ITIL, PRINCE2, or PMP: Which is Right for You?
There are numerous training modules/ courses out there that claim to improve upon the career prospects of their certificate holders. The most popular are the ones related to project management or service management certifications; but then, their numbers are so many that it often gets overwhelming for aspirants to choose the right one from the available spread of options.
Read on to know more about three of the most popular choices and see how each would benefit your career prospects.
Three Popular Certifications
Three well-known certifications available for professionals across the world are PRINCE2, ITIL, and PMP. These methodologies have gained immense reputation due to their contribution and usefulness in any business environment.
PRINCE2: Abbreviated for PRojects IN Controlled Environments, it is a process-based methodology that provides step-by-step and detailed procedures for delivering a successful project. It offers clear instructions and steps and templates for the users to follow so that the success of the project becomes inevitable. This certification is recognized and valued all over the world for its imperative design of managing projects and improving upon their performance metrics. Having quite a presence in the European, Australian, and other Northern American markets, the popularity of PRINCE2 can be validated through the increasing number of people opting for the same.
More than 1 million PRINCE2 examinations have been taken around the world and this figure is expected to grow across coming years. This certification serves to be the right choice if you are new to the field of project management and wish to grow professionally with the same. It would also be helpful for veterans desirous of improving their project’s performance metrics significantly. The course has three levels - Foundation, Practitioner, and Professional.
ITIL: It stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library and is the most recognized framework for any IT service management in the world. It is process-based and enables an organization to improve and manage IT services within the organizational system. This certification teaches aspirants to bring about enhancements in the effectiveness, quality, and efficiency of a project. It is globally accepted and helps you in identifying various promising opportunities within the realm of IT services. ITIL would be the right certification if you are from the IT sector or want to focus mainly on projects that focus on IT services. Foundation, Intermediate, Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC), Expert, and Master are the different levels of ITIL certification.
PMP: This project management practice is based on the principles set by the Project Management Institute. This certification is predominant in the US and is valued worldwide. It is split into different expertise levels and is one of the most reputed project management practices. This option provides you with a number of tools and techniques to deliver successful projects. It focuses more on the skills and knowledge required for the effective management of projects. This is the right option for you if you are looking towards honing your skills, rather than learning about the framework of managing projects.
A Combination of Certifications
Based on the level of expertise that you are aiming for and the market you work in, any of the three certifications can be chosen. However, a combination of two or three of them can also help greatly. They not only focus on the management basics but also bring about significant improvements in a project’s performance.
Taking up PRINCE2 and PMP would help you learn about the framework and gain knowledge on the different skills required throughout the project’s lifecycle. Combining either of them with ITIL will give you an understanding of how to approach projects pertaining to IT services. If you think a combination of two would be ideal for your career graph, then opt for the same.
Good luck!