Primary Reasons Current Day Employers Require PMP Certification

If you invest some time in exploring the offers on hand on an online job board, you will notice that a majority of project manager positions word list "PMP certification" as either strongly preferred or required. Today, most organizations need PMP certification for promotions or advanced performance evaluations. Regardless of whether you are a hiring manager dealing with vacant project management positions or a project manager looking for better opportunities, you have to be aware of the weight carried by certification linked to Project Management Professional (PMP), especially in the workplace.

 

The results of a study conducted by the Anderson Economic Group states that over 1.2 million project manager positions (new) are expected to be filled by 2016; but then, in most cases, job applicants failing to produce a PMP will find it difficult to be considered. According to Kevin Archbold, consulting manager, Key Consulting, "Many recruiters divide their resumes into two piles: those with PMP certification and those without." He adds, "Today there are enough good project managers with their PMP, such that recruiters don't have to sift through the uncertified ones."

 

Read on for the utility of PMP certification in today’s world and why it is important for you to have one; especially if you wish to take your career to higher levels of success.

 

Companies, Customers and other Entities are Demanding PMP

 

Whether you believe in the intrinsic worth delivered by PMP certification or not, it is essential for you to understand that most major companies and other entities are demanding the same. In other words, the global marketplace is demanding PMP, along with other project management certifications. 

 

In case of certain firms, their complete business approach needs strict adherence to well-defined processes, thus making PMP is a must. Tim Wasserman, Program Director of Advanced Project Management Program at Stanford says, “Highly regulated industries (e.g., financial services, pharmaceuticals, defense and aerospace) wouldn't consider anyone without [the PMP] certification." So, if clients are demanding professionally trained PMP-certified managers for the projects that they plan to hire out, the vendors seeking these contracts need to have PMP-certified managers on their rolls( actually, the more the merrier.)

 

Ownership of PMP Certification Makes you Speak the Common Language

 

It’s very likely for project managers to spend a large part of their day communicating with employees, vendors, clients and other stakeholders alike. It’s also a possibility that their team members may be different in each project. Having the ability of speaking a common business language goes a long way in helping them be on the same page as their sponsors, team members, program managers, and so forth. 

 

David Wakeman, Employment Support Center, has summed it all as follows, "Having an understanding of an accepted project management framework gives me the opportunity to speak with and communicate with clients and vendors on a level playing field." While it is not guaranteed that having a team packed with PMP certified professionals will eliminate the possibility of any miscommunications totally, it will definitely reduce the chances of them taking place. 

 

PMP Certification Holders Manage their Projects in a Repeatable and Structured Fashion

 

Every project encompasses a series of unknowns and project managers are expected to know how to deal with the unexpected. However, even as all projects are different, PMP helps users with easy access to a set of repeatable processes and standardized practices endorsed by experts from around the world. Additionally, it increases the collaboration among diverse businesses in the current economic scenario. The usage of process documents and tools endorsed by PMI helps organizations manage the risk levels in just about any project, more confidently and effectively. 

 

Achieving PMP Certification proves that you are Intelligent, Goal-oriented, and Motivated

 

Challenging and not easy-to-win, a PMP certification brings in substantive value to just about any organization. Along with showing that you are ambitious and master of the required intelligence levels, it helps you become a coveted applicant for organizations desirous of bringing in more motivated and goal oriented members in their team. PMP certificate holders are basically those who are totally committed to demonstrating their commitments towards furthering their personal and professional development goals. All in all, the certification serves as one of the best ways of communicating to hiring managers that a holder has devoted the required levels of energy, time and focus for attaining the same. An important element for portfolio conclusion, PMP proves to be equally valuable for employers and employees alike. 

 

Way Forward….

 

At the end of it all, PMP certification is surely a huge value-add. This reality of today’s business world trumps any confusing discussions for the requirement of a PMP certification. With most players demanding PMP from their business partners and vendors, employees as well as organizations just cannot afford to buck this train. Especially if they consider it necessary to stay in the race.