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Anyone here complete a PMI certification for project management?

I am interested in it also, for the future.

My wife got PMP certified last year and said it's mostly common sense and memorization.

They claim that this year the test is changing and will be more difficult.

I should add that her employer sent her to a 3 day couse and gave her plenty of time to read/review/study for the exam.

One or two of her people had a hard time getting their application accepted.
 
It's yet another useless certification. The only good thing about it is when the project fails, you have a nice document to deflect blame. These people are only interested in the process, not the result.

BUT, if you can make yourself preach it, it is good coin.


Edited to add apology


I want to apologise to any project managers that are offended by my rant. It is not directed at you, rather at the incompetent boobs that only has the cert but not the smarts.


I am just sick and tired of those kind, especially since I got a few that are superior in rank to me.

 
we sent 6 of our guys to a local school for this. pretty in depth and informative from what i saw. they covered a lot of actual situational stuff, like personnel management, resource procurement techniques, administrative paperwork and stuff like that. they even went into some of the more prominent management software for example, as well as had them create their own management forms to help them visualize time/ personnel management better. id say out of the 6 that went, 4 of them came out with a better understanding on how to be an effective PM. and all 6 were seasoned PMs at the time.
 
it is another cert but there are plenty of potentially useful concepts that can be utilized. As with any concept, you have to wrap it around the company's processes. cant simply be a pmp certified pm and instantly know how to handle anything. i passed, didnt take courses specifically from PMI, i used a general project management course from my part time mba electives.

then again, statistically speaking, i think you needed something like a 65% to pass. assuming that 50% of the questions you can answer correctly, of the remaining 50%, you can usually remove 2 of 4 obviously incorrect answers. given that, you should expect to score a 75%. test taking techniques can get you through alot.. just as a side note.
 
I took the course a few years ago with a friend who wanted to get the certification. I liked some of the concepts I learned: scope creap, crashing a project. I didn't like the way PMI stole everything from other academic disciplines and pretended they had come up with a new academic discipline. My friend had to travel to California to take the exam and it was quite expensive. He seemed to think it was worth it, and he did get a better job not long after doing it.
 
I haven't gone and scheduled the test yet, but I took the 3 day class last year. I also took the sample test provided in the courseware the night after the first day of the class and got an 81...but then again I know people that failed the actual test when they took it. If you're "good" at multiple-guess tests it shouldn't be too difficult. The PMP can make a difference when you're applying for PM jobs, and it probably can't hurt your resume as a developer.
 
Had a mentor that, at the time, was on the board of PMI. I should get certified, I know, but I already know a lot of what they do just from working under her. When I have more of a need for the piece of paper I'll probably bite the bullet.
 
Originally posted by: sdifox
It's yet another useless certification. The only good thing about it is when the project fails, you have a nice document to deflect blame. These people are only interested in the process, not the result.

BUT, if you can make yourself preach it, it is good coin.
Click to expand...

useless? maybe...but pretty in demand down here as a requirement for many positions now.
 
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: sdifox
It's yet another useless certification. The only good thing about it is when the project fails, you have a nice document to deflect blame. These people are only interested in the process, not the result.

BUT, if you can make yourself preach it, it is good coin.
Click to expand...

useless? maybe...but pretty in demand down here as a requirement for many positions now.
Click to expand...

I agree that it looks good on your resume. that is why I said it is good coin.

Useless in terms of actual project management.
 
Originally posted by: AreaCode707
Had a mentor that, at the time, was on the board of PMI. I should get certified, I know, but I already know a lot of what they do just from working under her. When I have more of a need for the piece of paper I'll probably bite the bullet.
Click to expand...

Just go do it. You'll get a big raise or a much higher paying job if you do. It's VERY valued.
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: AreaCode707
Had a mentor that, at the time, was on the board of PMI. I should get certified, I know, but I already know a lot of what they do just from working under her. When I have more of a need for the piece of paper I'll probably bite the bullet.
Click to expand...

Just go do it. You'll get a big raise or a much higher paying job if you do. It's VERY valued.
Click to expand...

I'm just breaking six figures right now and the job I have is using all of my skills and teaching me new ones (PM II at a major tech company). The paper on the wall PMP would allow me to get one notch higher on the career ladder, but since I already have most of the PMP skills and am working on putting them to practice in the best way possible, another step on the career ladder right now would probably put me a tad beyond my peak performance. You're right, but I need another year for my use of the skills to catch up to where the paper would put me. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Blieb
I am interested in it also, for the future.

My wife got PMP certified last year and said it's mostly common sense and memorization.

They claim that this year the test is changing and will be more difficult.

I should add that her employer sent her to a 3 day couse and gave her plenty of time to read/review/study for the exam.

One or two of her people had a hard time getting their application accepted.
Click to expand...

Yes, the test will be changing in June using the newest PMBOK which is out now.

For a developer, I actually don't see if being that helpful. For a project manager, lead or business analyst it provides a best practice framework on how to manage projects and people.

Having a PMI cert is becoming more and more requested but passing the test is pretty easy and doesn't really demonstrate that you have mastered the material.
 
I was looking into (still am) doing this. I took some courses with someone who was certified and currently a CIO with a large company. First thing he said was most of this stuff is going to sound like a bunch of common sense bullshit... because it is. After going over PMI type stuff he went more into much deeper real world details and scenarios applicable to our market. I took the course with mostly PHDs and MDs and I was one of his star pupils (their words) and yet I do not even qualify yet to take the PMP test (life experience req are much higher without an applicable degree which I do not have).

Like many degrees and certifications, you can readily do the job without it but it makes getting the next job much easier (and more money).
 
I've been looking into this cert as well. I enjoy working at small/medium companies, but they frequently have problems with projects management because they still have that small business mentality, and it prevents them from growing. The desire is there but the ability isn't. I've seen a number of massively over-budget or completely failed projects because the company didn't even take common sense steps. When there isn't even a simple written plan, and everything is just pie in the sky ideas that everyone just starts working on separately, you know there's going to be trouble. In addition to my experience I think the PMP would give me a bit of added credibility when I tell the owners that formal project management is a must.

The other thing I've done some looking into is Six Sigma. Anybody have any experience with that?
 
i worked for a large defense contractor when they implemented ISO-9001,
Six Sigma, DfX, and PMI.

all bullshit - as implemented there. it did not improve engineers' problem
solving ability, it added another layer of roadblocks.

i worked at Wiltron/ Anritsu when they developed the vector network
analyzer - in the mid-80's. no computers, no ISO-9001 - their engineering
teams ran rings around those at the large defense contractor. guided by
things like common sense and experienced engineers, who i had the
privilege of learning from.

but, now i can also put things like, "supported company-wide implementation
of ISO-9001, 6-Sigma, and DfX techniques", on my resume.

on the other hand, if you're working for a company when they implement
one of these programs, pretty much all you can do is go along.
 
Originally posted by: BoberFett
I've been looking into this cert as well. I enjoy working at small/medium companies, but they frequently have problems with projects management because they still have that small business mentality, and it prevents them from growing. The desire is there but the ability isn't. I've seen a number of massively over-budget or completely failed projects because the company didn't even take common sense steps. When there isn't even a simple written plan, and everything is just pie in the sky ideas that everyone just starts working on separately, you know there's going to be trouble. In addition to my experience I think the PMP would give me a bit of added credibility when I tell the owners that formal project management is a must.

The other thing I've done some looking into is Six Sigma. Anybody have any experience with that?
Click to expand...

Six Sigma's been on my development plan two years running now; I've always got better things to do than sign up for classes, and my boss agrees so she never pushes the point. 😀 In my last job I did some process mapping with Six Sigma whatever belts and it was the biggest waste of time. Four 2 hour sessions to do fishbone diagrams to find out root causes that everybody already knew? You've got to be kidding me!

The PMI stuff I learned from my mentor was far more valuable. It's common sense, yes, but common sense done in a standardized way that makes it faster to do and easier to transfer to others.
 
Originally posted by: BoberFett
I've been looking into this cert as well. I enjoy working at small/medium companies, but they frequently have problems with projects management because they still have that small business mentality, and it prevents them from growing. The desire is there but the ability isn't. I've seen a number of massively over-budget or completely failed projects because the company didn't even take common sense steps. When there isn't even a simple written plan, and everything is just pie in the sky ideas that everyone just starts working on separately, you know there's going to be trouble. In addition to my experience I think the PMP would give me a bit of added credibility when I tell the owners that formal project management is a must.

The other thing I've done some looking into is Six Sigma. Anybody have any experience with that?
Click to expand...

I think a big reason small/medium companies don't buy into a formal, structured PM system is because all they see is higher costs. They MIGHT get some benefits but the higher costs are certain.
 
i've done some six sigma too, its just another tools and concept system like PMI. In my mind it really comes back to the company's gotta know itself well enough to utilize those tools. look at toyota, where six sigma concepts are actively in use. you cant argue their success. In my mind, it works best in the manufacturing type setting, where you have a reliable task that occurs repeatedly. Where the usefulness is kinda washy is in any human related task because people never repeat the same task the same way every time.

All these concepts basically just formalize and create procedures to follow to accomplish communications/improvement or as i like to call it "monkey proofing" Just like when the desktop engineer creates a pc image, he issues step by step instructions to the techs who image and deploy pcs. If everything goes well, there is no problem.. but how often does the tech make a mistake or encounter something goofy and have to try to fix it? if the tech is savvy, they probably find the answer. if they arnt, they end up calling someone who is for the step by step resolution. Can a manager who is savvy and knows the company's processes inside out, find the intuitive common sense answer like the savvy tech? yes. can a non savvy manager who doesnt know the process but wants to find a way to make improvement bring in a system and make things work? possibly. depends on if they really want it to work or just hope its a proceduralized system that will automatically make things better.

the one thing i did take away from six sigma, is that the person on top rarely knows the answer. Its always the people that are the "doers" that have the best ideas on what's wrong or how to fix things.
 
Originally posted by: sdifox
It's yet another useless certification. The only good thing about it is when the project fails, you have a nice document to deflect blame. These people are only interested in the process, not the result.

BUT, if you can make yourself preach it, it is good coin.
Click to expand...
Wrong, and you obviously aren't a project manager or have an axe to grind. It requires something like 6,000 hours PM experience plus a bachelor's degree plus 35 hours education plus a test.

Our PMO requires PM's to obtain their PMP, and we only hire those that either have a PMP or are qualified to take the exam.
 
Originally posted by: alchemize
Originally posted by: sdifox
It's yet another useless certification. The only good thing about it is when the project fails, you have a nice document to deflect blame. These people are only interested in the process, not the result.

BUT, if you can make yourself preach it, it is good coin.
Click to expand...
Wrong, and you obviously aren't a project manager or have an axe to grind. It requires something like 6,000 hours PM experience plus a bachelor's degree plus 35 hours education plus a test.

Our PMO requires PM's to obtain their PMP, and we only hire those that either have a PMP or are qualified to take the exam.
Click to expand...

I have it...but I have been doing pm before all these certifications popped up...it is just another set of rules to follow. Makes it easier when you don't know where you are going. Call me old fashioned, but I have always believed the PM should always be the person responsible for the project, the client. A so called PMP is just the peon that translates the client's needs/vision into paper.
 
As to the OP - if you are a people and process oriented developer, then a PMP will be of great value to you. That's a rare combination as most techies want to stay far away from the project management side of the game.

 
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