For individuals interested in pursuing a project management career, there are many additions and attributes on a resume capable of improving their attractiveness to potential employers. Of the bullet points an applicant can include on their resume though, very little can come close to the value of a Project Management certification.

Such a certification is difficult to obtain, takes a considerable amount of work, time and energy, and yet may prove the difference between landing a job and missing out. If you're interested in a project management career, a Project Management certificate, which elevates you to the level of Project Management Professional (PMP) is something you should definitely consider.

What Does it Mean to Be Certified in Project Management?

When you become a PMP, you become a globally-recognized business person with a listing by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Your certification can be checked through the PMI. There are fewer than 800,000 active PMP professionals, spread over 210 countries.

The exam to receive such certification is controlled by the Project Management Body of Knowledge in order to keep it unified in different regions around the world. Receiving the certification instantly indicates you have extensive experience working in a management field. It also shows you have knowledge and education on varying topics, ranging from initiating a project to monitoring, controlling, executing and closing a project.

If you're interested in receiving a certification you are not able to simply sign up for an exam. It is very important to the Project Management Institute to make it more of an exclusive certification and not something an hour's worth of internet study can prepare you for. There are extensive prerequisites.

These prerequisites include the need for a four-year degree, 4,500 hours of leading projects, plus 35 hours of project management education. If you don't have a degree you don't need to head off to college and wait four years before applying for the certification. You need a high school diploma and, desirably an associate's degree (two year program). On top of this you'll need to complete 7,500 hours leading projects, while the 35 hours of project management education is the same.

Who Needs The PMP Certification?

Anyone who wants to make working as a project management professional their career should consider the PMP certification. Due to the hours required to even apply for the exam, this is not something you just apply for out of the blue because it seems like a good idea. It is something you have worked towards and have built your career on.

4,500 to 7,500 hours leading projects is a long amount of time. If you worked in a management position with a 40-hour work week, this would equate to about 160 hours a month, or about 1,920 hours a year. This means you'd need to be in a management position for at least three years, full-time, before you even qualify to take the exam.

Realistically, you did not start your professional career as a project manager, so this is on top of the other time you've put to work up the career ladder. So, if you're serious about staying in the project management field, this certification is something to heavily consider.

How Can an Employer Benefit From Getting One of Their Employees Certified?

An employer can gain emended benefits from helping their employee obtain a PMP certification as the employee will obtain extensive knowledge on leading groups, planning, organizing, executing and closing. The PMP certification covers 10 different management knowledge areas, which includes risk management, integration management, cost management, human resources management and stakeholder management, just to name a few.

This kind of education makes them a valuable part of the business. Their leadership skills will improve, which in turn helps others working under them improve as well. While this is an investment on the part of an employer to assist an employee with obtaining the certification, this goes a long way in improving productivity from the rest of the staff working on a given project.

Once your employee become a PMP, they'll have the recognized attributes any business owner looks for in the position. While others may need to explain what makes them a qualified candidate, simply disclosing your Project Management Professional status instantly explains their level of expertise and can put clients at ease.

How Do I Find Out More Information Getting An Employee Certified?

If you are interested in getting an employee PMP certified, Infotec offers a comprehensive training program to help test-takers study for their test and hone their skills. For more information about training for this certification, connect with Infotec today!

For more information about Infotec or any of our programs click here: http://www.infotectraining.com/ or https://ops.infotecpro.com/course_schedule/course_schedule.cfm.