The lower 20%...
The lower 20%...
We train the wrong people!
We train the wrong people!
Do Project Management Certifications like PMP/PRINCE2 help you in your job?
"PM-Tools: Does Project Management Certifications like PMP/PRINCE2 help you in your job?"
Was a question we recently saw on LinkedIn.
As with all jobs there are two sides to it.
- Getting it
- Keeping it
A certification can certainly help in getting a job. in North-America the PMP certification is the most sought after by both PM's and HR managers alike.
In Europe Prince2 is well known and sought after.
Keeping a job has all to do with how well you perform. End this is where a certification alone will not be enough. It will certainly (but on a limited basis) help you to understand what is required to do a job. Being able to do the job is something completely different. That's where competence is required. Competence is a combination of skills, knowledge, expertiece, experience and attitude.
None of the certifciations mentioned provide that. Currently the only certification that is competency based is the IPMA certification (see ASAPM in the USA and PMAC-AMPC in Canada for IPMA based certifcations)
Although PMI has begun to increase the experience requirements to become a PMP certified PM one can still get that designation without ever having managed a full project from start to end. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Prince2 is a very solid project management methodlogy that can certainly help in managing projects. I got my first practioner certification in 1997 and haved used (elements of) Prince2 in a lot of my projects. But Prince2 is just that, a best practice (now in a new refreshed 2009 version) methodolgy that does not tell you how to act as a PM, or how to apply certain PM techniques, or how to communicate, or how to deal with difficult situations.
As I always say: "A fool with a tool is still a tool, worse, a dangerous fool"
See also PMP Certification is irrelevant!, Which Project Management Diploma have you chosen ? (PRINCE2 ? IPMA ? CAPM ? PMP ? and Why) and So you want to become a real Project Manager?
Love it!! RT “@ambidexterman: "A fool with a tool is still a fool. A dangerous fool" - Erik Hamburger #management”
— beckdiane (@beckdiane) April 24, 2013
Can a project be a success and a failure at the same time?
Can a project be a success and a failure at the same time?
An 11 year "project" that resulted in a chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Certification! Cui Bono?
Over the last few weeks, an intense debate is ragging on the Project Manager Network, initiated by Miles Jennings. (Great discussion Miles!). The debate is about the question whether PMP certification is becoming more or less valuable.
I would like to take a different perspective and approach on this. Let us approach this from an evolutionary perspective. We should not argue whether there should be PM certification or not, just as we should not argue the value of wings or feet for that matter. Certification is here and here to stay (for a while)
The question to ask, from an evolutionary perspective, is: "Qui Bono?” or "Who benefits?"
The simple fact there is PM certification implies something/someone benefits. Moreover, as long someone/something benefits it will be there. Simple as that.
So, who are they?
1) Certification Standard Setting organizations that charge for membership and certification related products.
2) Certification education organizations that charge for training and education related products
3) Certification evaluation and granting organizations
4) Certification consultants
5) Certificate holders (higher pay, increased likelihood of job)
What do you think?