iCert Global Blog

Project Management is not just a skill well recognized, but also a profession much valued and demanded.  Also, only an adequately qualified professional can give justice to the critical responsibilities of a project manager. 

So, out of so many training programs available, why should anyone opt for PMP® ?  To answer this question, one needs to perform a detailed study of how the certification will sharpen your saw of knowledge and help you nurture skills required in this discipline.  This article is a result of one such detailed understanding of the training program.

Why PMP® ?

1.Global Existence :

PMP® Certification has no geographical restrictions and is recognized worldwide. This certification brings in concepts and standards that are not specific to any industry and so any professional aspiring a career in project management (who also fulfills the eligibility criteria discussed further in the article) can decide to invest time and money in this certification irrespective of which industry they are planning to get employed.

Further, according to the latest survey by Wikipedia, PMP® is considered as a global language spoken by more than 800,000 project management professionals. PMP® certified professionals use the same terminologies, concepts and methodologies in their work.  For this reason, it becomes very easy for professionals to change jobs without any further certifications or upgrades.

2. Win-win in employment :

Employers prefer giving job to PMP® certified professionals rather than non-certified professionals for following reasons:

a)      PMI’s certificate gives a reliable proof that the candidate applying for the project management position, possesses the required skills, experience and knowledge to handle different projects.

b)      PMP® certified professionals save time and cost to the company by application of most effective methodologies in the projects assigned to them.

c)       Also, you can deliver the best quality work when you have not just studied the methodologies but also learnt about the practical implications of the same.

Employees get the following benefits by getting certified in PMI’s PMP® training program:

a)  According to PMI’s Salary Survey PMP® certified project managers tend to get 23% higher salaries than other professionals having similar experience and exposure.

b)  Job seekers with PMP® certification are given preference over other competing candidates, while selecting them for hiring purposes.

c)  Not just does the chances of getting your dream job increases with the help of PMP Certification, but it also helps in opening doors to many other job opportunities as there are many multi-national companies who quotes PMP Certification as a mandate for any Project Manager working with them.

3.  Networking with other PMP® Certified Professionals :

After registering with PMI, you become a member of their professional group and you get an opportunity to exchange ideas, thoughts and experiences with other professionals within the same discipline.

There are also networking sessions / symposium  arranged by PMI on a regular basis, where every PMP® certified professional gets an opportunity to meet such elite group of other PMP®  certified professionals and build enriching professional relationships with them.

 4. PMBOK® – 6th Edition :

PMBOK® (Project Management Body of Knowledge) – Sixth Edition, released in September, 2017, is upgraded from its earlier version to include a lot of techniques, processes and terminologies that are in alignment with current industry needs and standards.  It has also removed outdated techniques for better execution of the processes.

Along with other changes like addition of notations and new sections in knowledge areas, a very crucial topic has been introduced in the sixth edition; i.e. introduction of agile methods along with other traditional project management ways.

So, PMBOK® – sixth edition is not only just an upgrades, but also one more important reason for enrolling  with PMP® training program at the earliest.

After considering the benefits of having the PMP® Certification, let’s find out who is eligible to get certified.

Who is eligible for PMP® Certification?

Following are the eligibility criteria for registering with PMP® training program.

Project managers planning to get started with PMP® training, should possess the following:

Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent), and

7,500 hours leading and directing projects, and

35 hours of project management education

OR

Four-year degree

4,500 hours leading and directing projects

35 hours of project management education

Conclusion:

If you are a project manager and are aspiring to develop your career in this same discipline, investing into and developing your skills is the most appropriate and the quickest way to achieve your goals.  The best way to achieve this is to get certified from PMI for PMP training program.

According to a research, PMP® is a ‘gold standard’ in project management certifications.  It is also one of the most rated project management courses  in a popular question-answer cum discussion platform.

After so much of research on the effectiveness of PMP® training program, any minute further spent will be a minute less spent on the exciting and absolutely resourceful certification  journey of PMP.

Good Luck!

A recent article about IBM was titled the same as of this article. So, there is no claim about the ownership that rightfully belongs to IBM, but the message is clear and universal, and applicable to one and all.

Companies these days are trying to cut down the dependencies. What was once outsourced is now considered to be developed in-house.? Why do we outsource?

Why can’t we? These questions crop-up.

The cost aside, companies are concerned about the control and ownership.  It proves cost-effective to get things done outside and hence outsource. The realization has set in that exist an opportunity to hone skills within and companies are willing to invest in their workforce than scout elsewhere. It is to advance their own workforce in terms of skillset and also engage in emerging technologies that corporates are on the lookout for their own “data scientists and architects to be better equipped to work with us to build out these solutions .”

It is impossible to have everything in-house. Practically not possible.  Indispensable is a far cry, and hence companies are willing to settle for interdependencies. The eco-system is such that we need one another, but how much of a dependency is acceptable? It5 can be understood from the article that IBM, which is a technology powerhouse, is focused on ‘strategic imperatives - which is building new offerings in analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain

The question is: are you conversant with these technologies. Analytics, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain seem to be hitting high notes and the need and necessity for a professional certifications in these niche technologies will validate your competencies and vouch for your capabilities, to help your company grow or get into new service lines to maximize business and optimize resources.

iCertGlobal has a slew of professional certifications that covers a gamut of courses from project management to cyber security, to analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain. Please visit our website www.icertglobal.com to know more about our core offerings and the opportunities for you to make the most and advance your career.

Usually, Boss is used as a moniker about the one who lords around or tries to throw the weight by trying to herd. 

The Boss, in the titular role, doesn’t have to be bossy as mostly misunderstood. Our perception of ‘Boss’ is more about command and control. The Boss is synonymous with Leader. The line that does the round is that Boss ‘tells you what to do’, while the Leader ‘teaches you why and how to di it.’ This is still in theory.  Somehow that title of Boss is very unsettling. 

But just like different times calls for different actions, and sometimes different actors, a leader turns more as a boss in cracking the whip should the situation mandate. It is often confused being a Boss is bad, and the leader truly benevolent. It’s a very fine line between being a boss and leader. In fact the line blurs. How does one define autocratic leadership then?

There are many leadership styles: Autocratic, Democratic, Strategic, Transformational, Laissez-faire. The boss can follow any such leadership style or may be all but applicable to the audience 9read as employees).

Are all employees the same? 

The 80/20 is very much present as inferred from the performance – meaning, 80% of the workload is usually assigned to 20% of staff. Why? Because they are ‘the’ performers. Notice carefully and you will find it hard to dispute that the one who is hardworking and consistent on deliver is always assigned more work. Why? Because of the delivery. Company needs employees who are able, reliable and consistent in performance. Employees are always a mix and match . while some perform, some outperform and some don’t perform at all. Accordingly, the Boss has to adopt different leadership styles.

It will be very unfair to portray the boss in a poor light just because he/she is unfairly and unreasonably demanding. Some Boss scream “I want it and want it now” without realizing the magnitude of work or plainly pushing their luck. But it can go as far as possible. If shouting and screaming works, then work place will be a street fight so chaotic that your differentiating factor as a Leader will be your decibel level.

Command and Control

This IS required to the ones who need jumpstart. They can’t do it by themselves and some push to move forward. In the worst case, push becomes a shove. That’s where the ‘Command and Control’ is exercised. “if you don’t do it, then..” might sound as a threat but with some staff this works. Whipping works. These are poor in self-esteem, lack confidence and hang in there for survival. And they know well, that getting another job or alternatives is hard to come by and hence respond to the command. It is the fear of getting fired that somehow extracts the work. Hence, it is useful to such work force – usually new  joinee, entry-level ,  fresher or experienced hires who are yet to adapt to the new surroundings.

Democratic 

Leadership through consensus by winning confidence and gaining ‘buy-in’ of the team. This team is mature and self-starters. They don’t need someone to be behind their back to get the job done. Once delegated, they are on their own and ensure it is done with minimal intervention and supervision. Accountability is usually high, and the team takes pride in its performance. 

Laissez-faire

This is not commonly practices and usually associated with researches and their ilk. Such resources are very independent from the start and don’t need any intervention or monitoring, mostly, the engagement will be time-bound and hence the Boss will have very less scope with regard to delegation or follow-up.

So what kind of a Boss are you?

Brutal, demanding, ruthless, callous, difficult, tough, harsh and aggressive? Just look around and how many faces can your eyes meet and count. The Boss is responsible for the cycle of business with the feet on the pedal. At one stroke the boss has to face so many faces. Possible? That’s why that person is the Boss. And yes, it takes some aggression and ruthlessness to get the job done weighing in the 80/20 rule. ‘The one who shows mercy on others denies oneself’ – doesn’t mean callous in attitude. Though caring, they appear callous else the workforce becomes complacent. 

Agreed, some Bosses are obnoxious, petty-minded, self-centered and can’t think beyond business. But then, it’s unfair to stereotype the Boss in such fashion. Some bosses are gentle, willing with en ear to hear, and simply wonderful.  The Boss, too, is a human with family to tend and friends to catch up. It is just that they burn more hours and sacrifice so much so that can draw a salary.

Don’t bother. A boss is as much a leader with a different kind of flavor.

Do you agree? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment.