and easier. Additionally, alike your reputation, your income will increase.

Associated Exam

The trainee has to pass three exams, Fundamentals of Project Management: Tools and Techniques; Fundamentals of Project Management: Project Leadership and Communication and then he/she may access the PMP Certification Test Preparation Course. The program is organized in such way in order to prepare the trainee for successful passing of the main exam.

Prerequisites

There are two criteria set by PMP PMI, according to which the trainees are classified into two groups. The first group are those trainees holding a Bachelors degree or a global equivalent to this degree. They must have at least 4,500 hours of work experience in project management, which should be within all five project management process groups and three years of work experience minimum. The other group of PMP training candidates are those having only High school diploma (4-year education) or equivalent degree. They must have at least 7,500 hours of work experience in project management. Additionally, they must have at least five years of experience. In both cases, work hours are counted on projects whose duration time does not overlap.

Examination Overview

For both groups, PMP examination is performed on computer and consisted of 200 questions. They are all of multiple-choice type. Out of the total 200, 25 questions are pretest questions, i.e. serve to evaluate the success of future questions. Time allowed for completing all 200 questions is four hours. Statistics have shown that candidates who have successfully passed the PMI PMP exam had previously spent at least 35 hours preparing for the examination.

The PMP test questions are divided into 5 categories:

1. Initiation
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Controlling
5. Closing

These categories are congruent to the Project lifecycle phases. The Initiation category accounts for 13% of the PMP exam questions. Planning category takes 24 %. Executing accounts for the highest number of questions, which represents 30 %. Monitoring and Controlling are 25% and the least number of questions is related to closing of the project – 8%.

The exam is conducted in English, as the official language of PMI. However, for foreign candidates, there is aid provided in 13 additional languages: Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, French, German, Chinese – Traditional and Simplified. Additionally, there are certain circumstances under which allocated exam taking can be provided for trainees (e.g. more than 300 km distance from the exam center). In these cases, paper-based exams can be conducted. PMI and PMP certification center are, despite strict exam and training policies, always trying to facilitate the technical details for the trainees. Knowledge and skills are the key values they are looking for and appreciating.

Validity of certification

Project Management Institute has a Continuing Certification Requirements programme, which requires continuation in education process and its validation throughout the years of work after obtaining the PMP certificate as well. Holders of PMP certificate must keep their certificate updated through PDU earning programmes. 60 PDUs per cycle that lasts three years must be earned in order to retain your PMP credential.

Expert Review

Getting a PMP certification is the best investment one can make in his professional life. This is a renowned mark that will make you recognizable in business world of any almost industry.

Amanda Leigh, Boston