PMP or CAPM

mzx380

I've been working in IT for 10 years but I don't have any real project management experience. I'm not to clear on the requirements for PMP but would I still be able to register for that as opposed to the associate level exam that is CAPM?

OctalDump

PMP requires experience managing or directing projects AND 35 hours of project management education. CAPM you can use either project experience OR 23 hours project management education. PMI are fairly strict on the requirements.

My understanding is that the cheapest way to gain the requirements for CAPM is to join your local PMI chapter, and take training through them. They usually run short courses through the year for fairly cheap. You also get networking with the project management crowd, which is a bonus.

So, if you have been running projects, as the project manager or other senior position, and you have the necessary hours, then PMP might be a good option. Otherwise, CAPM is the better option. Both are based on PMBOK, which isn't the only framework for project management, but is fairly popular, so you might have lots of PM experience but still need to do a lot of study to learn the PMBOK way, particularly if you come from an agile background.

The quickest way to get CAPM certified (assuming you don't have the experience) is do a short course - typically 3 or 4 days including the exam.

mzx380

OctalDump wrote: »

PMP requires experience managing or directing projects AND 35 hours of project management education. CAPM you can use either project experience OR 23 hours project management education. PMI are fairly strict on the requirements.

My understanding is that the cheapest way to gain the requirements for CAPM is to join your local PMI chapter, and take training through them. They usually run short courses through the year for fairly cheap. You also get networking with the project management crowd, which is a bonus.

So, if you have been running projects, as the project manager or other senior position, and you have the necessary hours, then PMP might be a good option. Otherwise, CAPM is the better option. Both are based on PMBOK, which isn't the only framework for project management, but is fairly popular, so you might have lots of PM experience but still need to do a lot of study to learn the PMBOK way, particularly if you come from an agile background.

The quickest way to get CAPM certified (assuming you don't have the experience) is do a short course - typically 3 or 4 days including the exam.

Octaldump
Thank you for your response. I've read a number of your posts in other threads and your list of credentials is inspiring, I hope to one day mirror a career path like yours. I was wondering if I could go straight through to PMP but since I've been a "worker bee" for so long I guess I'd be better off doing the CAPM first and hope to land a job that will give me more PM experience to take the PMP. I was just hoping I could skip a step.

Any other advice you can provide on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

twodogs62

From your experience, you need to do CAPM. The PMP application is thorough and you will need to fill out application and lists of projects and your roles.

i have been in IT over 25 years. I am working toward CAPM.

i would recommend getting a copy of PMBOK 5th edition so you can see quickly what it is about. Are you still interested?

For CAPM, ed2go has nice project mgmt fundamentals course. It will be lots of reading but with course time of 2 months, it will help push you thru material as there is a final exam at the end. This will give you the CAPM training requirements. They are authorized.

i also recommend the CAPM training by Joe Phillips which can be purchased thru Udemy. Look for coupons/groupons and you might be able to pick up his course for $10 to $20 which IMO is very worth it. He has good additional PDFs and end of section, practice exams, etc. there are also discussion forums and he and other students will answer questions.

joe just released a new course for PMP and he will read the PMPBok to you. Actually he walks thru and discusses the book. Thru his coupon it is $10. I just picked it up.

i am also rolling thru cbtnuggets. The guy is pretty good there too.

i bought couple books, Rita m. CAPM book and PMP first class. I am not using them yet as I think I will do best with material from joe's CAPM course. His extras are I think couple hundred pages and a nice 7 page review where he has summarized critical terms, math formulas, and other areas for a quick review of very important things you need to know.

hope this helps, I am still working towards. In addition, I joined PMI to get discount for test. I have not really used, but there does seem to be some nice features available. Hopefully work will slow some and I can spend more time studying and viewing some material from PMI.

mzx380

Thanks for the feedback twodogs62
Even though I have not had any management experience at this stage of my career, I was hoping that being in IT for 10 years would save me a step. I will likely sit for the CAPM later this year as I have a list of technical certs I would like to get done. Since you've been so helpful, two questions for you:

1) How long does the approval time take in order to apply for this exam?
2) How much study time do you think is adequate for an exam like this?

thaiguy314

Great question. I've been wondering the same thing. I don't mean to hijack your thread but I've heard that military experience (at least on the officer side) can count towards the requirements, is that true?

twodogs62

For me, I took project management course that counts as CAPM training.
ed2go class runs about 2 months with an assessment test at end.
when you pass assessment, you get one shot. You immediately get access to certificate for course.

then quickest way to get approved for sitting CAPM test is to go online and complete the application. Print the application first so you can round up any information you need to locate info. The CAPM application is no way as intense as the PMP. Print out CAPM handbook to get more info about exam.

i joined PMI and I think instantly got my PMI member number. Being PMI gives you discount on CAPM exam.

once you have PMI membership number and CAPM application info, When you fill out the application online it seemed it was only minutes when I received the approval email to sign up and register for CAPM exam.

My last step is to complete my CAPM studies and schedule exam. At the time I completed application, this is where I also paid for exam.

even though PMI gives you free PDFs of pmbok version 5. This is book you will study. CAPM needs to understand fundamentals of book. PMP exam will require deep understanding of processes. I purchased book so I can hi light and make notes in book. It is big book.

from where I am now, I would recommend Joe Phillips course on Udemy. Look for coupons to pick up course for $10 to $20. Print his PDF materials, especially his **** ****. The **** is a 7 page overview that helps to summarize areas such as math formulas. Joe wrote the all-in-1 CAPM book, and is Author of several books. He just released course on reading PMP book. Thus looks interesting too. Joe's course has assessments too and his course qualifies for CAPM education requirements. Getting cert for course may be slower than ed2go. Ed2go has PMP study courses which I took. They gave me an anchor to keep progressing thru material.

I think I will now exclusively use Joe's courses to complete my CAPM studies. I am behind due mostly to workload at work. I had planned on taking in December, but didn't get done.

after you apply for CAPM and get approved, You have one year before you have to apply again. So, I have to set new target date and try to schedule exam. I am thinking now it may be March and if not June.

hope this helps.

ItsmHarun

I thin PMP is laways better than CAPM. PMP(Project Management Professional)certification is an industry recognized credential for project managers.