What does this say about the experience of the project manager? What do you, a certification for a project manager to testify? Because not all certifications keep what they promise and give the entrepreneur the security to entrust the project to an experienced project manager. For project managers, the project management Institute (PMI) has bestowed the title of project management (PMP) professional that the contractor receives the security to obtain both: experience and certification, which stands for quality. Suppose you are an entrepreneur and are on the lookout for a freelance project manager. For your order someone would be… a) neither experience nor a certification may submit b) has experience but no certification has and c) can demonstrate experience and certification.

What do you think, who would have the best chance to get the job? Right on, with experience and certification. Understandable. But not all certifications keep what they promise and give the Contractor safety, to entrust the project to an experienced project manager. For project managers, the project management Institute (PMI) has bestowed the title of project management (PMP) professional that the contractor receives the security to obtain both: experience and certification, which stands for quality. To ensure the quality, each candidate must demonstrate experience in project management with degree of 4,500 hours.

Candidates without a university degree must present even 7,500 hours. According to a recent survey of by 3.678 randomly selected PMP PMI have this an average project management experience of ten years. (Source: PMI today, Edition November 2008, so how are we doing?, p. 4) all customers who decide therefore to a PMP, can assume that they decide also for an experienced project manager. This means that certified PMP without sufficient experience does not exist in practice. For the project manager, it is important to communicate with all stakeholders in constructive lines to draw. In addition, the understanding of processes and procedures is an essential key to the success of a project and the project team. For this reason the standard book of the PMI know, the PMBok (project management book of knowledge, Standard Book of the PMI project management), nine knowledge areas with five process groups and 44 detailed described processes. Since also the PMI recognizes the importance of communication, communication is a private domain with four own processes and has a very high priority. As a PMP certified project manager creates trust with the customer and is familiar with the current methods of project management. Outwards, certification serves as a quality signal to the market. Within projects, it is a guarantee of the qualified support of project staff who are instrumental to the success of the project. This still not has convinced whom the benefits of certification, which I would like to again call my initial question in mind and further ask: Can you afford to be still not certified? Oliver Knittel