CAPM Certificate Questions.

I am interested in getting a CAPM or PMP cert. I have looked at a few programs in the Bay Area and it will run me about $6K to take the six required courses to get a PM cert not including the cost to take the exam. I am not a Project Manager but I would like to get into that area of work.

My question to all of you is; would it look better to take the PM classes and get a cert and then pass take the test to get the credential or just take a prep class and then take the test. I have read the Project Management prep hours can be satisfied by taking an online course for $199 to cover the 35 req. hours.

 

Nobody cares how you learned the material for the CAPM or PMP examinations except for the contact hours requirement. The choice of certification prep class or project management classes is largely dependent upon your preferred learning style and budget. You need to know the PMP CBOK regardless to pass the examination. I say try the online prep course first to determine whether you really want to be a project manager.

 

Correct me if I'm out of line here but don't you need to have 1500 hours of actual experience for the CAPM and 4500 hours of experience for the PMP title? To say that you have no experience flies in the face of the program itself. Due to my being outside the field for so many years now, I only qualify for the 1500 hour CAPM title, I'm no longer able to qualify for thr 4500 hour PMP title simply due to the time restriction of 6 or 8 years, I can't remember the exact time-line. GL

 

You have to have the experience for the PMP cert (4500 hours with a bachelors, 7500 without), but you can have zero experience for the CAPM, so long as you have 23 contact hours of PM education. I assume the CAPM is the cert the OP should shoot for, since you need to be a project manager for some time to qualify to even sit for the PMP exam.

Good luck oldschool!

 

One thing is certain, with zero experience in project management you will need to take a class to get the hours requirement. As for right now you will only be able to shoot for the CAPM exam, since you need a couple years experience for the PMP. For the CAPM, you only need 23 contact hours of class. As far as what class to take, you should probably take whatever you feel will best prepare you and doesn't break the bank. Also, getting a book couldn't hurt. I am using the PMBOK Guide (ISBN: 978-1-933890-51-7) and the PMP Study Guide (ISBN: 978-0-470-15250-8) to help me study for the PMP cert which I plan to take sometime next year. Good luck!

 

jaer57,

And so you are correct! I assume everyone has an undergraduate degree these days (on this board anyway!). Certainly, without any experience, the CAPM exam should prove challenging. Plenty of structural detail at this level.

I used PMStudy for a quick on line course review, finished it in less than a day and used it to study for the exam. The course was under $ 100.00 and seemed adequate at the time. I easily had the required 4500 hours of experience for sitting the PMP exam, but the time off for graduate studies took away many of those hours and hence, I settled for the CAPM Cert..

 

I would recommend that you try to become proficient with MS Project and manage a few small projects before committing to become certified.

Also, do you have the personality that can extract seemingly accurate estimates of task duration from the people resources? Can you hold them accountable without getting frustrated?

 

Become an expert in Microsoft Project and Excel. Then understand the PMBOK (I recommend Andy Crowe's study guide). I don't know that I would waste time and money on the CAPM as I have yet to see a job requisition requesting one but if you find value in it, I suppose it can't hurt. Being that it is the exact same test as the PMP, I say work towards that end. Volunteer to work as a PM on anything and everything you can get your hands on. It's easier than you think. For example, ask the church if they need help with anything (even something as simple as mowing the grass or picking up chairs after service) and apply your PM skills to it (schedule, resources, etc.). Adopt a highway, pick up trash in a park, help a non-profit with logistics, start a small online business, etc. Just make sure you document everything you do and follow the PMBOK processes as you do them. You'll rack up the requisite time before you know it and make all your dumbest mistakes when they are not at all critical. Another good resource for learning how to work the processes conceptually is the Head First PMP study guide by O'reilly but for the PMP exam stick with Andy Crowe.

BTW, I racked up a couple of hundred hours of PM experience coordinating a ping pong tournament for the March of Dimes charity...it's easy to create opportunities for yourself and do a good deed at the same time. Heck, do a bake sale to raise money for your local girl scouts if you want. WHAT you do is not as important as HOW you do it.