Why PMP

What are the professional advantages of having a Project management Certification advantages?

what is the role of PMI certification(project management institute) in todays competetive world?

PMI is based in the US and has a stronger "base" in the US than anywhere else. However, it is growing fast in other parts of the world – in particular India and China.

There are now several PMI certifications. The one that has been available the longest, and is most recognized, is the PMP certification. The others are newer and less well known.

The PMP certification is more-or-less a prerequisite these days for a serious project manager. It doesn’t mean you’re any good as a PM, but it does demonstrate that you know what you should be doing, and that you understand the vocabulary. If you’re competing against other certified project managers, you’ll have to explain why you aren’t certified yourself.

According to PMI, these are the reasons why organizations should support PMP certification:

1. Your workforce will understand processes and terminology. To obtain a credential, individuals must pass a multiple-choice exam and other evaluations based on the current body of knowledge and tasks related to the job role.

2.Your workforce will be more disciplined. Credential holders are not only tested on their knowledge of project management terminology and processes, but also on their competence to perform in their role.

3.Your workforce will know what to look for before they start a project. By understanding the common processes and terminology, your project team knows the steps to initiating, executing and closing a project thereby making success more likely.

4.Your workforce will value team work. Certified project management practitioners tend to have good communication skills, human resource management and to take advantage of diverse expertise through collaborative efforts.

5.Your clients will have increased confidence because your project team uses baseline of terminology and practices. This shows that your project team operates in harmony with one another creates more efficient and fluent workflow and leads to better results. Clients can trust that projects will be handled in a better way.

6.Your clients will have increased confidence because your credentialed project team has an ethical code. PMI credential holders must adhere to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct which shows clients that your project team operates with integrity.

7.Your clients will have increased confidence because your project team has knowledge of the most up-to-date global practices. PMI credential holders must participate in the Continued Certification Requirements (CCR) program to maintain an active certification status. The CCR program requires credentials holders to partake in professional development activities throughout the year.

8.You will have repeatable processes and improved project results. This prevents you and your project teams from having to start from scratch every time you begin a new project because disciplined project management calls for lessons learned and shared process assets.

9.You will retain employees by investing in their professional development. When you invest in your employees professional development, you show your commitment to them and in turn, they will be more committed to the organization. You will be able to retain employees and attract new talent.

10.You will help grow the profession of project management. By endorsing PMI credentials, you provide long-term career paths in project management for your workforce.

Following are the top 6 reasons why a Project Manager should become PMP certified.

1)  Improve your bottom line.

While there is no statistical information to support this statement, there is plenty of evidence that more and more businesses across more and more industries are demanding that project managers they hire be PMP® certified. Most businesses seeking to attract project managers with this certification are willing to adjust their salaries or rates to attract certified project managers.

2)  Stay competitive.

The converse of reason number 1. More and more project managers are heeding the call to certification so instead of facing a situation where there may be 1 or 2 certified project managers to compete with for a PM role, you may find a majority of the project managers you are competing with are certified. Instead of making up for this deficiency with your experience you may find that there is a project manager who has your background plus the certification. You’ll find this true whether you are applying for a PM position at a new organization or a promotion in the organization you are currently with.

3)  Improve your project management skill set.

35 hours worth of project management training is one of the criteria that PMI, owner’s of the PMP® brand, have set for sitting the certification exam. The course of studies that most vendors provide includes much valuable information on the best way to manage projects and is well worth the money. The ability to sit the exam after the course is an added bonus.

4)  Learn project management best practices from the PMBOK.

The PMBOK is the PMI’s project management bible. Paying your fee to write the certification exam entitles you to a copy of the PMBOK and, since the exam is largely based on the project management approach described in that book, you learn those practices as part of preparing to pass the exam. You’ll find that acquiring those best practices will not only help you pass the exam, it will make you a better project manager.

5)  Gain respect in your workplace.

If you’re like most project managers you have to rely on your ability to influence the project team to get work done because you don’t have official practical authority over the team, you aren’t the functional manager. Referential authority is one of the ways you can replace the practical authority you are missing and getting yourself certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the PMI is one of the best ways of getting that authority. Your standing with your fellow project managers and peers in other disciplines will also be elevated with this additional referential authority.

6)  Improve your organization’s bottom line.

How will certification bring about an improvement in your organization’s bottom line? It’s simple, your organization invests money in projects that will increase revenue or decrease expenses. Your ability to deliver the goals and objectives envisioned by the project’s sponsors on time and on budget will directly improve the bottom line. Implementing the best practices you learn during your preparations for the certification exam will improve your chances of delivering on the initial promise of the project and help you meet schedule and budget objectives.