Project management has come up as one of the leading new professions all over the world in recent years. With niches like infrastructural development, healthcare, and green technologies growing at a rapid pace, the need for project managers is also rising in tandem. The rapid growth, along with a lucrative salary package, has attracted several individuals towards careers in project management. But with so many new entrants to the field, the need of the hours is for the dedicated project managers to distinguish themselves from the pack.  The Project Management Professional certification holds the key to ensure that distinction among the individuals working in the field.

What is PMP certification and what are the eligibility criterions?

The PMP certification is a universally recognized qualification for the project managers and it is issued by the PMI® (Project Management Institute). The certification is not a must-have to work in the field of project management. However, it reflects the technical skills of an individual, which strengthens the reliability factor for them, and thus, often acts as a justification for promotion or higher pay.

In terms of the eligibility, the candidate needs to have:

• Either, a high school diploma and five years of project management experience along with 7500 hours invested in directing and leading projects, or

A Bachelor’s Degree and three years of project management experience along with 4500 hours invested in directing and leading projects

• 35 contact hours invested in formal training in project management, through an employer program, a training school, a PMI community, or a university/college training program.

The top ten benefits associated with being PMP certification

#1 Globally recognized certification

PMP Certification in Chennai is for anyone who wants the freedom of working at any place in the world, and, not only in their native country. PMP is, in fact, one of those certifications whose reputation precedes it. It is sought-after and recognized in reputed companies all over the world. Getting PMP certified helps professionals to showcase and demonstrate their expertise and skills to potential employers all over the globe.

#2 The lucrative salary on offer

If you are still in two minds about getting a PMP certification, you must know that the certified professionals enjoy a significant and substantial hike in their salary after attaining the certification. The eighth edition of Project Management Salary Survey has mentioned that on an average, PMP certified professionals make at least 17% more than the non-certified employees. Besides, this figure is only going to see a steady increase in the years to come.

#3 Expand your scope and market reach

PMP certified professionals are a close-knit global community. There are many project management online communities and forums that attract PMP professionals from all over the world who share insights, tips, and pool all their experiences. It helps everyone associated with this profession stay ahead of the latest trends and developments in the industry.

#4 Better job offers for certified professionals

PMP certification ensures a better career path and offers a higher number of job opportunities for professionals in the world of project management. This is because of the fact that it has been proven beyond doubt that organizations having a high number of PMP certified professionals have a better performance than the companies that do not have PMP certified professionals.

#5 Efficiently dealing with challenging projects

Having the certification ensures that the professional can easily deal with the challenges in their job roles. This is because the certification shows the dedication of an individual to project management and it attests the experience and knowledge of a person in dealing with difficult projects.

Besides, because the eligibility for taking the exam includes both experience and education, the certification validates the experience and skills of a person in directing and leading projects. Thus, such professionals are held as nothing less than an asset to the company.

#6 Ensuring better performance in projects

The standards set for the tough PMP examination are higher than all other such certifications because it tests a professional on five crucial management processes, namely, initiating, executing, planning, closing, monitoring and controlling. It familiarizes a project manager with a standardized, detailed, and actionable set of best practices for project management.

Moreover, for a candidate to qualify in the exam, he or she needs to have a detailed understanding of all the nine areas of project management, including integration management, project scope management, human resource management, cost management, time management, procurement management, and quality management. So, no project is too difficult or unfamiliar to handle for a certified project manager.

#7 Higher visibility to the employers

The certification is the standard that shows the expertise of a professional in project management and that helps to catch the attention of the recruiters during their profile evaluation. The trends of the past five years are a clear indication of the fact that organizations prefer to hire PMP certified project managers other their non-certified counterparts.

#8 The widespread application of the certification

One of the best things about the certification is its widespread application across major industrial sectors. Some of the fields where certified individuals can be hired include commerce, IT, business processing, telecom, research, finance, and more.

#9 Not an expensive examination to consider

Truth be told, it does not shelling out huge bucks to get the certification, compared to other such specialized exams. As far as costs as concerned, PMP examination can beat the best be described as a midrange of exams.

You will have to spend approximately INR 3, 87, 00 a test (which comes down to approximately INR 2, 82, 00 if you have PMI® membership). Given the plethora of opportunities that it opens up in front of you, this is nothing short of investment towards your career.

#10 Unaffected during economic slumps

The economy, almost all over the world, is yet to go back to the condition that it was about fifteen years ago and economic uncertainties still loom large. While there is no guarantee of immunity against downsizing and layoffs for anyone, the executives all over the globe believe that having the certification demonstrates such core competencies that such professionals hold value even during the times of recession.

So, get ahead in your career and avail PMP Certification to enjoy all these benefits and more for yourself.