Project Management Certification
Project management certification is becoming a necessity for anyone who makes project management a full-time career. It's increasingly a requirement for the better jobs in project management, as necessary as a four-year degree. Many project management certifications are available from numerous institutions.
The Project Management Institute is the preeminent certification body in the United States. PMI's slogan is, "Making project management indispensable for business results." That goal certainly appeals to project management professionals, so it's no surprise that the majority of them support PMI.
PMI generates standards for every conceivable aspect of project management and then various schools create training courses to certify that people can perform to PMI's standards. This process erects barriers to entry into the project management field, keeping the supply of project managers small in comparison to demand for them. The goal and result is higher prices -- salaries -- for project managers. Of course, project management certification is not sold to employers this way.
For employers, a certified project manager means a relatively safe bet that the job candidate knows what he's doing. A PMP (Project Management Professional) certification from an accredited school (accreditation accomplishes for schools what certification does for students -- higher prices) is often considered more desirable than an equal amount of time spent actually managing projects. You never know if the uncertified project manager followed "best practices".
Acquiring a certificate in project management can be done online. An online project management certificate is usually indistinguishable from one earned in a physical classroom unless it's a PDF file you print at home on plain copier paper.
Project management certification exams may be given online in an "open book" or "honor system" format, or they may be administered in locked, windowless rooms patrolled by monitors with German Shepherds. Either way, a project management certification exam is a dreadful experience involving long hours of brain wracking with a strict deadline.
Professional project management certification is an ongoing endeavor for a PMP. New project management certifications are being invented all the time, and a PMP who wants to keep the broadest range of job opportunities open must invest in continuing education. Fortunately, such things are often paid for by one's current employer, and if you have to pay for project manager certification yourself it's usually tax deductible.