People spend around 15 to 18 years of their life completing their formal education to land a good job. Most of them follow the same routine of hunting a job, sometimes facing failures and at other times success. But does landing a high-paying job enough to experience a thriving career in today’s dog-eat-dog world? Certainly not! People who don’t go through the constant process of upgrading their skills are under the threat of losing their jobs sooner or later. If you are seeking one career field where you can upgrade to stay afloat in the job market, then you should definitely consider project management.
Project management refers to a set of practices and processes that are applied to meet specific project goals within the predetermined budget, time, and scope. It ensures that the teams working on any project are high-performing and are motivated by exceptional vision. It involves capturing the requirements of a project, specifying the quality of the deliverables, and estimating resources and timelines. If you want to establish your career in this field, then people would recommend you to go for Project Management Professional or PMP certification. However, if you are a beginner in this field and do not have any related work experience, then you can go for CAPM certification.
Discussed below are the complete details regarding the CAPM certification and why you should pursue it for a successful career in project management.
CAPM Certification – What is it?
The CAPM or Certified Associate in Project Management is a renowned credential offered by the Project Management Institute or PMI. This certification is designed to demonstrate that an individual is capable of working effectively on/with project teams. It is best suited for professionals willing to grab the available opportunities in the project management field and fast-track their career growth. CAPM helps professionals manage larger projects and gain more responsibility or add project management skills to their current roles.
PMI has maintained that candidates fulfill certain eligibility criteria and then pass the CAPM certification exam to achieve this designation. The eligibility criteria involve a secondary degree along with 23 hours of formal education in project management before sitting for the exam. The CAPM exam consists of 150 questions (multiple-choice type) with a time limit of three hours. This exam is based on the project management framework of PMI as mentioned in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide. The exam fee is $225 for a PMI member and $300 for a non-PMI member.
You can fulfill the 23 hours of project management education by taking an online course offered by an Authorized Training Partner of PMI. The benefit of taking a course from such an institute is that the course syllabus is aligned with the latest CAPM exam changes. After you achieve the CAPM certification, you need to earn 15 PDUs ( Professional Development Units) every three years to maintain the certification.
Career Benefits of Achieving a CAPM Certification
As mentioned in the beginning, the CAPM certification is specifically beneficial for people just starting their career in project management. It gives confidence to the employer that the certification holder is familiar with the generally recognized best practices in project management. The knowledge gained through this certification can be applied by professionals on the job and help them develop growing levels of competencies in the practice of project management. Moreover, this certification also acts as the first step towards achieving the popular PMP certification.
Candidates applying for the CAPM certification learn how to apply business analytics, business strategies, and continuity in order to manage and track the tasks of a project. They have a clear understanding of a number of project management concepts like the project lifecycle, project milestones, deadlines, project scope, procurement, quality control, timelines, project risks, budgeting, and stakeholder expectations. As such, it will be easier for candidates to find an entry-level job in project management.
With so many individuals applying for a given open position in project management, a project management certification definitely seems to be a deciding factor in the hiring process. It is an easy way to identify the right applicant who can do the job among those who may need more support. With a CAPM certification, you will be given more preference than many other applicants applying for the same position. Even when it comes to salary prospects, certified project managers tend to get better salary packages than non-certified peers. PMI certifications are recognized across various industries and companies are ready to pay higher to professionals holding a certification administered by the PMI.
Finally, the CAPM certification also gives professionals better networking opportunities. By becoming a member of PMI, the CAPM certification holders get a platform to connect with like-minded professionals and share their ideas with them. By attending various webinars and other events, the CAPM certification holders keep themselves updated with the latest trends in project management and how to face the challenges posed by the growing digital transformation.
So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in a CAPM certification training course and pave your way towards achieving this globally-recognized credential.
