Having certifications on a resume is seen as a huge advantage for candidates looking for jobs and recruiters alike, today. An increasing number of candidates have started enrolling for certification courses (such as PMP. PRINCE2 etc) to spice up their resume, add immense value, demonstrate proof of their commitment, and set themselves apart from their peers so hiring companies would prefer their resumes to noncertified professionals.
The principal draw of a PMP or PRINCE2 continues to remain the high salaries it offers. Aside from the salary factor which is a key factor also mentioned, what else can a PMP or PRINCE2 certification do for you? Can it guarantee a job in this highly competitive world?
Are you looking to take up the PMP or PRINCE2 certification, but have these questions running through your head? Read on as we answer all your queries, and put your doubts to rest!
1. The PMP or PRINCE2 Makes Your Resume More Attractive
Because the certification is universally recognized, there are certain prerequisites that one must fulfill to attain the certification. Attaining these prerequisites is something that is held in high regard by most employers because it takes time, effort, and commitment.
If you have just started out in your project management career or you are looking to pursue Project Management, then the PRINCE2 certification will add tremendous value to your resume.
If you are already in the field of project management and have all the necessary experience with a proven track record of your work, a PMP certification will take your career to the next level.
The reason is that most often recruiters use the certification to narrow down their candidate pool. Industries value these certifications because of its ability to adhere to the strictly defined processes and the skills that are possessed and put to use while overseeing regulated and sensitive projects.
2. The Certifications Imparts Knowledge Of A Common Global Language
In addition to improving your job prospects, PMP or PRINCE2 training helps you acquire proficiency in the global standard language of Project Management that registers with executives and fellow project managers. Prior to PMP or PRINCE2 training, there may be aspects that a candidate cannot clearly articulate, say, for instance, the project goals, the resources that are necessary, the assumptions being made, the risk taken, and the constraints stakeholders are operating under.
PMP or PRINCE2 training provides a solid, time-tested framework that helps in effectively conveying all of these. Once a candidate has the proven ability to solve these problems, they automatically become preferable to an employer than a candidate that may have the skill but no proof on paper.
Knowing the common Project management language makes it easier to communicate with clients and vendors on a level playing field.
3. The Demand for Certified Project Managers
As long as human enterprise exists, Project Managers will remain in high demand. A survey conducted by Enterprise Agile Coach, Flow Trainer, and PMO Optimizer, Andrew Kallman, on Simplyhired.com, indicates that there are more project manager jobs in the market than there are for other management jobs.
The Anderson Economic Group has predicted that each year, there will be 1.2 million project management roles that will be filled. The market is much stronger in the IT sector. A survey conducted by ComputerWorld shows that 40% of the IT executives have declared that they intend to hire Project management professionals.
Between 2010 and 2020, 15.7 million new project management roles will be created globally, and the project management industry is slated to grow by $6.61 trillion. An expected 12% growth in demand for project management professionals will result in almost 6.2 million jobs by 2020.
Business services (2 million jobs) and Manufacturing (630,000 jobs) supported the greatest number of project management roles in 2010. Business services and healthcare are expected to lead job growth between 2010 and 2020. The healthcare industry is projected to increase project management roles by 30% — a higher growth rate than any current project-intensive industry.
The method used to handle projects is a constant change so much so that any company that is handling projects will need formal and standard project management methods to be applied. Added to this, the number of projects whether small or large is increasing by the day, regardless of any economic downturn. Taking these two reasons into account, the demands for project management professionals will continue to remain very high for a long time to come.
4. The Average Project Manager’s Salary
For entry-level, the average yearly salary is estimated at $54,953. And as you advance in experience the average pay increases drastically. For instance, if you are managing a small and low-risk project average pay is $65,818. Another project that is medium-sized and has moderate risk gets a take-home of $81,520 while managing large and highly integrated project gets up to $103,047
On average, it takes 7 years in the profession to go from entry-level to managing large, complex projects.
Conclusion
Taking into account all of the points mentioned above, a PMP or PRINCE2 certification is definitely worth considering.
Employers sift through resumes for hours to find the perfect candidate. It is not always easy as they get bucket loads of resumes that are completely irrelevant. In a dog-eat-dog employment market, it is important to set yourself apart from your peers and competitors, and the key to getting noticed with any of these two internationally recognized Project Management certification PMP and PRINCE2.
