Why PMP is very effective for project managers?

Today’s situation demands and expects you to be on top of deliverable's within the required guidelines. Monitoring,controlling, resource management and preparing project status reports are not the only tools used in the world of project management.

I started managing projects without formal project management training and I met the expectations by delivering the projects successfully. As I moved further on the career path, I was expected to manage complex projects. While working on one such project, I realized that the number of working hours had gone up. I took a step back and identified various knowledge gaps ineffective utilization of project management tools and techniques. That is when I realized the need for formal education.

My journey to PMP

My organization has a ‘continuing education program’ for employees. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and signed up for training to obtain contact hours required for PMP® certification from Project Management Institute (PMI)®. While preparing for the examination, the PMBOK® Guide exposed me to standard processes, tools and techniques. The study helped me become familiar with project management jargon and learn the base vocabulary of project management. For PMP exam preparation tips and know more about PMBOK® Guide, you may refer to this article.

Preparing for PMP equips a project manager in delivering complex projects within manufacturing, service, governmental or non-profit organizations. It helps you to handle projects effectively, irrespective of the domain or industry. The skills acquired during the journey to PMP certification helped me gain confidence with regard to communication, stakeholder and risk management. The PMBOK® Guide made me understand  the importance of these Knowledge Areas and implement them effectively. I was able to identify critical risks and communicate them to stakeholders at an appropriate time. My approach towards a problem statement or change management changed. I am now more  process-oriented during project execution.

The journey to PMP helped me understand the relationship between Process Groups and Knowledge Areas that span across the entire project lifecycle. I do not work on every Knowledge Area or Process Group during a project assignment, but PMP certification equipped me to manage any project at any phase of its lifecycle.

I recently read this article that explains the benefits of PMP quite well.

Spreading the knowledge

Because I went through the certification process, I have been playing a vital role in implementing the standardized set of project management best practices in my projects.

After obtaining a PMP certification, I am in a better position to teach other team members about various project management tools and techniques. It not only helps me to spread knowledge to others, it also earns me professional development units (PDUs) as part of ‘continuing education program’. I intend to keep my credential alive by earning the requisite PDUs.

To me, the benefits of PMP have been many. If you are a practicing project manager with requisite work experience, you too can get the credential. Click here

(Pavas Malviya, PMP, has 11+ years of experience in the IT industry. He currently works with an MNC as Senior Consultant on Energy Trading  and Risk Management Practice. The views expressed in this article are personal, and do not necessarily reflect the views of PMI or PMPlanet.)

Refer my articles on

https://vox.publicis.sapient.com/groups/pm/blog/2014/09/04/why-pmp-is-very-effective-for-project-managers