PMP Certification - is it worth it?

[groo]

I'm thinking of taking one of those fast track PMP certification courses (http://www.4pmti.com/4day.htm). I have the required hours of project management experience, but don't have any classroom credits.

Anyone have any experience with a PMP certification? Is it worth having? If so, did you take any certification courses? Which one(s)?

[groo]

nobody knows anything about this?

[Chihuahua]

I took an online course provided by 4PM ... http://www.4pm.com/
.. will get 60 PDU's - classroom credits - for it...

www.pmstudy.com has some crash courses

Its a good thing to get certified by PMP...helps you professionally...I have seen a lot of companies asking for it lately ...

if possible contact the local PMI chapter... the PMI Lakeshore chapter conducts certification courses for approx $800

[bionicbadger]

The hours and the test are the hardest part.
If you have the hours then spend the money and take the course and test.

[sonick]

dunno bout a PMP, but a PiMP certification was totally worth it for me...

[Audiogenic]

Over the years, I've worked with experienced Project Managers who didn't have a PMP that were excellent and by the same token worked with Project Managers that did have a PMP who were totally incompetent.

The PMP is good at honing a Project Managers "Hard" skills but not necessarily their "Soft" skills.

The rule of thumb for the PMP Certification is this:

If you are a seasoned veteran of project management and have over 15 years of experience behind you, the certification will really do nothing for your as your experience will take precedent.

If you are a relative newcomer to the project management world (under 5 years), the certification is helpful towards establishing yourself among your peers and competing with similar talent for industry jobs. If your company can pay for it...even better (it's $405 US).

There are alot of prep courses out there to choose from (IIL & Bay3000 are quite good) to prepare you for the exam and thus your education requirement is fulfilled at the same time as well.

Again, it never hurts to have a PMP from PMI although having a PMP from PMI doesn't necessarily make you a good project manager either.

[sysadmins]

Let`s put it this way: a PMP certification indicates you that this person took the exam and got the marks to pass it. Nothing more, nothing less. As having a kid doesn't make you a "good parent", certain things only tell you what you did to get it. Read PMBOK, probably took some courses or something and passed the exam. That´s it. It will be up to that PMP certified PM to enhance and appy that knowledge accordingly.

[TrevorK]

Let`s put it this way: a PMP certification indicates you that this person took the exam and got the marks to pass it. Nothing more, nothing less. As having a kid doesn't make you a "good parent", certain things only tell you what you did to get it. Read PMBOK, probably took some courses or something and passed the exam. That´s it. It will be up to that PMP certified PM to enhance and appy that knowledge accordingly.

As far as I know, you also need a large number of hours of work experience to actually get the certification.

To me, this makes it much more meaningful than the typical certifications.

[ullyeus]

As far as I know, you also need a large number of hours of work experience to actually get the certification.

To me, this makes it much more meaningful than the typical certifications.

absolutely correct.

[dealforme]

Holy who the heck bumped up this two year old thread...LOCKED