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Will PMP help a technical employee move to a management level position? [closed]
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I've been technical for almost 3 years in the software industry, a lecturer for 3 years in a software engineering department, and an adviser for 2 years.
Will a certificate like PMP helps me move to a management position like a software project manager?
Thanks
career-development project-management career-switch certification
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
closed as off-topic by gnat, Vietnhi Phuvan, Jan Doggen, IDrinkandIKnowThings, user8365 Sep 9 '14 at 17:41
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – gnat, Community
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up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I've been technical for almost 3 years in the software industry, a lecturer for 3 years in a software engineering department, and an adviser for 2 years.
Will a certificate like PMP helps me move to a management position like a software project manager?
Thanks
career-development project-management career-switch certification
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
closed as off-topic by gnat, Vietnhi Phuvan, Jan Doggen, IDrinkandIKnowThings, user8365 Sep 9 '14 at 17:41
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – gnat, Community
Could you elaborate? Right now your question reads like bullet points. Also did you check the other questions on this site related to the PMP certification? Mention or make note in your question of what else has been discussed and what more you want to know as it can help someone give opinions or experience on this topic.
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 9:49
1
Voting to close the question as the answers will be opinion based. Speaking English helps in general, but it is unlikely to be a specific deciding factor. Dittto with any kind of education or work experience taken by itself. The determination as to whether they help in any individual case is purely subjective and dependent on what the individual chooses to believe Needless to say, if it's subjective, it's opinion based.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 9 '14 at 10:36
And tell us what a PMP is, and since it's probably country/region specific add your country as a tag. are you training to be a Portable Multimedia Player or a Precision Machined Product?
– Jan Doggen
Sep 9 '14 at 11:22
1
FYI, PMP is Project Management Professional, which is a common certification in the software industry: pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 14:43
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I've been technical for almost 3 years in the software industry, a lecturer for 3 years in a software engineering department, and an adviser for 2 years.
Will a certificate like PMP helps me move to a management position like a software project manager?
Thanks
career-development project-management career-switch certification
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
I've been technical for almost 3 years in the software industry, a lecturer for 3 years in a software engineering department, and an adviser for 2 years.
Will a certificate like PMP helps me move to a management position like a software project manager?
Thanks
career-development project-management career-switch certification
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
edited Sep 9 '14 at 12:25
yochannah
4,21462747
4,21462747
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
asked Sep 9 '14 at 8:47
Anmar
1516
1516
closed as off-topic by gnat, Vietnhi Phuvan, Jan Doggen, IDrinkandIKnowThings, user8365 Sep 9 '14 at 17:41
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – gnat, Community
closed as off-topic by gnat, Vietnhi Phuvan, Jan Doggen, IDrinkandIKnowThings, user8365 Sep 9 '14 at 17:41
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – gnat, Community
Could you elaborate? Right now your question reads like bullet points. Also did you check the other questions on this site related to the PMP certification? Mention or make note in your question of what else has been discussed and what more you want to know as it can help someone give opinions or experience on this topic.
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 9:49
1
Voting to close the question as the answers will be opinion based. Speaking English helps in general, but it is unlikely to be a specific deciding factor. Dittto with any kind of education or work experience taken by itself. The determination as to whether they help in any individual case is purely subjective and dependent on what the individual chooses to believe Needless to say, if it's subjective, it's opinion based.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 9 '14 at 10:36
And tell us what a PMP is, and since it's probably country/region specific add your country as a tag. are you training to be a Portable Multimedia Player or a Precision Machined Product?
– Jan Doggen
Sep 9 '14 at 11:22
1
FYI, PMP is Project Management Professional, which is a common certification in the software industry: pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 14:43
suggest improvements |Â
Could you elaborate? Right now your question reads like bullet points. Also did you check the other questions on this site related to the PMP certification? Mention or make note in your question of what else has been discussed and what more you want to know as it can help someone give opinions or experience on this topic.
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 9:49
1
Voting to close the question as the answers will be opinion based. Speaking English helps in general, but it is unlikely to be a specific deciding factor. Dittto with any kind of education or work experience taken by itself. The determination as to whether they help in any individual case is purely subjective and dependent on what the individual chooses to believe Needless to say, if it's subjective, it's opinion based.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 9 '14 at 10:36
And tell us what a PMP is, and since it's probably country/region specific add your country as a tag. are you training to be a Portable Multimedia Player or a Precision Machined Product?
– Jan Doggen
Sep 9 '14 at 11:22
1
FYI, PMP is Project Management Professional, which is a common certification in the software industry: pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 14:43
Could you elaborate? Right now your question reads like bullet points. Also did you check the other questions on this site related to the PMP certification? Mention or make note in your question of what else has been discussed and what more you want to know as it can help someone give opinions or experience on this topic.
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 9:49
Could you elaborate? Right now your question reads like bullet points. Also did you check the other questions on this site related to the PMP certification? Mention or make note in your question of what else has been discussed and what more you want to know as it can help someone give opinions or experience on this topic.
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 9:49
1
1
Voting to close the question as the answers will be opinion based. Speaking English helps in general, but it is unlikely to be a specific deciding factor. Dittto with any kind of education or work experience taken by itself. The determination as to whether they help in any individual case is purely subjective and dependent on what the individual chooses to believe Needless to say, if it's subjective, it's opinion based.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 9 '14 at 10:36
Voting to close the question as the answers will be opinion based. Speaking English helps in general, but it is unlikely to be a specific deciding factor. Dittto with any kind of education or work experience taken by itself. The determination as to whether they help in any individual case is purely subjective and dependent on what the individual chooses to believe Needless to say, if it's subjective, it's opinion based.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 9 '14 at 10:36
And tell us what a PMP is, and since it's probably country/region specific add your country as a tag. are you training to be a Portable Multimedia Player or a Precision Machined Product?
– Jan Doggen
Sep 9 '14 at 11:22
And tell us what a PMP is, and since it's probably country/region specific add your country as a tag. are you training to be a Portable Multimedia Player or a Precision Machined Product?
– Jan Doggen
Sep 9 '14 at 11:22
1
1
FYI, PMP is Project Management Professional, which is a common certification in the software industry: pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 14:43
FYI, PMP is Project Management Professional, which is a common certification in the software industry: pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 14:43
suggest improvements |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
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up vote
2
down vote
accepted
I have to second Jared's answer, and add to it.
A few years ago I worked as a contractor on a project being run by a person who had a PMP certificate. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (arguably one of the most intellectually challenging institutions in the world) with a degree in Human Factor Analysis.
He told me he had actually failed the PMP exam the first time he took it, relying on his education background. He looked at his results, realized it was a "memorization test," memorized the content, passed it, and declared it BS. The only reason he re-took it is that the consultancy was "hot" for people with PMP's as project leads, back then.
The whole program operates from (IMO) a faulty premise. It requires more project history for people with Associate's degrees than it does for people with Bachelor's degrees. I'm not saying that getting a degree is a worthless achievement, but it is by no means any measure of ability, especially leadership ability. I know hyperbolic examples aren't any more valid, but I've known high school dropouts who can crew and run an entire oil rig and people with Master's and PhD degrees who couldn't lead ducks to a lake.
If you want to move to a management role, work on the following:
Budgeting / Budget Management. No one likes doing it, but it needs done. Get good at it. In the end, every project boils down to deliverable quality vs. time and resources spent. The best managers optimize that equation. You can't optimize it if you don't understand one of the three components.
Critical listening skills. A lot of people like to complain, but behind the complaint is a "pain point." Even the most inconsolable employee/customer has some truth behind their whining. Learn to pick up on what's really happening, leaving the emotion out of it. Listen for phrases like, "When I ... " or "I can't even ..." What comes out next is your most important issue.
Communication. I had a guy working for me this summer who was terrible at communication. He did good work (not great, but good), but you never knew if it was done or not because he wouldn't tell anyone what he did. I had to resort to requiring "End of Shift" reports from him detailing his day's activities. (In fairness, he was young, and this was his first job out of school.) If you want to be seen as a leader, communicate what you've accomplished. Don't brag, just communicate. If you get a team, even as a member and not a leader, communicate to the leader/manager, giving the team credit, and don't take any for yourself. ANYONE can pull off a technical feat, given time and resources. The quality of a leader is knowing why and when it needed done in the first place, and putting the best resources on the task. Communicate what you/your team did and why you did it.
Taking responsibility. Sometimes that means shouldering the load. Sometimes it means taking the heat. No manager wants to play detective. They want to bring the assignment to someone and know it will get done. They want to know what happened if something went wrong. They really don't care who to blame (well, if they're a good manager, anyway). Be that person who takes things off their desk. Be the person who "takes the heat" for the team. It is no feat of leadership to stand up and take the credit for other people's work. It is a significant mark of a leader to stand up and take the blame for something they weren't solely responsible for. Do that once or twice and you'll have the respect of your team. And that brings me to:
Understanding what leadership really is. Leadership is not about giving directions. Leadership is about convincing those around you that following you is the best course of action for them personally. The best way to convince someone is to demonstrate it. Don't hand out 15 tasks and then leave early. Don't accept any public praise without crediting your teammates for their contributions. Don't see yourself as "above" your team. Without a team, a "leader" is nothing. Always remember that.
BTW - they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, they're right. This sums up my entire post and then some:
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
1
down vote
In a word, No. PMP is on it's way out in many circles to the point where it may actually disqualify you for some positions. A heavyweight certification process that doesn't actually give you the skills necessary for management just doesn't provide much value. And maintaining it with all of the CEU's is a pain too. From my understanding, most of the courses (not all) are focused on older techniques that are less applicable to modern software development.
You'd be better off getting a scrummaster or product owner certification if you are open to using Agile methodologies (which are much more in-demand than PMPs). You'll also need work experience to complement any certification, but it's a much easier to transition to a scrummaster or PO role from a developer role than to jump straight to a management role.
To be clear the best way to get a management position is to demonstrate on-the-job leadership progressing toward a management position. Certifications are not a magic replacement for this.
FYI, I'm a software development manager who rejected investing in a PMP, and only recently got a scrummaster certification. Neither of these was needed to become a manager.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
-1
down vote
Yes, obtaining the PMP will help you break into pure (business) management roles like project management. In fact, that is exactly how I broke into higher-levels of management many years ago. Just note, the PMP is not an entry-level certification. You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test. And then, the test is no piece of cake to take.
Before we go further, lets talk about what a business manager does versus what a technical manager does. Both tracks have entry-level positions. A business manager is more concerned with budgets, big-picture, long-term strategic impacts. A projects manager is a business manager, but they are focused on the scope of thier project. A technical manager is a technical specialty like software development manager. Think of it as half technical lead, and half project manager. They are focused on schedules, and usually not costs. They are focused on tasking and technical deliverables, not what the earned value of each deliverable is. A PMP is a great certification for anyone who wants to eventually get into a pure business management role.
A lot of has been said in this answer list about the soft-skills (communication, listening, leadership) you'll need to be a good manager, but not enough has been said about the hard-skills (accounting, paperwork, scheduling) you will also need. The old adage is that leaders lead people and managers manage paperwork. Well, the PMP is for managers, and if you start studying the PMP, you'll learn all about management processes you'll need to know about to be a good project manager.
As far as soft-skills go, you'll start with some and learn more. Some of the learning will be painful, some will not. Some of the lessons will get you fired, others will get you promoted. The only soft-skills you will need in abundance from the start of your journey into management is the humility to accept critiques, the intelligence to use them, and the wisdom to listen more than you speak.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
suggest improvements |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
I have to second Jared's answer, and add to it.
A few years ago I worked as a contractor on a project being run by a person who had a PMP certificate. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (arguably one of the most intellectually challenging institutions in the world) with a degree in Human Factor Analysis.
He told me he had actually failed the PMP exam the first time he took it, relying on his education background. He looked at his results, realized it was a "memorization test," memorized the content, passed it, and declared it BS. The only reason he re-took it is that the consultancy was "hot" for people with PMP's as project leads, back then.
The whole program operates from (IMO) a faulty premise. It requires more project history for people with Associate's degrees than it does for people with Bachelor's degrees. I'm not saying that getting a degree is a worthless achievement, but it is by no means any measure of ability, especially leadership ability. I know hyperbolic examples aren't any more valid, but I've known high school dropouts who can crew and run an entire oil rig and people with Master's and PhD degrees who couldn't lead ducks to a lake.
If you want to move to a management role, work on the following:
Budgeting / Budget Management. No one likes doing it, but it needs done. Get good at it. In the end, every project boils down to deliverable quality vs. time and resources spent. The best managers optimize that equation. You can't optimize it if you don't understand one of the three components.
Critical listening skills. A lot of people like to complain, but behind the complaint is a "pain point." Even the most inconsolable employee/customer has some truth behind their whining. Learn to pick up on what's really happening, leaving the emotion out of it. Listen for phrases like, "When I ... " or "I can't even ..." What comes out next is your most important issue.
Communication. I had a guy working for me this summer who was terrible at communication. He did good work (not great, but good), but you never knew if it was done or not because he wouldn't tell anyone what he did. I had to resort to requiring "End of Shift" reports from him detailing his day's activities. (In fairness, he was young, and this was his first job out of school.) If you want to be seen as a leader, communicate what you've accomplished. Don't brag, just communicate. If you get a team, even as a member and not a leader, communicate to the leader/manager, giving the team credit, and don't take any for yourself. ANYONE can pull off a technical feat, given time and resources. The quality of a leader is knowing why and when it needed done in the first place, and putting the best resources on the task. Communicate what you/your team did and why you did it.
Taking responsibility. Sometimes that means shouldering the load. Sometimes it means taking the heat. No manager wants to play detective. They want to bring the assignment to someone and know it will get done. They want to know what happened if something went wrong. They really don't care who to blame (well, if they're a good manager, anyway). Be that person who takes things off their desk. Be the person who "takes the heat" for the team. It is no feat of leadership to stand up and take the credit for other people's work. It is a significant mark of a leader to stand up and take the blame for something they weren't solely responsible for. Do that once or twice and you'll have the respect of your team. And that brings me to:
Understanding what leadership really is. Leadership is not about giving directions. Leadership is about convincing those around you that following you is the best course of action for them personally. The best way to convince someone is to demonstrate it. Don't hand out 15 tasks and then leave early. Don't accept any public praise without crediting your teammates for their contributions. Don't see yourself as "above" your team. Without a team, a "leader" is nothing. Always remember that.
BTW - they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, they're right. This sums up my entire post and then some:
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
I have to second Jared's answer, and add to it.
A few years ago I worked as a contractor on a project being run by a person who had a PMP certificate. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (arguably one of the most intellectually challenging institutions in the world) with a degree in Human Factor Analysis.
He told me he had actually failed the PMP exam the first time he took it, relying on his education background. He looked at his results, realized it was a "memorization test," memorized the content, passed it, and declared it BS. The only reason he re-took it is that the consultancy was "hot" for people with PMP's as project leads, back then.
The whole program operates from (IMO) a faulty premise. It requires more project history for people with Associate's degrees than it does for people with Bachelor's degrees. I'm not saying that getting a degree is a worthless achievement, but it is by no means any measure of ability, especially leadership ability. I know hyperbolic examples aren't any more valid, but I've known high school dropouts who can crew and run an entire oil rig and people with Master's and PhD degrees who couldn't lead ducks to a lake.
If you want to move to a management role, work on the following:
Budgeting / Budget Management. No one likes doing it, but it needs done. Get good at it. In the end, every project boils down to deliverable quality vs. time and resources spent. The best managers optimize that equation. You can't optimize it if you don't understand one of the three components.
Critical listening skills. A lot of people like to complain, but behind the complaint is a "pain point." Even the most inconsolable employee/customer has some truth behind their whining. Learn to pick up on what's really happening, leaving the emotion out of it. Listen for phrases like, "When I ... " or "I can't even ..." What comes out next is your most important issue.
Communication. I had a guy working for me this summer who was terrible at communication. He did good work (not great, but good), but you never knew if it was done or not because he wouldn't tell anyone what he did. I had to resort to requiring "End of Shift" reports from him detailing his day's activities. (In fairness, he was young, and this was his first job out of school.) If you want to be seen as a leader, communicate what you've accomplished. Don't brag, just communicate. If you get a team, even as a member and not a leader, communicate to the leader/manager, giving the team credit, and don't take any for yourself. ANYONE can pull off a technical feat, given time and resources. The quality of a leader is knowing why and when it needed done in the first place, and putting the best resources on the task. Communicate what you/your team did and why you did it.
Taking responsibility. Sometimes that means shouldering the load. Sometimes it means taking the heat. No manager wants to play detective. They want to bring the assignment to someone and know it will get done. They want to know what happened if something went wrong. They really don't care who to blame (well, if they're a good manager, anyway). Be that person who takes things off their desk. Be the person who "takes the heat" for the team. It is no feat of leadership to stand up and take the credit for other people's work. It is a significant mark of a leader to stand up and take the blame for something they weren't solely responsible for. Do that once or twice and you'll have the respect of your team. And that brings me to:
Understanding what leadership really is. Leadership is not about giving directions. Leadership is about convincing those around you that following you is the best course of action for them personally. The best way to convince someone is to demonstrate it. Don't hand out 15 tasks and then leave early. Don't accept any public praise without crediting your teammates for their contributions. Don't see yourself as "above" your team. Without a team, a "leader" is nothing. Always remember that.
BTW - they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, they're right. This sums up my entire post and then some:
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
I have to second Jared's answer, and add to it.
A few years ago I worked as a contractor on a project being run by a person who had a PMP certificate. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (arguably one of the most intellectually challenging institutions in the world) with a degree in Human Factor Analysis.
He told me he had actually failed the PMP exam the first time he took it, relying on his education background. He looked at his results, realized it was a "memorization test," memorized the content, passed it, and declared it BS. The only reason he re-took it is that the consultancy was "hot" for people with PMP's as project leads, back then.
The whole program operates from (IMO) a faulty premise. It requires more project history for people with Associate's degrees than it does for people with Bachelor's degrees. I'm not saying that getting a degree is a worthless achievement, but it is by no means any measure of ability, especially leadership ability. I know hyperbolic examples aren't any more valid, but I've known high school dropouts who can crew and run an entire oil rig and people with Master's and PhD degrees who couldn't lead ducks to a lake.
If you want to move to a management role, work on the following:
Budgeting / Budget Management. No one likes doing it, but it needs done. Get good at it. In the end, every project boils down to deliverable quality vs. time and resources spent. The best managers optimize that equation. You can't optimize it if you don't understand one of the three components.
Critical listening skills. A lot of people like to complain, but behind the complaint is a "pain point." Even the most inconsolable employee/customer has some truth behind their whining. Learn to pick up on what's really happening, leaving the emotion out of it. Listen for phrases like, "When I ... " or "I can't even ..." What comes out next is your most important issue.
Communication. I had a guy working for me this summer who was terrible at communication. He did good work (not great, but good), but you never knew if it was done or not because he wouldn't tell anyone what he did. I had to resort to requiring "End of Shift" reports from him detailing his day's activities. (In fairness, he was young, and this was his first job out of school.) If you want to be seen as a leader, communicate what you've accomplished. Don't brag, just communicate. If you get a team, even as a member and not a leader, communicate to the leader/manager, giving the team credit, and don't take any for yourself. ANYONE can pull off a technical feat, given time and resources. The quality of a leader is knowing why and when it needed done in the first place, and putting the best resources on the task. Communicate what you/your team did and why you did it.
Taking responsibility. Sometimes that means shouldering the load. Sometimes it means taking the heat. No manager wants to play detective. They want to bring the assignment to someone and know it will get done. They want to know what happened if something went wrong. They really don't care who to blame (well, if they're a good manager, anyway). Be that person who takes things off their desk. Be the person who "takes the heat" for the team. It is no feat of leadership to stand up and take the credit for other people's work. It is a significant mark of a leader to stand up and take the blame for something they weren't solely responsible for. Do that once or twice and you'll have the respect of your team. And that brings me to:
Understanding what leadership really is. Leadership is not about giving directions. Leadership is about convincing those around you that following you is the best course of action for them personally. The best way to convince someone is to demonstrate it. Don't hand out 15 tasks and then leave early. Don't accept any public praise without crediting your teammates for their contributions. Don't see yourself as "above" your team. Without a team, a "leader" is nothing. Always remember that.
BTW - they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, they're right. This sums up my entire post and then some:
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
I have to second Jared's answer, and add to it.
A few years ago I worked as a contractor on a project being run by a person who had a PMP certificate. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (arguably one of the most intellectually challenging institutions in the world) with a degree in Human Factor Analysis.
He told me he had actually failed the PMP exam the first time he took it, relying on his education background. He looked at his results, realized it was a "memorization test," memorized the content, passed it, and declared it BS. The only reason he re-took it is that the consultancy was "hot" for people with PMP's as project leads, back then.
The whole program operates from (IMO) a faulty premise. It requires more project history for people with Associate's degrees than it does for people with Bachelor's degrees. I'm not saying that getting a degree is a worthless achievement, but it is by no means any measure of ability, especially leadership ability. I know hyperbolic examples aren't any more valid, but I've known high school dropouts who can crew and run an entire oil rig and people with Master's and PhD degrees who couldn't lead ducks to a lake.
If you want to move to a management role, work on the following:
Budgeting / Budget Management. No one likes doing it, but it needs done. Get good at it. In the end, every project boils down to deliverable quality vs. time and resources spent. The best managers optimize that equation. You can't optimize it if you don't understand one of the three components.
Critical listening skills. A lot of people like to complain, but behind the complaint is a "pain point." Even the most inconsolable employee/customer has some truth behind their whining. Learn to pick up on what's really happening, leaving the emotion out of it. Listen for phrases like, "When I ... " or "I can't even ..." What comes out next is your most important issue.
Communication. I had a guy working for me this summer who was terrible at communication. He did good work (not great, but good), but you never knew if it was done or not because he wouldn't tell anyone what he did. I had to resort to requiring "End of Shift" reports from him detailing his day's activities. (In fairness, he was young, and this was his first job out of school.) If you want to be seen as a leader, communicate what you've accomplished. Don't brag, just communicate. If you get a team, even as a member and not a leader, communicate to the leader/manager, giving the team credit, and don't take any for yourself. ANYONE can pull off a technical feat, given time and resources. The quality of a leader is knowing why and when it needed done in the first place, and putting the best resources on the task. Communicate what you/your team did and why you did it.
Taking responsibility. Sometimes that means shouldering the load. Sometimes it means taking the heat. No manager wants to play detective. They want to bring the assignment to someone and know it will get done. They want to know what happened if something went wrong. They really don't care who to blame (well, if they're a good manager, anyway). Be that person who takes things off their desk. Be the person who "takes the heat" for the team. It is no feat of leadership to stand up and take the credit for other people's work. It is a significant mark of a leader to stand up and take the blame for something they weren't solely responsible for. Do that once or twice and you'll have the respect of your team. And that brings me to:
Understanding what leadership really is. Leadership is not about giving directions. Leadership is about convincing those around you that following you is the best course of action for them personally. The best way to convince someone is to demonstrate it. Don't hand out 15 tasks and then leave early. Don't accept any public praise without crediting your teammates for their contributions. Don't see yourself as "above" your team. Without a team, a "leader" is nothing. Always remember that.
BTW - they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, they're right. This sums up my entire post and then some:
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48
Community♦
1
1
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
answered Sep 9 '14 at 15:18
Wesley Long
44.7k15100159
44.7k15100159
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
suggest improvements |Â
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
Have you ever tried to lead ducks anywhere? It's hard!
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:03
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
It's easy if you're trying to lead them to where they're already going.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:26
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
There's a word for that, it's called "birdwatching"... lol
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 16:28
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
That's the implied basis of my sarcasm. Maybe it's not coming through in text, well.
– Wesley Long
Sep 9 '14 at 16:44
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
1
down vote
In a word, No. PMP is on it's way out in many circles to the point where it may actually disqualify you for some positions. A heavyweight certification process that doesn't actually give you the skills necessary for management just doesn't provide much value. And maintaining it with all of the CEU's is a pain too. From my understanding, most of the courses (not all) are focused on older techniques that are less applicable to modern software development.
You'd be better off getting a scrummaster or product owner certification if you are open to using Agile methodologies (which are much more in-demand than PMPs). You'll also need work experience to complement any certification, but it's a much easier to transition to a scrummaster or PO role from a developer role than to jump straight to a management role.
To be clear the best way to get a management position is to demonstrate on-the-job leadership progressing toward a management position. Certifications are not a magic replacement for this.
FYI, I'm a software development manager who rejected investing in a PMP, and only recently got a scrummaster certification. Neither of these was needed to become a manager.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
1
down vote
In a word, No. PMP is on it's way out in many circles to the point where it may actually disqualify you for some positions. A heavyweight certification process that doesn't actually give you the skills necessary for management just doesn't provide much value. And maintaining it with all of the CEU's is a pain too. From my understanding, most of the courses (not all) are focused on older techniques that are less applicable to modern software development.
You'd be better off getting a scrummaster or product owner certification if you are open to using Agile methodologies (which are much more in-demand than PMPs). You'll also need work experience to complement any certification, but it's a much easier to transition to a scrummaster or PO role from a developer role than to jump straight to a management role.
To be clear the best way to get a management position is to demonstrate on-the-job leadership progressing toward a management position. Certifications are not a magic replacement for this.
FYI, I'm a software development manager who rejected investing in a PMP, and only recently got a scrummaster certification. Neither of these was needed to become a manager.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
In a word, No. PMP is on it's way out in many circles to the point where it may actually disqualify you for some positions. A heavyweight certification process that doesn't actually give you the skills necessary for management just doesn't provide much value. And maintaining it with all of the CEU's is a pain too. From my understanding, most of the courses (not all) are focused on older techniques that are less applicable to modern software development.
You'd be better off getting a scrummaster or product owner certification if you are open to using Agile methodologies (which are much more in-demand than PMPs). You'll also need work experience to complement any certification, but it's a much easier to transition to a scrummaster or PO role from a developer role than to jump straight to a management role.
To be clear the best way to get a management position is to demonstrate on-the-job leadership progressing toward a management position. Certifications are not a magic replacement for this.
FYI, I'm a software development manager who rejected investing in a PMP, and only recently got a scrummaster certification. Neither of these was needed to become a manager.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
In a word, No. PMP is on it's way out in many circles to the point where it may actually disqualify you for some positions. A heavyweight certification process that doesn't actually give you the skills necessary for management just doesn't provide much value. And maintaining it with all of the CEU's is a pain too. From my understanding, most of the courses (not all) are focused on older techniques that are less applicable to modern software development.
You'd be better off getting a scrummaster or product owner certification if you are open to using Agile methodologies (which are much more in-demand than PMPs). You'll also need work experience to complement any certification, but it's a much easier to transition to a scrummaster or PO role from a developer role than to jump straight to a management role.
To be clear the best way to get a management position is to demonstrate on-the-job leadership progressing toward a management position. Certifications are not a magic replacement for this.
FYI, I'm a software development manager who rejected investing in a PMP, and only recently got a scrummaster certification. Neither of these was needed to become a manager.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
answered Sep 9 '14 at 14:42
Jared
4,87221223
4,87221223
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
 |Â
show 1 more comment
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
I really thank you for taking the time to answer me in this details. ScrumMaster is Actually in the list of Certificates and i do have experience in scrum please have a look at this question. workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/33439/…
– Anmar
Sep 9 '14 at 16:02
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@jared: Your comment may fit your specific niche. However, in my experience, I have seen a lot of PMP certified managers happily employed in IT. This is because the PMP certifies good management (of paper, not people) process knowledge that would otherwise have to be taught. As a manager, I'd rather have someone I can hire with a strong base of knowledge to improve on, than none (or an unknown about of knowledge).
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:13
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@MikeVanTrufflebutt: I would definitely not argue that there are happily employed PMP's out there, but from the perspective of someone "breaking in" to software management, it is often not the best option these days as companies realize that setting up process for process sake is not advantageous. I'm not trying to start an "agile holy war" on the merits of this, but few can deny that jobs for agile managers are increasing more rapidly than for PMP's and other traditional managers (which increases competition for the fewer jobs, making "breaking in" harder).
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 17:21
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
@jared PMP's don't care whether you decide to do agile or waterfall, or whatever. For them its about the project, of which development is just one part. That's really the difference. Whether the OP wants to break into business (PM) or technical (agile vs waterfall), is up to him. My point was to provide an alternate point of view. If his goal is to be a business manager, then a PMP will definately help. If he wants to be a software development manager, an agile certification will help. I have both. Its nice. :-P
– Mike Van
Sep 9 '14 at 17:28
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
I didn't know PMP was focused on software development. How could this certification "disqualify" someone
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 20:44
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
-1
down vote
Yes, obtaining the PMP will help you break into pure (business) management roles like project management. In fact, that is exactly how I broke into higher-levels of management many years ago. Just note, the PMP is not an entry-level certification. You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test. And then, the test is no piece of cake to take.
Before we go further, lets talk about what a business manager does versus what a technical manager does. Both tracks have entry-level positions. A business manager is more concerned with budgets, big-picture, long-term strategic impacts. A projects manager is a business manager, but they are focused on the scope of thier project. A technical manager is a technical specialty like software development manager. Think of it as half technical lead, and half project manager. They are focused on schedules, and usually not costs. They are focused on tasking and technical deliverables, not what the earned value of each deliverable is. A PMP is a great certification for anyone who wants to eventually get into a pure business management role.
A lot of has been said in this answer list about the soft-skills (communication, listening, leadership) you'll need to be a good manager, but not enough has been said about the hard-skills (accounting, paperwork, scheduling) you will also need. The old adage is that leaders lead people and managers manage paperwork. Well, the PMP is for managers, and if you start studying the PMP, you'll learn all about management processes you'll need to know about to be a good project manager.
As far as soft-skills go, you'll start with some and learn more. Some of the learning will be painful, some will not. Some of the lessons will get you fired, others will get you promoted. The only soft-skills you will need in abundance from the start of your journey into management is the humility to accept critiques, the intelligence to use them, and the wisdom to listen more than you speak.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Yes, obtaining the PMP will help you break into pure (business) management roles like project management. In fact, that is exactly how I broke into higher-levels of management many years ago. Just note, the PMP is not an entry-level certification. You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test. And then, the test is no piece of cake to take.
Before we go further, lets talk about what a business manager does versus what a technical manager does. Both tracks have entry-level positions. A business manager is more concerned with budgets, big-picture, long-term strategic impacts. A projects manager is a business manager, but they are focused on the scope of thier project. A technical manager is a technical specialty like software development manager. Think of it as half technical lead, and half project manager. They are focused on schedules, and usually not costs. They are focused on tasking and technical deliverables, not what the earned value of each deliverable is. A PMP is a great certification for anyone who wants to eventually get into a pure business management role.
A lot of has been said in this answer list about the soft-skills (communication, listening, leadership) you'll need to be a good manager, but not enough has been said about the hard-skills (accounting, paperwork, scheduling) you will also need. The old adage is that leaders lead people and managers manage paperwork. Well, the PMP is for managers, and if you start studying the PMP, you'll learn all about management processes you'll need to know about to be a good project manager.
As far as soft-skills go, you'll start with some and learn more. Some of the learning will be painful, some will not. Some of the lessons will get you fired, others will get you promoted. The only soft-skills you will need in abundance from the start of your journey into management is the humility to accept critiques, the intelligence to use them, and the wisdom to listen more than you speak.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
Yes, obtaining the PMP will help you break into pure (business) management roles like project management. In fact, that is exactly how I broke into higher-levels of management many years ago. Just note, the PMP is not an entry-level certification. You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test. And then, the test is no piece of cake to take.
Before we go further, lets talk about what a business manager does versus what a technical manager does. Both tracks have entry-level positions. A business manager is more concerned with budgets, big-picture, long-term strategic impacts. A projects manager is a business manager, but they are focused on the scope of thier project. A technical manager is a technical specialty like software development manager. Think of it as half technical lead, and half project manager. They are focused on schedules, and usually not costs. They are focused on tasking and technical deliverables, not what the earned value of each deliverable is. A PMP is a great certification for anyone who wants to eventually get into a pure business management role.
A lot of has been said in this answer list about the soft-skills (communication, listening, leadership) you'll need to be a good manager, but not enough has been said about the hard-skills (accounting, paperwork, scheduling) you will also need. The old adage is that leaders lead people and managers manage paperwork. Well, the PMP is for managers, and if you start studying the PMP, you'll learn all about management processes you'll need to know about to be a good project manager.
As far as soft-skills go, you'll start with some and learn more. Some of the learning will be painful, some will not. Some of the lessons will get you fired, others will get you promoted. The only soft-skills you will need in abundance from the start of your journey into management is the humility to accept critiques, the intelligence to use them, and the wisdom to listen more than you speak.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
Yes, obtaining the PMP will help you break into pure (business) management roles like project management. In fact, that is exactly how I broke into higher-levels of management many years ago. Just note, the PMP is not an entry-level certification. You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test. And then, the test is no piece of cake to take.
Before we go further, lets talk about what a business manager does versus what a technical manager does. Both tracks have entry-level positions. A business manager is more concerned with budgets, big-picture, long-term strategic impacts. A projects manager is a business manager, but they are focused on the scope of thier project. A technical manager is a technical specialty like software development manager. Think of it as half technical lead, and half project manager. They are focused on schedules, and usually not costs. They are focused on tasking and technical deliverables, not what the earned value of each deliverable is. A PMP is a great certification for anyone who wants to eventually get into a pure business management role.
A lot of has been said in this answer list about the soft-skills (communication, listening, leadership) you'll need to be a good manager, but not enough has been said about the hard-skills (accounting, paperwork, scheduling) you will also need. The old adage is that leaders lead people and managers manage paperwork. Well, the PMP is for managers, and if you start studying the PMP, you'll learn all about management processes you'll need to know about to be a good project manager.
As far as soft-skills go, you'll start with some and learn more. Some of the learning will be painful, some will not. Some of the lessons will get you fired, others will get you promoted. The only soft-skills you will need in abundance from the start of your journey into management is the humility to accept critiques, the intelligence to use them, and the wisdom to listen more than you speak.
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
edited Sep 9 '14 at 17:38
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
answered Sep 9 '14 at 17:09
Mike Van
2,82021025
2,82021025
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
suggest improvements |Â
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
"You must have a pretty substantial amount of management experience in order to even qualify for the test" This requirement is usually instituted as a CYA to prevent gifted 14-year kids from India from taking the test and passing it- This happened wrt CISSP (an IT security certification),and they instituted that requirement in a hurried fashion because yes, a 14-year old kid from India passed the test, thereby proving that CISSP is just a paper certification.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 10 '14 at 12:28
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
As far as I know the requirement has been around since the credential first came into being. Not reactionary, but foundational.
– Mike Van
Sep 10 '14 at 15:00
suggest improvements |Â
Could you elaborate? Right now your question reads like bullet points. Also did you check the other questions on this site related to the PMP certification? Mention or make note in your question of what else has been discussed and what more you want to know as it can help someone give opinions or experience on this topic.
– Brandin
Sep 9 '14 at 9:49
1
Voting to close the question as the answers will be opinion based. Speaking English helps in general, but it is unlikely to be a specific deciding factor. Dittto with any kind of education or work experience taken by itself. The determination as to whether they help in any individual case is purely subjective and dependent on what the individual chooses to believe Needless to say, if it's subjective, it's opinion based.
– Vietnhi Phuvan
Sep 9 '14 at 10:36
And tell us what a PMP is, and since it's probably country/region specific add your country as a tag. are you training to be a Portable Multimedia Player or a Precision Machined Product?
– Jan Doggen
Sep 9 '14 at 11:22
1
FYI, PMP is Project Management Professional, which is a common certification in the software industry: pmi.org/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx
– Jared
Sep 9 '14 at 14:43