Project Manager Career Path - Step by Step Guide

Introduction

The PMI certification program started in the early 1980s with the PMP credentials, and since then, PMI has added multiple other certifications. It is essential to mention that the PMI certifications are not necessarily ladders in the sense that one credential is not a prerequisite for the others. Regardless of the certification, being a PMI member itself gets you access to the PMBOK Guide, the PMI global standards' all digital editions. Moreover, you will get a concession on examinations and renewals of certification. On that note, here's a brief outline of the PMP career path and future scope of the certification.

PMP Career Path - An Overview

The Exam

The exam for PMP Certification occurs all over the world in 13 languages. You will get 4 hours and have to answer 200 multiple-choice questions in 5 domains of project management, like initiation, planning, execution, handling and finishing.

Cost of the Exam

CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)

CAPM is the entry-level certification of the PMI. It is perfect for those looking for a PMP career path with little appropriate experience. This credential indicates that you understand the basic concepts, processes, and terminologies of project management. Before taking the exam, the candidate needs to have a high school diploma or associate degree, along with twenty-three hours of PM education and 1,500 hours of project experience.

PMP (Project Management Professional)

PMP certification is the most respected and popular project management certification in the world. It needs a high school degree or equivalent, five years of project management experience, at least 7,500 hours spent on leading projects, and thirty-five hours of project management education to sit for the exam.

PMI-ACP (PMI Agile Certified Practitioner)

A PMI-ACP certified professional needs to have an extensive project experience, including 2,000 hours on project teams. Moreover, the recent agile expertise is also needed, which involves 1,500 hours with agile methodologies and 21 hours of agile training. It covers advanced knowledge of PM tools and techniques.

PMP Certification Career path - Scope 

Project management is an exciting arena in terms of securing high-paying and top-tier jobs. According to PMI, going on the PMP certification career path is lucrative. 

• The most popular PMP career path through which the professionals start their journey is that of a project manager.
• PMI professionals with the proper certification also work as project schedulers, coordinators, and office directors for project management.
• The professionals with PMI-ACP certification work as agile project managers or scrum masters.
• The most experienced professionals with PMP career path usually manage and direct many programs. They also develop and handle prudent corporate portfolios.

Practitioners interested in risk management choose roles related to regulatory compliance and implementation and value-based engineering coordinators.

The industries looking for certified project managers include healthcare, construction and civil engineering, and financial institutions.  

PMI credentials holders have to renew their certifications, instead of repeating the complete application procedure. The renewal of the certification ensures that the skills of the project management practitioners are updated according to the needs of the times. Keeping up with the PMI regulations of renewal will make sure that your PMP certification career path shines throught.