So you have gained relevant experience and heading towards a managerial role. Initially, you may think that you will be spared of the minute technical details in your day-to-day work. However, a greater responsibility is awaiting when you step into the world of project management. You will not only be responsible for the smooth progress of the project and keeping the stakeholders happy, but you will also handle the tricky task of getting the work done from a variety of subordinates. Project managers need to have excellent people skills to deal with team members of diverse backgrounds.
Right when you want to embark on a project manager role, you will require proven skills to convince the business leaders that you are capable of a management role. Fortunately, there are some industry-recognized certifications that can help you validate your project management skills for professional growth. You may have heard of the Project Management Professional or PMP certification, a highly acknowledged credential available in this field. There are some other credible certifications, apart from PMP, that will place you ahead of your peers for a project manager opportunity.
This article introduces you to those project management certifications, and you can choose the one that best suits your career needs.
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Top Project Management Certifications to Pursue
When it is predicted that nearly 2.2 million new project-related roles will be needed to fill by organizations, it makes sense to add a project management certificate to your resume and make the most of the opportunities to come. Unveiled here are the top choices when it comes to selecting the best project management certification.
PMP Certification
The most popular name in the field of project management, the PMP certification, is offered by the prestigious Project Management Institute (PMI). This credential validates project leadership experience and skills in any way of working. Project leaders across industrial sectors can supercharge their careers with PMP and assist their company in finding the right people they need to work smarter and perform efficiently. It tells the employers that you have what it takes to bring a project to successful completion. By including predictive, agile, and hybrid approaches, the credential helps you develop people, process, and business environment skills.
PMP certification holders around 25% higher salary than their non-certified peers. Moreover, there are over 1,000,000 professionals worldwide who have achieved this certification and earned universally recognized knowledge. Loads of career benefits are associated with adding a PMP certification to your skillset, and people even take an online PMP course to prepare for its exam.
PRINCE2 Foundation Certification
PRINCE2 or ‘Projects in Controlled Environments’ certification is both process and project-focused credential maintained by AXELOS. The Foundation Level certification is designed to confirm that an individual understands the PRINCE2 method well enough to work in a project management team effectively within an environment supporting PRINCE2. This credential has high demand in countries like the UK, Australia, and Europe.
The PRINCE2 body of knowledge equips certification holders with the tools and techniques to analyze a project from different angles, ensuring its viability before it is initiated. After you have achieved the Foundation Level certification, you can also upgrade to the PRINCE2 Practitioner Level certification.
Associate in Project Management
Administered by the Global Association for Quality Management (GAQM), the Associate in Project Management or APM certification familiarizes you with the most common terms and current thinking about projects. Being an entry-level certification, obtaining it will validate your commitment to project management excellence.
As the certification is ideal for beginners in project management, there are no experience requirements to appear for its exam. GAQM’s certifications are unique because they focus on a broad knowledge base, clear direction, assurance of quality deliverables, effective resource allocation, and improved communication. The APM exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, and the passing score is 70% (correctly answer 35 out of 50 questions).
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
The CAPM certification is another credential designed by PMI to enhance your effectiveness and credibility working with project teams. If you wish to manage larger projects and gain more responsibilities or simply add project management skills to your current role, then CAPM is suitable for you. The three hours CAPM exam consisting of 150 questions is a precursor to the PMP certification.
CAPM indicates knowledge of the principles and terminologies used within A Guide to the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) Sixth Edition, which outlines the commonly recognized best practices in project management.
CompTIA Project+
This certification is designed for both IT and non-IT professionals who want to learn the basic concepts of successfully managing small to medium-sized projects. It is more versatile than other certifications as it covers crucial project management concepts beyond the scope of only one methodology or framework. On achieving this credential, an individual will be able to manage the project lifecycle effectively, manage stakeholders and resources, maintain project documentation, and ensure proper communication.
This certification is intended for project managers, business analysts, directors, team leaders, and project team members. The associated exam PK0-004 is a 90 minutes test consisting of multiple-choice/multiple response and drag and drop type questions.
We have done our part in introducing you to some of the most popular project management certifications available out there. Now it’s your turn to decide which certification you want to pursue and start preparing for it.
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