How to Become PMP® Certified?

Want to move up the career ladder? Enroll for the PMP Certification today. This certification will widen your horizon of knowledge, understanding, and experience which would make you more competent in handling multiple projects. It could even raise your pay scale significantly and make your pocket heavy.

Demand for PMP Professionals exists in every industry and makes one more employable. The exposure they receive operating in various surroundings and culture are going to be unbeaten.

The best part is that they can also work with the organization or they can be their own “Boss” i.e., being a freelancer, but irrespective of their choice of working the gained learning will be in abundance.

However, the fundamental responsibility will be majorly managing the projects throughout the life cycle. Of course, people management skills are of immense importance as they will have to lead the teams, ensure that the team objectives are met given that the resources are limited. Hence, understanding what skills every good project manager needs become quite an essential topic to focus on.

Project Management Professional (PMP) is an internationally recognized professional designation offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

According to Wikipedia, as of July 2020, there are 1,036,367 active PMP certified individuals and 314 chartered chapters across 214 countries and territories worldwide. The exam is based on the PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge.

From an aspiring career to an established professional, there are many reasons to earn a PMP certification. So, what are you waiting for?  See below for the list of criteria for obtaining PMP certification.

The PMP exam is based on the PMP Examination Specification, which describes tasks out of five performance domains:

1. Initiating the project (13%)

2. Planning the project (24%)

3. Executing the project (31%)

4. Monitoring and controlling the project (25%)

5. Closing the project (7%)

The exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions written according to the PMBOK specification and the PMP Code of Ethics. The exam is closed book and close friends so absolutely no reference materials or friends help is allowed. Twenty-five of the 200 questions on the exam are “sample” questions used to fine-tune the degree of difficulty and precision of the exam and as such are not counted for or against a test taker. These questions are placed randomly throughout the exam. The test taker is only graded on their proficiency on 175 questions. The numbers in parentheses describe the percentage of questions for each domain.

Below are the topics covered in this post:

• PMP Certification Exam Overview
• PMP Certification Cost
• PMP Certification Cost in India
• PMP Certification Cost in the US
• PMP Certification Eligibility
• Steps to Become PMP Certified
  • Project Management Education & Work Experience
  • Training course
  • PMI Member
  • Register yourself for the Exam
  • Clear the PMP Exam

Previously, the PMP exam was based on five performance domains but starting in 2021, the exam is based on three domains. All of these new domains are defined in PMP Exam Content Outline. Please refer to the below table.

For more information on the changes introduced into the PMP exam, check out our detailed blog on PMP exam changes starting 2021.

When we talk about PMP certification cost, it consists of PMP exam fees, PMP training cost, study material cost & re-examination cost (in case). Please check below to understand the estimated PMP exam cost in INR & US Dollars.

So, if I am supposed to conclude, the PMP certification cost in India would be somewhere around Rs. 42,000 – 55,000.

In the USA, the cost for PMP certification would be somewhere around $900 – $1,500. But, I am sure that you wouldn’t mind making this investment as you are aware that PMP certification is recognized worldwide and it makes one employable at a global level by opening the doors to never-ending opportunities.

1. PMP Certification Eligibility:

• • With High School Diploma or Associate’s degree, one must have minimum 60 months of project management experience, and 7,500 hours of experience in leading projects.

• • With Four year college degree, one must have minimum 60 months of project management experience, and complete 4,500 hours of experience in leading projects.

• • 35 hour of project management education.

2. Training course :

• • Get a training course for yourself but remember to choose very wisely. It is advisable to get the training course from the PMI authorized training partner to avoid any regrets later.

3. PMI Member:

• • Being a PMI member is not necessary criteria however it will save your few bucks i.e. lower exam cost. It will also make the latest study material and PMBOK guide available.

4. Register yourself for the Exam:

• • Keep all your education and experience records handy when you apply online. Also, be very specific while describing your experience. Make sure that the description is compliant with the PMI standards. After submitting the application, the PMI approval email will arrive within 10 days and the last step is to pay the exam fee.

5. Clear the PMP Exam:

• • After paying the exam fee, you will be able to choose the date and time of the exam.
  • Exam will take place in one of the certified centers.
  • The result will be declared on spot after the test; however, the certification will take some time.
  • Once you clear the examination, then you will have to maintain the certification.
  • 60 PDUs has to be gained in 3 years and it must be updated on the PMI website.

Achieving PMP certification indicates that you are a strong & solid professional in managing projects as it is one of the gold standards of project management certification. The benefits of networking with other PMP professionals worldwide will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and opportunities.

All the best!! And choose the one which suits your experience the most!!!