Why Get PMP Certified?

Attaining the PMP Certification usually takes a lot of time, expense, and some frustration.  It can be taxing in different ways to people.  However, there are many benefits in the achievement.  In the midst of your hard work, it can be helpful to know what benefits you are working towards.

Finding a Better Salary

• According to the 2013 PMI Salary Survey, in the United States, the average PM would make a 19% higher salary when PMP certified.  The PMP is also the highest paid IT certification from other surveys.
• Companies also sometimes provide bonuses for passing the test.  If a company is deficient on credentialed employees, for example, then the company might provide extra compensation for becoming PMP certified.  Many companies hold high regard for the certificate. You might be able negotiate a higher salary as well. 

Finding Yourself a Job (or a better job)

• Passing the test shows that you have a baseline of knowledge.  It is almost like attaining a CPA for an accountant.
• Passing the test illustrates personal drive to develop.  It shows some character to spend your free time studying and wanting to grow.
• Passing the test means you don’t have to answer the “Why haven’t you gotten your PMP?” question!  There are around 600,000 people who have passed the test.  So, there are plenty of other fish in the sea for the recruiter to find, if needed.  Besides that, recruiters find resumes by keying the term “PMP”.
• Provides potential future teaching opportunities.  If you have learned the PMP way, and you enjoy teaching, you can make money doing it.  The PMP is an established achievement that isn’t losing demand.  Besides that, more is learned when you teach others.

Increase a company’s potential to win business

• Client sponsors, including the government, know about the PMP certification.  They know that the certification shows merit to those who have achieved it.  So when many companies bid for work, one of the factors that goes into the proposal is the credentials of the employees who work at the company and would work on the program.  It shows some level of quality in the way that the future of the program might be maintained.  After all, PMI has published a survey that shows PMs with a PMP have a higher success rate on projects than those PMs who are not PMP certified.

Networking

• You are in the club with others who have endured the challenge.  Understanding that someone else has gone through the same struggle brings a common bond and camaraderie.
• You have a formalized display of your baseline knowledge that can be shown in more than the following ways:

o   LinkedIn – As you peruse through the LinkedIn database, how many people do you see putting “PMP” next to their name?  A lot!

o   Business Card – gives a client your contact information, but it also can talk to them about who you are by subtly adding the PMP mark for them to keep in mind.

o   Wall Certificate – the PMP comes in certificate that you can hang on your wall to introduce your achievement.

o   Email– by having your credentials on an email, perhaps someone might respond differently?

• Having your PMP generally makes a good impression on others-- which is always crucial for success!

Learning

• Expect vocabulary improvement after studying for the PMP.  The formal review of terms and tools will focus thoughts for project need and using the PMI guidelines facilitates communication on a mainstream level.
• A new means or method is bound to be learned because the PMBOK retains a wide array of focus across many industries.  For example, even if someone has been a scheduler for their whole career, then they may not have worked on a Critical Chain Method of scheduling.

College Short-Cut

• The certification can sometimes be a short-cut for graduate school or college.  I am an advocate for college and graduate school.  However, I can’t ignore the fact that college is getting more and more expensive while also becoming watered-down.  The PMP puts you at a level of knowledge that even folks who have PM degrees still find themselves needing to achieve the certificate.  Of course, you still need to become eligible to take the test by accumulating hours of project work experience.

After reviewing these benefits, it might be easier to decide whether the PMP exam is a good fit for you to study towards.

Author - Gregory Morrow