License to manage? (On PMP and certification)

Do you know what PMI is? I bet half of you don’t. I didn’t when I became a manager and it was years before I met anyone in the software industry who was PMP certified. A common question I get is this one:

What do you think about the PMP? Is it a necessary certification? It seems to mechanize management, something I find to be fluid and organic. Does it take a certain personality to be a Project Manager? You seem to be far more atmospheric, relational in your writing – not reflective at all to the rigidity of the PMP – and you wrote a book on project management.

Certification is bizzare: When did this start and who can we blame for the mess? It’s required by law for doctors, lawyers and accountants but not for senators, programmers, parents, and CEOs. No certification is required to run for president, but you need one to drive a car. There are rational reasons for this, which I’m sure I’ll hear in comments, but it’s still nuts, isn’t it?

The software industry is split on PMI: in the IT sector, and in many cost centers, it’s often required for management jobs, but on the product side, the profit side, it’s the opposite. At companines like Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Yahoo people who manage profit hopeful/generating projects have rarely heard of PMI. Where you go to college matters as these places (they recruit at the same dozen universities), but certification matters not so much.

The certification question is about value – what does the piece of paper mean? People get certified because they believe:

  1. They’ll learn needed skills
  2. It will help them get a job
  3. It’s fun, cheap and a great way to find romantic partners (sadly, no on all 3 counts. Unless of course, it’s a free PMP/Dating combo program, which are hard to find)

Since the PMP focuses on an exam, it has the limitations of standardized tests: people study to the exam, not to the world. What do they know besides the minimum required to get a passing grade? Who knows. I can’t blame them: I didn’t study for the SATs to become a better person, I did it to get a good score, and would have happily memorized the French national anthem or claimed faith in UFOs for a few extra points (And yes, both the PMP and the SAT are primarily multiple choice tests). The PMP does have experience and classroom requirements, and does require people keep learning to maintain their PMP, but the exam gets the lions share of attention.

In that sense certifications differ from college degrees – if someone tells me they studied business for 4 years at University X, I can assume something about the experiences they had (what their peers, professors and study environments were like). But I can also ask questions like:

  • Why did you take the courses you did?
  • Did you get what you expected?
  • What else do you need to learn?
  • What projects did you work on? What happened? Did you like any of it?

Their answers reveal their passions. I can consider if their skills and passions match each other, and the job opening I have.

But an exam-centric certificate tells me only that they passed a test. Unless the job I’m hiring for matches the problems on that test, I’m not going to be impressed by the fact that they passed. I can ask why they took the test, but I’m pretty sure I know (see above). I might be impressed that they are willing to work hard and chose to invest time and money in their career, but there are other ways to do that, and it’s only one part of what I need to believe to want to hire someone.

Particular to product development jobs, I’d prefer someone who does well in situations when there is less structure – no single scoring system and no study guide. The person that aces a test, who perhaps likes rules and systems, might not excel when required to invent new rules, balance messy human tradeoffs and deal with the 31 flavors of uncertainty you get when trying to make new things. No certifications today measure this – if they did, I’m sure I’d be cheering all the way.

But until then, I’ll have mixed feelings about the PMP or any certification for management roles. They’re nice to have, but far from a requirement.

However, I have clear feelings about people who answer questions by pointing to framed pieces of paper. As soon as somone emphasizes their PhD, PMP, or M.D. when they should be thinking and answering questions loses 50 credibility points. Will they point to that paper when their team is in trouble? When their patient is dying? When the space shuttle is crashing into the sun?

If that piece of paper was so transformative, they should have great experiences, useful ideas, interesting opinions, or examples of their work to talk about, instead of exam scores or honors certificates. Unless they think I’m a moron, they should be willing to explain their ideas, make arguments based on facts or opinions, rather than assume a piece of paper can replace the need to think and act for themselves and to treat other people, with or without degrees, as equals until proven otherwise. I’ve seen this in every field (note the M.D. above, doctors are particularly guilty) so perhaps it’s just human nature.

I’m not anti PMP/PMI/university/PhD/establishment or anything at all – Obtaining these things is very difficult and people who have them have every reason to feel proud. If it helps employers and candidates make matches, fantastic! I just don’t believe that on their own these things signify much about the ability to perform, especially as a manager. To be fair, I doubt any exam or degree can do that, which explains my general opinion about certification programs.

Despite my opinion, it’s clear the PMP exam is a huge success for PMI and lots of folks swear by the program. There are over 200,000 PMP certified people out there (some of whom, I hope, will keep reading this blog). And the market for PMP study programs is huge: The PMI body of knowledge book ($31), is a perennial best seller, as are PMP exam prep ($56) type study guides.

So what’s your opinion? I’m sure many with PMPs want to tell me how great they are, and those without will hapilly confirm the opposite – so please consider showing a sprinkle of love for the dissenting opinion, before you fire away in the glory of grandiloquence.

See also: How to interview and hire people.

29 Responses to “License to manage? (On PMP and certification)”

  1. Johanna Rothman

    Scott, there’s a difference between a license and a certification. PMPs are certified, not licensed. MDs, drivers, professional engineers have licenses. I’m fairly sure that to be licensed, someone who’s already licensed by the state you’re in has to examine your work. Certifications require no examination of your work.

    I agree with you about the relevance of certification as a requirement for hiring. I wrote about that in several places on my blog, most recently here: http://www.jrothman.com/weblog/2005/05/make-job-requirements-relevant-to-job.html. I also ranted about it in the Hiring book.

    Reply
  2. Timothy

    Hi Scott – you managed to hit one of my hot buttons (don’t worry, I’m on your side on this one). When I certified with PMI in the mid-90’s, the PMP was truly a designation in which a project manager could take pride. There was a level of difficulty about the test (multiple-choice notwithstanding) that made passing truly an accomplishment, as it required an UNDERSTANDING of the art and science of PM. Recently, I was asked to teach a section of the exam review course for my local chapter. I was dismayed to read in the class evaluations how many of the students didn’t care about real life; they only wanted to know what was required to pass the test. Moreover, I was criticized for correcting information in their class materials that was blatantly wrong (but was there to be able to pass the test). There are a couple of organizations out there (who shall remain nameless) who have become PMP factories. One need not know how to spell project, just go to the 5-day course and they will tell you everything you need to know to pass the blasted test to put three more letters after one’s name. GRRRRRR!!! What was once a differentiating factor among project managers has become a bit of a star on a sneech’s belly (check your Dr. Seuss literatur for that analogy). This is the big elephant in the middle of PMI’s room that nobody talks about but everybody sees. I’m glad you raised the issue.

    Reply
  3. Scott (admin)

    Johanna: fair point, although the license vs. certification thing can get fuzzy in places. Some licenses are easier to get than certificates – obtaining a business license in most states requires $25 and a social security # :) Some (but clearly not all or even most) licenses just mean you bothered to fill out a form, not that you’re qualified in any way to do anything.

    Reply
  4. Scott (admin)

    Timothy: I really hope not to polarize things. I’m wouldn’t say I’m anti-PMP or PMI, but I wouldn’t say I’m a big advocate either. I do like the intention of trying to provide standards of conduct and knowledge, but from what I’ve experienced in the software industry, having a PMP doesn’t say much either way about someone’s ability.

    The PMP factory: It totally reminds me of the SAT prep machine, a huge business, which is why I made the comparison.

    And I totally got the sneetch reference – I have much of the Dr. Seuss library etched hapilly in my mind.

    Reply
  5. Timothy

    Scott – if anything becomes polarized, it would not be anyone’s fault but PMI’s alone. And you’ve vocalized the issue well: it really doesn’t make a difference anymore whether one has the PMP or not. I know many excellent PMs who have no interest in certification, and I know knuckle-draggers who parade their PMP like a sash. The issue is that it once had major significance and had to be earned. Those taking the test now may feel they’ve earned it (and some of them are very talented individuals who truly have) but others just passed a test. I’m not anti-PMP or anti-PMI either (better not be – I’m a chapter officer at the moment). However, professional organizations in general need to be aware of the value they are adding to their members. (Can you tell this really, really is a hot button with me?) Anyway, thanks for the great post. The issue is very relevant and current across many projectized industries.

    Reply
  6. Deb

    Scott and Timothy, I was happy to catch this post in my RSS reader – thanks!

    I’ve been in software development for over 15 years, and for the last couple of years, I’ve been considering whether or not to pursue the PMP certification. For me, it boils down to one thing; I see the PMP certification as a way to differentiate yourself from the rest of the ‘pack’ when competing for assignments. I completed a developer’s certification from the big M about 8 years back and it proved useful at the time. Nowadays, I’m not so sure about the importance of certification because I also prefer an abstract, creative resource over a ‘by-the-rules’ resource. I think the defining factor is where a person is in his/her career. We have all seen this. You post a job for a junior position and you’re inbox explodes. How do we separate the wheat from the chaff? I pay attention to those individuals who have gone the extra mile to differentiate themselves, but I also dig deep into their programming and problem solving skills during an interview. Conversely, for more senior resources, I pay more attention to soft skills and past assignments. I figure if they’ve been in software for 5 years or more, they can probably design a solution as good as the next person. What I care more about is how they’re going to keep the ship afloat.

    So I guess what I’m saying is “it depends”. I also think I’ve answered my own quandary in the process. Less experienced individuals need to find a way to keep their resume out of the ‘thanks but no thanks’ pile. The more experienced a person is, the more emphasis will (or perhaps should) be placed on his/her accomplishments, temperament and values.

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  7. Vineet Reynolds

    I can see the use of PMP only in places deprived of smart managers. Ok, you can raise that eyebrow but I’ve come across knowledge based companies with average or below average employees. The only thing that will separate the possible project manager from the rest of the chaff is that PMP certification. But I would concede the point that a PMP certified employee needn’t make a good project manager.

    Needless to say that the places teeming with smarties don’t have time for PMP certifications because of the inability to separate possible PMs from the rest of the pack. Usually the person with an inclination to manage teams and projects is groomed to become a manager.

    Reply
    1. Jaymo Lobo

      A chap with whom I work recently added the PMP (and the little “R” in a circle that comes with it) to his email tag line. It’s not at all clear, however, that he has any management skilz.

      Reply
  8. Timothy

    Scott – you are very correct about the value the PMP and PMBOK bring to standards within the industry. At least they get us all talking the same lingo. I’m going to post on this today on my blog and backtrack to you.

    Deb – great point about the differentiating factor (which was Scott’s original intent of the post). The PMP has become the de facto baseline for waste basket vs. first interview… at least with those who don’t have years and years of experience. A distinguishing hiring manager should be able to look past the PMP designation to the experience on the resume; a smart PM looking for work will emphasize experience and results in a way to catch an employer’s eye (the PMP should be a mere footnote).

    Vineet – thanks for the great chuckle on the “deprived of smart managers” comment. Let’s just hope that PMP doesn’t come to stand for “Poorly Managing Putz”

    Reply
  9. Scott

    Timothy/Deb: I think it’s interesting to look at which jobs require PMPs. As I mentioned, on the product development side of the industry, particularly at high profile companies, you’ll almost never see PMP even mentioned. But on the IT side, it’s pretty common.

    Reply
  10. Kurt Settles

    Scott,

    I became a project manager for a telecom company about a year and a half ago and, taking my manager’s direction, took a PMI-oriented basic project management course immediately. The course stepped me through the basic PMBOK sections and, to a lesser extent, the application of the practices described therein. At that point, I became aware that I was having significant difficulty aligning with the PMI model. My experience after that training bore that “gut feeling” out. Recently, going against my better judgement, I determined that (due to some potential job transitions) I should probably pursue a PMI certification (the CAPM). I signed up to go through PMP Test Prep once a week for 3 hours per week, led by PMPs from the local PMI chapter. BAD IDEA. The course was, for lack of a better explanation, a complete waste of time and money for this reason (and I loosely quote): “PMI tests to the PMBOK and the PMP test answers cannot be interpreted by your experience. Everything we review here assumes that the PMI standards are absolutes. The PMP test does not test real world project management.”
    So I completely agree with you on the “value” of the PMP. The only value it provides is confirmation that the certified individual could pass a test provided by an organization that has the loudest voice in the project management “profession”. There are other methodologies, processes, and mindsets that are infinitely more applicable to various project types than the PMI model.

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  11. AL

    Scott, thanks for your blog area. You’ve attracted a lot of interesting comments. It is unfortunate that the PMI has decided to allow a lot of people to pass, hence diluting the true value the PMP certification once had. There is one dude in my office who seemed to have found the PMP certification in a Kellog’s box. He admits that he has no intention of planning any project.
    He has zero PDU’s and has no idea how to get any.
    I disagree, however, that this certification is not valuable: there are still a few very good PMP holders out there who contribute well to the PM gene pool. Don’t let the lackey’s affect your judgement. I teach Project management and Leadership, I work hard with the PMI chapters to maintain the level of quality. And I am on the PM lecture circuit. There is a need to certify. But even more, there is a need for PMI to filter out the jokers who just wanted to decorate the office.

    Reply
  12. Hugh

    I am deciding whether to sit for the PMP. I have twelve years managing interactive training and education (now e-learning) projects for a pretty wide range of clients – medical, defense, K-12, museums. My management approach has typically been determined by the client, in that the amount of structure I have been able to apply to a project has been dependent on how the client wants, or needs, to work. Some prefer a more amorphous, highly iterative approach, and some need a more linear approach. I’ve had to read that, respect it, and adapt, keeping the need for successful delivery paramount. Like jazz, there’s some structure, and lots of improvisation.

    Given that, it’s at least good to be familiar with the basics, with some objective indication to potentially interested parties that we do. Twelve years of project management is probably a good indication that I know what I’m doing, but who knows that I haven’t developed an entirely idiosyncratic method that has worked for me and my teams, but really would not be applicable in other organizations?

    Perhaps the PMBOK is nothing more than a validation that we are at least conversant with the basics and not just making it up as we go.

    I am doing full time consulting for a single organization now, but may be floating a resume soon, and I imagine that having the PMP on there can’t hurt (can it?). It looks pretty basic in the couple days that I’ve had the PMBOK and the study guide, so it won’t be much of a sacrifice. By the way, why does it use plural for “inputs” and “outputs” ? Aren’t they collective/plural anyhow?

    Reply
    1. MG

      same reason they use all other $50 words to express $0.50 concepts.
      Like Parametric cost estimating instead of learning from experience or matrix organization to mean not getting the f..k out to the way of the folks trying to get stuff done why you are pert charting your self into a project time loop.

      You can sell this as a snake oil unless its packaged an marketed..

      The best part of PMP is that it gives managers something to do what may not in fact fatally impact the project.

      As a programmer only 30 years into a lifetime sentence of project command and control I think that’s an improvement.

      Reply
  13. JohnB

    First things first: I have my PMP; I’ve taught PMP course materials.

    Everyone here has missed the a signal aspect of the PMP certification: it’s not the certification; it’s the indicator that someone is willing to continually engage in a structured learning experience. Random explorations of a topic often targetted to developing a “response” that is appropriate to a given set of circumstances. A more structured exploration exposes one to a variety of related topics usually as part of a unified whole. For a “one-off” set of circumstances, random probably works as well as anything else. For an “on-going” set of circumstances the latter approach brings more benefits.

    It’s certainly true that PMP courses teach to the exam and I have said to many students “don’t answer the questions based on your experience, answer them based on the PMI PMBOK Guide point of view.” I fail to see what is wrong with that. If I am working in a highly structured project management environment then answering questions about project management in that organization will be directed towards that environment. If I’m in a more dynamic environment then answers to project management questions will be different.

    That said (and I’ll reiterate it: the exam tests your knowledge of the PMBOK Guide, not your practical experience), is that such a bad thing? I would argue “no” simply because the PMBOK Guide brings a structure to the process of project management. The PMBOK Guide (perhaps you will have noticed now that I use the full title, including the word Guide) defines a framework for a Project Management structure with a rigour and depth because the PMBOK Guide content has come from people who have worked on projects and have distilled their experience into the Guide.

    In short, the PMP certification shows that you have an understanding of the Guide’s contents and the Guide’s contents provide a structure for a broad range of items that directly impact the management of a project. To read anything more into it than that is intellectually dishonest.

    It is easy to find and dismiss particularly egregious examples of abuse, as AL has done. He missed the point. Since PMP certification requires on-going activities for renewal, his “joker” will be winnowed out. It is equally easy to dismiss one form of certification when others have been shown to be trivial or worse. But that’s the sort of argument that denies the worth of a university degree simply because of the activities of some graduates. If others want to play that game, go ahead without me.

    Reply
    1. MG

      Look up self selection bias . Then tell me why anyone would take the PMP seriously, particularly if one is paid to complete it.

      PMP may at one time have provided co-relation to competence via self selection bias. I may even still do so. But it will rapidly fall back to random noise as it becomes expected and even required.
      Meanwhile we have conceded that it the PMBOK is a load of merde and knowledge thereof generally not useful.

      If the PMP or its Lucrative eco-system serves any purpose of revenge to its ostensible mission I fail to divine what that might be .

      Reply
      1. Mg

        I hate autocorrect..

        But I hate web forms with no edit more.. ;)

        Reply
  14. Relevant

    I have an MBA, took serveral Project courses, and I work with several PMPs. Needless to say, I’ve found the PMP study guides, PMBOK and core practices nice but not required for many situations – particularly for those situations in software development. I am amazed at the number of people who may have a PMP certification that can talk the PM talk but have never dropped one line of code in C, C++, Java, SQL, C#, Python, Html, CSS, Javascript, etc. It astounds.

    For certified Software PiMPs out there managing software projects without a little bit of a coders background, they are strictly speaking frauds. Yes, FRAUDS -> Freaking Ridiculous Actors Utilizing Dinky understanding for Solutions – people who can’t solve (code) their way out of a paper box when faced with a real deadline. Give me someone who can do 60% of the job themselves if the money way right and I’ll show you a potentially hireable PM.

    I have nothing but disgust for PMPs professionally since I never met one that was capable of planning realistically given resources. I’m disgusted as they drag me into conversations as they research some aspect of “code” that is fundamental to the project but is completely beyond their comprehension – duh? You want me to explain this to YOU??? STUDY SOME CODE ON YOUR OWN TIME INSTEAD OF STUDYING FOR THE PMP!!!! Sorry to say but many of these are junior level women with non-engineering backgrounds. For the chicks (non-technical women), a PROJECT is like a holiday recipe book with a holiday seating arrangement – something to talk a lot about and plan for with other women- kind of like when American women used to discuss Christmas parties. Sadly, the projects I’ve worked on are not for the family or the kids – they are for managers who have hired people to get work done in a short periond of time. The housewives are first out the door and beware of the “girls” that have kids and a PROJECT at the same time. Yechh!!

    Overall, the PMPs seem to talk a good a game but just cannot deliver the goods when the chips are down. The good ones actually don’t need a PMP – and yes, I am comparing good, mediocre and bad. Leadership from ignorance produces failure. The PMP cert means you’ve covered the basics.

    Personally, I never hire anyone with a PMP as their standout feature – I only hire people who have worked through a lot of difficult situations when the chips where down and they had to fall back on creative problem solving and proper estimates for the project plan. People who are “diversity candidates” with a PMP but without any coding background go directly into the trash. My time is money and I’m not about to waste it on the “diversity” crap seen in the certs. I trust people who have worked their way out of situations with the team they are in the same boat with. PM team blamers are generally manipulative PMS whining PMPs with CraMPs – producting death marches without the best outcome. Managerial PMPs are actually a brain drain on corporate America – who would hire them to do a job besides “projects”. Believe me, I know – I’ve been managed by several PMs with certs and those without. The only people I trust are those who can talk out a reasonable solution based on facts without the Team’s diversity-variety of opinion-ad naseum PMP propaganda.

    I hope the PMPs hire disliked this diatribe on their Cert. Yeah, I’m the “joker” that called your plan stupid and unrealistic. Yeah, but I’m in business to make money. The loss of diversity is a lesser risk than the growth of stupidity.

    –M.B.A.

    Reply
    1. kat

      With all due respect “M.B.A.”, Project Managers don’t need to, and probably should not know how to, write code. Project Management is not product specific. It is a management practice not a producer position. Would my knowledge of writing code deliver an airplane body, a house or a vacine???? No. But my management practice might.

      That said, having been an ‘un-certified’ PM since the early 1990’s I ask myself annually if I should take the exam. I recently took a practice exam and found it to be entirely focused on technique with very little focus on the problem-solving and management that I employ daily. I found many of the questions overly-technical and dated and not really reflective of the value that we offer to organizations by way of our process.

      My practice consistently maps to PMI and PMBOK standards but with the end-goal of benefiting project teams toward successful delivery. A project may benefit from Agile, SCRUM, PRINCE2 or random, self-directed work-management frameworks. PMBOK doesn’t care about that. What it cares about is delivering well-defined products and benefits to organizations. And doing that requires strategy, integration, communication, collaboration, negotiation and creativity that PMP cert can’t test too and talented sys engineers, software devs, infrastructure architects, genetic scientists, scrim coaters, astronauts, set-designers, marine biologists and printers, etc., should not be required to think about. Their jobs are critical to production and should not be compromised by adding management, planning and accountability for successful delivery on strategic goals within budget and on-time.

      Things may be broken – as reflected in “M.B.A.’s” comments and the current state of PMP cert exam but I will always value the management framework that PMBOK provides. I may retire without a PMP after my name but I know that the framework will have greatly enabled me to deliver much value to the many organizations I have had the benefit of supporting.

      kat

      Reply
  15. RamS

    I just passed the PMP about one week back. It took quite a bit of preparation. My engineering background (and mindset), made me realize, that I have to take off my “engineering” hat and think like a Project Manager, in order to pass the exam. I had to accept that quickly and get out of being “in denial” about this. My employer paid for the 2-day (16 hour) training session and the exam fee. My take on this – a PMP (or for that matter, any degree or certificate) is not a ticket to lifetime employment, perks and benefits. All it does is get our “foot in the door”. The rest is upto each individual. Today (more than ever), EVERY prospective employer looks for value when interviewing candidates for a job. With the economy getting more and more global, we have to MAKE OUR CASE when interviewing for a job or convincing our boss that we deserve a raise. No matter what amount of experience and expertise we have accumulated, the old saying “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME TODAY” is more true than ever before. I have a healthy respect for all Project Managers (whether or not they are PMPs). We have a lot of talented people out there, with a high level of creativity. The competition is VERY, VERY INTENSE. Summary – nobody is going to hire or promote someone simply because they are PMPs.

    Reply
  16. Kenny D.

    I do like the certification and the process. My only disagreement is that Rita’s book is the best selling. Her book is not worth the paper it is printed on. It is bullet points. For that I can read the PMBOK. With the proper materials and some common sense the exam is easy.

    Reply
  17. Jose

    Scott – I certainly agree with some of your points. However here are my beliefs:

    – A college degree does not have the same value as 10-20 years ago, probably not even 5 years ago when it made a difference between someone who had it and someone who did not.
    – With time Masters degrees gained importance and were used, to some extent, to demonstrate someone’s commitment to self-development
    – As with college degrees, a master degree is now not as impressive as it was years ago (specially MBAs)
    – Now it seems that certifications are the new differentiator among professionals

    The reason to that is quite simple: specialization, the more specialized you are the more value you may be able to provide not just to a company but also to the community you belong (take Oracle specialists for example, or developers, be it java, .net, you name it)

    The PMP certification when taken from a fancy point of view (as many people did with MBAs) losses value but not because of itself. Now you see even more specialized certifications (BAP, PMI-SP, PgMP) all intended to narrow even more the grade of expertise that they cover but with an emphasis on: even more knowledge, experience, value

    PMP for itself is a great certification if you take it from the same point of view you took a college degree: grow, gain experience, validate your knowledge, alone it might not mean much, the employer needs to look beyond it of course.

    In any case I believe what gives value to the PMP cert is the person itself and not viceversa.

    Reply
  18. Glenn

    I passed the PMP Exam last week. I’ve worked in Project Management in the construction industry for nearly 30 years, starting out as a basic laborer, and earning my way up the ladder to Project Manager. I will be the first to admit that the PMP certification alone means very little without a strong Project Management background. The PMP program is all about knowing the defined processes and knowledge areas, and does tend to be quite rigid. But I definitely feel it does have value as many of the processes provide an increased understanding of project management in general and encourages thinking of how the many different parts of a project come together throughout the project life cycle. I don’t feel PMP certification by itself would get me a job over an experienced Project Manager, but I do feel that gaining this certification shows an individual’s desire to increase personal knowledge and also shows strong initiative and commitment. The PMP certification is a very challenging process and would likely be more applicable in situations where 2 applicants may be very close in experience, and a “tie breaker” decision-making process may be applied.

    Reply
  19. Matt

    I think PMP certification is a huge scam! I haven’t heard from one certified person that PMP has any real value in the real world. What can we do to make companies realize this is a waste of time & money? From what I’ve seen, it brings down morale, since the material is is meant to trick you, not teach you!! Some of the auizes let you know what the correct answer is, but

    Reply
  20. Albert Madden

    In my opinion, it’s worth to take take the PMP certification. For project managers, it’s a must as the certification will help greatly in your career.

    Reply
  21. J Engle

    The PMP exam has a secret passing score, and when you take the test… your score is secret too. The contents of the test is secret as well, most of it’s in the book, but plenty of it is not. So you have to shell out for franchised prep courses that have some (but not all) of that non-book material. They also don’t publish their pass/fail ratio so those 200,000 PMPs could correlate to a pile of 3 million failed PMP wash outs. It’s a big scam.

    Reply

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  1. […] Just as I posted this, I found this post by Scott Berkun. Scott is a blogger and also author of The Art of Project Management. Although the book is primarily aimed at software engineers, there are obvious crossovers into construction engineering and more general management. […]

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