Small Business Insights

So you have years of experience in project management, but none of it includes a formal education since you did it all for your employer to show your loyalty to the company as well as your skills in putting together the projects needed to complete the job at a cost within budget and within local and governmental codes.  But you are paid less than someone else that has a degree in Project Management Processes or Implementation causing a blow to your emotional and financial resources that are detrimental to your career.  Your work suffers, as well as your self-esteem that affects personal life.

There are options that can help.  Different trade schools and colleges offer PMP courses or PMI courses to assist in getting better certification and licensing to allow you to keep up in your trade and help in earning a better income.  With proof of certifications, an employer is more willing to give a raise for your hard work in project management, as well as bonuses for a job well done.

Some of the reasons why a person be can paid a lower wage in project management are:

•    Lack of a professional certification.
•    Inability to pass testing required for local ordinances and laws.
•    Lack of training in budgeting for required equipment and supplies, as well as employee expense.

Employers that require PMP training will not even consider applicants that have not pursued formal training, lessening the chances of getting a well-paying career opportunity, no matter what you have learned on your own with job and life experience.  Therefore, it becomes a necessity to seek out educational opportunities in order to obtain the proper training and certifications that will open doors to opportunities in the career path of the Project Management Professional.

In seeking professional training, not only does one gain the knowledge of current practices, but in addition they gain the ideas of new people entering the field of expertise, adding to the experience they may already have.  The people that are new to the project management field can also gain educational value from those that have experience already and are looking to update and add to their skills.  Either way, the interaction of people in PMP training and PMI courses benefits all students and trainees with their sharing of information as well as the new training they receive in the field.

Ultimately, the additional training or new education in the field of project management is a key element in obtaining the career opportunity desired and then showing your best in performance of the job duties.  The choice of the educational facility is a matter of location, their credentials in allowing certification, and the cost of the education.  However, pursuit of education is never a bad choice.  It is only the lack of education that can prevent one from achieving their goals in the project management field of careers.  Companies will look at a certification before choosing someone without one.  This should be kept in mind when are aggressively searching for your best career opportunity.