If you’ve set your sights on earning your project management professional (PMP) certificate, the requirements may seem daunting. Of course, this is why the PMP certification is so valuable in the industry. A person who holds this certification is a skilled project manager who possesses all of the necessary qualifications, such as adequate training and relevant credentials.
Requirements for PMP Certification and Training
The PMP certification has two prerequisites:
Project management education for 35 hours
a set number of hours of experience
With 36 hours of instructor-led training and 29 hours of eLearning content, SPOTO Learning PMP Certification Training Course can help you meet the requirement for the 35 hours of project management education. The course also includes six hands-on projects and seven simulation test papers to help you prepare for the exam, as well as a money-back guarantee. You’ll leave with all the knowledge and confidence you need to ace the exam and earn the PMP certification.
You must have two to four years of project management experience in addition to having completed the required education and passing the exam. The PMP requires a certain number of hours of experience, depending on your level of formal education. You’ll need 4,500 hours leading and directing projects if you have a four-year degree, and 7,500 hours if you don’t have a four-year degree, in addition to the 35 hours of education.
For someone with a four-year degree, the required 4,500 hours will take about two and a half years of full-time work in the field. If you do not have a degree and need 7,500 hours of experience, it will take approximately four years of full-time work in the area. You may be wondering, “How do I get project management experience if I don’t have a PMP?”
Getting Experience in Project Management Without a PMP
To begin, having project management experience does not require you to have previously held the title of project manager. You’ve probably already had the experience. Have you ever led a team? Have you ever been a part of a solution’s testing or evaluation? Have you taken the initiative to organize a food drive or a donation drive? These are all examples of project management experience.
When reporting your experience for the PMP certification, you will be asked to list your experience in the five categories listed below:
Initiation
Starting the project and defining its objectives
Planning
Defining the scope and developing the project plan while keeping costs, quality, resources, and the timeline in mind
Execution
Finishing the project deliverables
Controlling and monitoring
Measuring project performance and progress during the execution phase and at the conclusion of the execution phase.
Closing
Reporting on the project’s outcome and archiving it
Begin by reviewing your previous positions. Keep in mind that you do not have to have worked as a project manager to have performed relevant project management tasks and duties. You may have some prior experience, but it does not include operational, administrative, or routine tasks.
Don’t worry if you don’t have enough prior experience to meet the PMP requirements. There are several options for acquiring the necessary knowledge:
Experience with Volunteering
Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to help manage “project-like” efforts as a volunteer. You may discover that you can assist in the organization of a food drive for your child’s school, the creation of a website for your church, or the coordination of a 5K run for a non-profit. All of these could be possibilities for gaining the necessary experience.
Hours for a Side Hustle
You might be able to find a part-time job as a project manager’s assistant or leader. If this is something you’re interested in, try looking for work on one of the many freelance job sites, such as Upwork or Freelancer.
Taking a Leadership Role at Work
Even if you are currently employed, you may be able to volunteer to work on a project. Remember that involvement in execution (category #3) or monitoring and controlling (category #4) counts toward your experience requirements.
Jobs that allow you to gain project management experience
If you’re looking for a new job or want to change careers, some positions have project management responsibilities but don’t have the title of project manager. Consider the following roles:
Assistant to the President
Personal assistants are masters of organization. You’ll hone your time management and organizational skills, and you’ll most likely be working on a number of small projects that will necessitate the proper project management tasks and responsibilities.
Analyst, Business
Business analysts are frequently tasked with gathering requirements that will eventually become part of a project, or with assigning tasks during project execution.
Event Coordinator
Event organizers, like project managers, do a lot of planning and coordinating. As a project, each event will have similar characteristics. Events have a beginning and an end, a budget and a scope, and they require coordination to bring them from concept to reality.
Manager or Administrator of an Office
Both roles have a wide range of responsibilities, the majority of which are useful to a project manager. This position necessitates excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to plan and carry out larger tasks. And, as with the other roles mentioned here, you will most likely be in charge of small projects that will necessitate project management skills.
Coordinator of Training
Training coordinators have the advantage of being a part of a larger project as well as managing their own. Training is frequently a component of large projects, allowing you to participate in the project. Creating a course or training plan for a department or group can be viewed as a project that necessitates the same set of skills as a project manager.
