The PMI has done a magnificent job of marketing themselves and one of their certifications in particular, the PMP exam.
Daily PMP GuideApplication, audit, and study tips/resources for the PMP exam.If you are relatively new to the career opportunities that revolve around project management and start researching more about the field, it is likely you will know about the existence of the PMP exam immediately.
And that is why I receive a lot of questions about how to pass the PMP exam.
I tend to answer this question with another question, unless I am able to derive the answer from the context of the message.
“Do you have the 3-5 years of project management experience that the PMP exam requires?
Look, I hate to be a party-pooper. Most of you are hard-working, bright people with the courage to venture into a new area and build your expertise. I admire that! You want to build a career you enjoy and can be proud of, and provide well for your family and yourself. You are my “peeps” and I’m already proud of you.
Here’s the deal. If you are new to project management, welcome! Don’t worry about certifications yet. If you do, and go for something like the CAPM or ITIL that require minimal experience be sure to view them as a learning exercise, NOT as a way to land a good job when you complete them. I wouldn’t give you a job on the basis of having or not having a certification, even if it might increase your chances to get some initial recognition by potential employers.
A Rant Against Many PMP Training Providers
I am happy you found me, because 1) I don’t provide PMP training and 2) I care more about helping make you into a successful project manager than I do about you passing some test. Unfortunately, I have accumulated hundreds of (anecdotal) reports from people who went to a PMP training provider who happily took their money and gave them training without any regard for their eligibility to take the exam in the first place. In fact, I have had reports of companies who help people “get creative” with their application forms.
Look, the majority of PMP training providers are great companies who offer great training. But before you pay any of your hard-earned money on the table, educate yourself about the exam. Do you meet the requirements to apply? Is it even a relevant certification in your part of the world and industry? I set up a free PMP Guide newsletter to help answer these questions and more if you are looking into it. I can make recommendations for training companies I have personal experience with, but not until you’ve educated yourself on why the heck you’d want to do this in the first place.
“Pass or your money back” Guarantees
This is probably an effective marketing tactic. But I hate it. I think it draws in people who are not really ready or experienced enough to even be thinking about taking the PMP exam yet.
Every time I see this “pass or your money back” guarantee I throw up in my mouth a little bit. Disgusting, I know. That’s what I think too.
PMP Training Providers: Offer a “100% satisfaction or your money back” guarantee. Or a “didn’t meet your expectations” guarantee. This forces you to set expectations appropriately and have integrity built into your business model.
As an added bonus, it doesn’t make me angry.
If the PMP is Not For You
I specialize in helping new project managers figure things out. You can ask me a question anytime, read this blog, sign up for my free newsletters, check out my Project Management Career Coaching Course, or trial the monthly pmStudent e-Learning. I won’t guarantee you a job after you take my training, but if you study and ask questions I can guarantee you will learn many things that are valuable in the everyday life of a project manager.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I know that PMI’s PMP is the most well known certification. However I have a MPM (Master Project Managers) Board certification through AAPM (American Academy of Project Management) endorsed through by the International Project Management Commission and the Department of Education. What I want to know is what is your thoughts on AAPM and IPMC.
The MPM is a giveaway “certification.” Unlike the PMP, which requires several hours of very difficult examinations to demonstrate knowledge, the MPM does not require anything – it merely “certifies” a degree and work experience that the individual already has.
The MPM does require anything? I think you need to recheck that statement. While the PMP does require an exam that take several hours to complete the MPM (Master Project Manger) certification requires a minimum of a four year degree from a accredited university accepted by the International Project Management Commission which takes several years to complete.
The MPM doesn’t require an applicant to establish any new or additional expertise beyond the degree he/she already has. What is the use of that? The degree speaks for itself without the useless certification that one has a degree. What next, a “certification” that Iam alive based on the fact I am breathing. The PMP requires the degree AND the exams. Without the exams it is anyone’s guess whether theapplicanthasthe necessary PM knowledge. The MPM demonstrates nothing in this regard. One question… are you an MPM shill or an MPM victim, or both? Nobody (well, almost) will fall for this silly circular reasoning.
Once again you need to do your research. There is an exam if you have 3 years of PM experience but your degree is not from an approved University. Also, you do have to do 15 hours of CE to stay certified. In reality all PMP means is that you have 3 years in the field and passed an exam. Give me 3 days with an Exam prep book and I can do that without a degree or 3 years in the field for that matter. I have attached the requirements below.
Our AAPM® Global Board of Standards issues the MPM ® Master Project Manager – International Project Management Board Certification to qualified applicants who have met our commission requirements of: Education, Training, Experience, Industry Knowledge, Ethics, and Continuing Education.
If you have 3+ years of Project Management Experience, you may apply for MPM™ Master Project Manager Board Certification. You must also submit your resume to the board. Please go to the Application Page. If you are not sure, simply email your resume and we will provide a commission board review to determine if you are qualified.
You may apply for the: MPM ®Master Project Manager ™, CIPM ® Certified International Project Manager ™ , or the PME ™ Project Manager E-Business ™. The CRA Chartered Risk Analyst Certification is only offered through corporate or public training also known as CPRM ™Certified Project Risk Manager ™. Please contact us regarding this project risk credential. The newest designation from AAPM is the CPE Certified Planning Engineer .
If you have 3 years of industry experience, you must already have an Approved AAPM degree , training or pass our Exam.
Here is the link to our online Project Management Exam. If you pass the exam by 70% or higher, you can apply for the Board Certification if you have more than 3 years of PM experience and accredited education.
News: AAPM Approves Specific Project Management Training Organizations for the MPM ™ . Approved Training Programs Graduates of these training programs can apply for a waiver to obtain the MPM ™ Master Project Manager Designation and Credential See List
Continuing Education requirements
How to Stay Certified?
Annually, each AAPM charter holder and board certification holder should complete 15 hours or more of continuing education CE credits. Contained below is a list of education that counts toward CE credits with the AAPM. 15 hours would be equivalent to a 2 day seminar or conference event. Members receive 1 point or credit for 1 equivalent hour of recognized training.
Members may complete one of the below or a combination to fulfill their annual requirements:
The AAPM Approved Annual Congress counts for full CE Credit. This is a Full 2 day event that counts for 15 hours.
Attendance of 15 or more hours of approved education for PMs. (2 days of training)
15 Hours of continuing executive education from an AACSB or ACBSP accredited business school (i.e. or one full graduate course would count)
Attend of our Global Economic and Project Management Summit or similar events, or
Attend a recognized training program conducted by Approved Providers
I don’t need to do anything. You are the one trying to justify this useless credential. Let’s see… I am a hiring manager who has a choice between a PMP who has an accredited bachelor’s degree and an exam-based PMP certification and another candidate with an accredited bachelor’s degree and this silly MPM piece of paper that certifies that he has, um… an accredited bachelor’s degree. Who do you think I will choose? Even if I am willing to overlook the second candidate’s incredible stupidity and lack of judgment for wasting his time and money on the MPM, or insulting my intelligence by assuming I will be the least bit fooled by the MPM sham credential. If I have one candidate with an accredited bachelor’s degree and another with an accredited bachelor’s degree and MPM that certifies that he has an accredited bachelor’s degree (in case I missed something) the ONLY thing that distinguishes the two is the part about the incredible stupidity and lack of judgment. And don’t tell me “oh, MPM requires an exam, too.” You have already denigrated exams as being meaningless, and AAPM only requires exams for degrees that are not “approved,” which means that there is some deficiency with the degree, probably obtained by some underachiever who likes to take shortcuts, and whom a giveaway “credential like MPM is unlikely to help.
OK, time for me to weigh in.
I don’t like Thaddeus’ approach which comes off as attacking Dennis personally.
However, I agree with Thaddeus’ points completely, and wouldn’t recommend the MPM to anyone. I’ve seen similar programs before.
Red Flags:
- The entry requirements are usually very low (there are so many exclusions on their website, almost anyone with any PM experience or education meets them)
- To get them you just need to fill out some paperwork and send some money in
- Renewal fee in order to ‘maintain’ your credential (every 2 years in the case of MPM)
I think this is more like a club than a credential.
In order for me to take a credential seriously, it has to either:
- test knowledge of a SPECIFIC standard(preferably ISO, IEEE, etc. like PMP, PRINCE2) AND require experience verification.
- verify and validate competence in practice such as some of the IPMA/asapm credentials.
That is my honest opinion on the matter.
Thank you Josh.
However, I see that you have misunderstood some things about AApm. There is more than just a fee to renew. You do not have access to all the renewal information until you are a member of AApM. However I did post that renewal in my last post. The renewal criteria is 15 CE hours a year. Only the initial certification is 2 years. It is every year after that. There is a list of approved Universities that practice a project based scenario. Some of which are also accredited by PMI. I believe I read somewhere that you attended the same school I did. There are only three differences between MPM / AApm and PMP / PMI.
1) AApM only requires an exam when a satisfactory four year degree is not present
2) AApM is not as well marketed and or recognized as PMI (yet).
3) PMP revews in a 3 year cycle requiring 60 PDU and MPM renews every year requiring 15 CE hrs
Thanks Dennis, I still disagree with you but I appreciate your civility about it.
Another red flag: “You do not have access to all the renewal information until you are a member of AApM.”
-The PMP doesn’t require a renewal fee, just the continuing education to keep it.
- 1) is not a selling point for me. An exam should be required unless they are doing an in-depth interview of your work experience, as IPMA/asapm does.
- 2) popularity doesn’t enter into a discussion about validity
- 3) similarity in upkeep requirements doesn’t speak to validity either. I could create the “pmStudent certification program” today and require the same thing, taking $300 up front and a renewal fee every 1-2 years. That wouldn’t make such a certification legit or beneficial.
Again, I appreciate your opinions and value the discussion highly. I just disagree with you completely on this topic.
I attained the MPM about a year and a half ago, but never placed it on my resume due to some of the very reasons cited above. I am also scheduled to take the PMP in early November. I hold a Masters degree and a couple other certifications as well, including the CFE and ITIL foundations. The AApM, as an entity, doesn’t really set right with me.
It would be very interesting to see of PMI will accept the MPM as continuing education credit. I seriously doubt they will. I don’t know what a prospective employer’s viewpoint would be if one had BOTH these certifications, but I’m a person not an experiment so I won’t be wasting time trying to find out. Yes, marketing is certainly a part of it, but I feel I’ve benefitted much just from preparing for the PMP exam (via Rita Mulcahy’s book, the PMBOK and Practice Standards documents I obtained after joining PMI, Kathy Schwalbe’s book on IT Project Management, and the CAPM/PMP all in One Guide). I have studied every day for at least the last 5 months, now. I consider myself a better person for having done so.
Mr. Beckman’s points and insights are good. Even though I don’t totally agree, I do respect him for being a gentleman about this and for taking the time to provide an in-depth articulation of these issues.
If the AApM were to become a more ethical and recognized organization, I would not at all be disappointed, but I won’t hold my breath waiting. I would advise anyone considering a certiifcation to do their homework and thoroughly research the issues. Many certifications seem to be a passing fad, particulalrly so-called “IT” certifications, many of which are worthless because they don’t require a degree or simply become obsolete after a short span of time.\
Much depends on where you are what you want out of life. would you want to work for someone who worships at the altar of particular certifications or certifying organizations and at the same time is indifferent to thea value of a degree? Or would you rather be in a place where a degree sets you apart and above? I know where I would rather be (I’m a Maslow type 5 and an INTJ).
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and insight Bob, I really appreciate it. As you probably already know, I feel about certifications much the way you do.
Congrats and good luck on the PMP. It will definitely “set you apart” from all the wannabes with no-work “credentials.” I agree with what you have said about the ephemeral nature of so many of these “certs,” and it’s good to see somebody willing to put the effort into something worthwhile that will endure.
Your instincts were right on about the “smell test” with respect to MPM and AAPM. They will either add some meaningful substance to the organization and credential and become more respected over time or continue to be a joke and eventually fade away.
TK
Hello,
Those who like to pass in advance of PMP a PM certification exam with questions ressembling to PMP but in a smaller number, may purchase and learn the 13 lesson course structured in the PMBOK way and pass the exam in one year from:
http://www.expertrating.com/project-management-certification.asp
Also, another PM certification exam claiming to reflect the PMI standards and guidelines may be passed at:
http://www.brainbench.com/xml/bb/common/testcenter/taketest.xml?testId=222
Sincerely,
Mihail