You may have heard of various certifications in project management and wondered if it was worth it. It all depends: If you want to improve your career, you should be certified.
You need to be certified if your organization uses a project management framework.
Certification won’t help you manage projects better.
These are the most popular certifications in project management
A certification is not the same as a degree. A degree is awarded by universities or governments and takes longer to complete. They also require students to take additional courses and have a focus on one area. Certifications, on the contrary, are given by professional organizations. A certificate does not necessarily indicate that a person has sufficient knowledge. It only means that they have passed the exam. Not having a certificate does not mean that you are legally qualified to practice or work in the profession. That’s licensure. PMP is the most well-recognized certification for project management. There are many other certificates after it: PRINCE2, CAPM, ITIL and CSM. Some certificates are specific to the IT industry while others are applicable to all industries. For some jobs, you will need a certificate (because your company uses the framework), while other certificates are just for project management. It is the most preferred choice for project managers because it doesn’t limit you to any particular industry. CAPM (Certified Associate In Project Management) is another option. Both certificates are issued by PMI. PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments), is a project management method for which you can obtain a certificate. This certificate is issued by the UK government. PMP is a general guideline for project management, but PRINCE2 is more specific and requires that every project follow certain procedures. You will need to either work for a company that uses PRINCE2 to manage projects or get the PRINCE2 certification. PMP is better if you want to keep your options open. ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), covers a wider area than PMP. ITIL covers the entire service lifecycle. Project management is only one part of it. The course also covers Service Strategy and Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Service Operation. ITIL is only applicable to the IT services industry. CSM/PSM (Certified Scrum Master/Professional Scrum Master), are two different certificates that cover Scrum, the most widely used agile framework in software development. Scrum certifications are safe if you plan to be a Scrum project leader. Scrum is great for small teams, but not for large companies. SAFe is useful in large corporations that have software-intensive projects.
It is easier to get a job with a professional certificate. It shows that you have been vetted and have the required knowledge for the job. It’s easier to stand out among hundreds of other resumes. You can specialize in Scrum to narrow your options and increase your chances of landing a job. A certificate indicates that you have chosen project management as a career and have a demonstrated ability to manage projects. I don’t think I’ve ever been turned down for a job because I didn’t have the PMP Certification. I am no longer employed by the same company and now I’m marketing my skills for potential employers, I know that I was passed over because of the lack of the PMP Certificate.