Experience in project management is any experience that falls within the five different phases of the process that are outlined by the PMP Initiation, Planning Execution Monitoring and Controlling, and finally, Closing. Even if you don’t hold the title “Project Director” in your CV, it’s likely you’ve worked in a position that falls under one of these categories.
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What exactly is Project Management Experience?
You’re now ready to be certified as a professional project manager with the PMP Training. However, when you look at the requirements for many of the most popular certifications, you’ll notice that a lot of them require proof that you’ve managed and managed projects. (Like lots of hours.)
You’re probably thinking it’s the typical encounter trap. You require expertise to obtain the certification which can get an opportunity to work. But, you must have the certification in order to be hired to get the expertise. It’s not.
There is a good chance that you have experience in project management. It’s just a matter of knowing where to search.
Experience isn’t only about managing
Before we begin, let’s take a glance at some prerequisites. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is one of the most sought-after certifications within the field. In order to be eligible for the exam, you will need to have 7500 hours of experience managing and leading the execution of projects (a take note about this will be provided later).
If you hold an undergraduate degree or higher then you are eligible with 4500 hours of work experience in leading and managing projects. You could be eligible for Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification with 1,500 hours of experience in project management as well as 23 credits of education in project management.
The language used to describe “leading and leading and directing” on the PMP site is intimidating. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Even even if “project manager” does not appear as a job title on your application, you could still apply your project-related experience towards your certification. Here’s how.
To be eligible for PMP certification the knowledge is divided into five distinct categories:
- Initiation In this stage the project is officially presented to a sponsor. The scope of the project is initially discussed.
- Planning The full scope of the project is clearly specified.
- Execution – Once everything is written in writing, the task begins.
- Monitoring and Controlling Project managers monitor reviews, control, and monitor the progress of their projects.
- Closing It is the final stage when the client is able to sign off on the project.
When you think of these categories take a moment to think about everything you’ve accomplished at work or outside of work. You don’t have to be the leader of an entire project from beginning to completion for you to record those hours. Instead, gather your experience across these areas. You may have conceived and started an initiative or implemented a plan for a project within a process team.
For various positions it could be like this:
- Initiation – Team leader for React website development for X company
- Plan – Planned Infrastructure Upgrade for X company
- Execution – DevOps support for X project
- Monitoring and Controlling – QA Lead for X part of X project
- Closing Software developer to release the X project
It’s normal to possess more knowledge in a particular aspect than the other. In fact, you should.
Participation in the experience
The most important thing to consider is, how do you gain this experience? There are a variety of ways that you can take on the role of a project leader without having a certification already in place.
Experience in the workplace Find out ways to gain project leadership experience in your own company. Even if you’re not a project manager, you could easily take on the project (if you haven’t started working on any already). Even if there’s no management of projects, you could count your part in the execution or in the monitoring and control.
The experience of a Volunteer It can be uncomfortable to work for free however it’s an excellent method to gain many hours of experience. CBT Nuggets trainer Jeremy Cioara is an enthusiastic supporter of volunteering as a way to acquire technical knowledge. For example, in creating the WiFi network in an institution or creating an online presence for a non-profit, you’re getting knowledge in all five areas.
Projects for side If you have more time, you can take on an additional job. There are freelance projects available for management jobs. It’s as simple as going out and connecting.
While working towards certification Be sure to note every minute you work on your tasks, and then divide the work into the proper groups. This will make it much easier when the time comes to hand your work documentation to the company. Be sure to request each project leader for an address to help make an audit process simpler.
Keep precise notes of your experiences
Project managers have told us that the toughest portion of certification isn’t actually the exam. It’s capturing the years of work you’ve done. Let’s take a look:
You’ll need to work for 4,500 hours in order to qualify to be a PMP. When you’re working an aspect of your work for 40-hours a week, you’ll need to take into account about the equivalent of two and a half years of work experience. Are you able to recall the activities you took part in during February, two years ago?
It’s best to document your experience throughout the process -and focus on being precise. The most significant risk is that you could be assessed on the knowledge and that means you’ll need to obtain an official signature from the head of the project to prove that you put the required number of hours that you claim you performed.