If you have ever considered obtaining a project management certification, there is a high chance that you are aware of the Project Management Professional (PMP) and the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certificates, offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). For many specialists, choosing between these two credentials is a difficult choice to make. If you are in this dilemma, this blog post will help you make an informed decision and understand which of the two is appropriate for your career path.

What Is the Difference Between PMP and CAPM?

The major difference between these two credentials is that PMP is a professional-level certification while CAPM is an associate-level one. The individuals with the PM certificate have some level of experience in the industry and have been recognized as professionals. Hence, PMI PMP is focused on the experienced project managers. On the other hand, the associate level means an entry-level credential. In other words, CAPM can be described as an entry-level certification when compared to PMP. The implication of this is that Certified Associate in Project Management is aimed at those individuals who want to improve their project management skills and earn a validation in the process.

Another difference between these two certificates is the difficulty level of their exams. The test for CAPM is easier when compared to PMP. In addition to this, it has less restrictive requirements and, of course, it is less expensive. Let’s delve into the two certification exams properly.

• PMP Exam

The PMP credential is seen as the gold standard as far as the project management certifications are concerned. Its exam is also believed to be one of the most difficult tests. It is made up of 200 multiple-choice questions and has four hours allocated for its completion. It covers the concepts and principles of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide. The exam content is more than what you simply memorize. Rather, it measures your understanding of the topics and concepts, as well as your ability to apply the theoretical knowledge.

To write the PMP test, you have to pay the exam fee of $405 for the PMI members, and $555 – for the non-members. There are some specific prerequisites. The candidates are required to have a high school diploma or an associate degree or its equivalent. In addition to this, you should have at least 7,500 hours of project management experience and 35 hours of education in the field of project management. An alternative prerequisite is a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent 4-year degree, 4,500 hours of PM experience, and 35 hours PM education. To maintain your PMI certification, you have to earn 60 PDUs (Professional Development Units) within three years. You can learn more details about the exam and the recertification process on the official webpage.

• CAPM Exam

CAPM is also based on the PMBOK but it is more focused on understanding the principles and concepts rather than applying knowledge. It is a 3-hour exam consisting of 150 multiple-choice questions. No doubt, the CAPM test is easier than the PMP exam, but it is not so simple. As a matter of fact, the CAPM credential is believed to require more difficult test than many other entry-level project management certificates. To write the CAPM exam, you have to pay the fee of $225 for the PMI members, and $300 – for the non-members. The prerequisites for this certification test include a high school diploma or an associate degree (or its equivalent), and 23 hours of PM education, or 1,500 hours of PM experience. To recertify the CAMP credential, you have to retake the exam every five years. You can learn more about this in the CAPM handbook.

Is It Possible to Upgrade CAPM to PMP?

Unlike many other IT certifications, you cannot upgrade your CAPM to PMP. The two credentials are entirely different. The good thing about it is that CAPM gives you thorough foundational knowledge for the PMP exam. In addition to this, the education hours on project management you have attained for your CAPM can be applied to fulfill the prerequisites for the PMP test.

PMP vs. CAPM: Real World Roles and Responsibilities

A PMP certified professional is qualified for a full time project management role. The individuals have the capacity to manage projects of different sizes. These specialists can pursue the job titles, such as a project manager, a project controller, and a program manager. While working in any of these positions, they are required to take up ownership of large and complex projects. They are also expected to lead their team to project conclusion considering the budget and time.

A CAPM certified professional takes up the entry-level roles. These individuals work as assistant project managers, junior business analysts, or project coordinators. They will be required to apply their skills in coordinating teams, scheduling, and enhancing effective communication among the project team members. With CAPM alone, you are unlikely to head large projects with large budgets. However, if you have significant technical experience, you can still be given a leadership position. Technical experience is of great importance for the job that you received.

PMP vs. CAPM: Salaries

There are a lot of variables that determine salaries, and the PM credentials are just one of them. However, based on the PayScale report, a PMP certified professional can earn an average of $104,000 per annum while a CAPM certificate holder can get about $65,000 per year.

Conclusion

The ‘best’ in this case is very relative. Both credentials can add value to your resume, and your choice is dependent on your experience and your ability to fulfill the certification prerequisites.

Why the update?

Every few years, the PMI conducts the RDS, or Role Designation Study, to see how the roles have changed, and to update certifications in order to keep them relevant to the current project management landscape. The last time PMP certification got such an overhaul was in 2011, so obviously, it was time to conduct the RDS this year.

The research has resulted in significant changes to the exam. These changes mainly reflect how the role of the project manager has evolved over the past 4 years. When it comes to the approach of this project management certification, the key changes include:

• Emphasis on business strategy and benefits realization – since project managers get involved in projects earlier than they used to be in the past, and have to focus on project development and project benefits, and not just project deliverables.
• Value of lessons learned – lessons learned throughout the entire lifecycle of the project, rather than lessons learned from previous projects on the initiation stage and lessons learned during this particular projects which are looked into during the closing stage.
• Project charter responsibility –much project manager isn’t the only one responsible for project charter: creating and approving the project charter is also responsibility of the project sponsor. Project Manager contributes to its development, but is no longer the only person responsible for the project charter.
• Enhancing stakeholder relationships – increased emphasis on relationships and engagement with stakeholders to ensure the utmost efficiency of the project team.

When it comes to exam itself, the new PMP exam outline has the same domains, however, their percentage/weight (how many questions related to each topic are included in the exam) has changed. So expect different number of questions per domain.

New PMP Exam Domains:

• Initiating the project: 13%
• Planning: 24%
• Executing the project: 31%
• Monitoring and controlling 25%
• Closing the project 7%

According to PMI, each topic includes a list of tasks a project manager faces. Questions correspond to these tasks. This year, PMI adds 8 entirely new tasks to its PMP exam. Here’s a quick cheat table on what you should pay special attention to in the blueprint:

So what does this change mean for you as a PMP candidate? With the new PMP exam, you will be facing 25% of new content focusing on 8 new tasks. There will also be a sufficient percentage of updated/new questions on topic that were already on the exam. According to PMI, the PMP exam is undergoing sufficient overhaul, and soon we will see what this is all about.

What remains the same? The new PMP certification exam will have the same eligibility requirements and the same structure. It will consist of 200 scenario-based multiple choice questions. You will get an immediate pass/fail result once you finish your exam.

PMI’s PMP certification is considered to be the best paid project management credential in the world. So if you think that you’ve got what it takes to achieve this certification and reap rewards associated with it, you should start your PMP preparation now. Visit PMI’s website for further info.

This year, PMI launches a new certification that specifically targets business analysts: The PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA). With the pilot phase of the project being on now, you may have a chance to become one of the first PMP-PBA holders in the world. So is this credential right for you?

More on Business Analysis

What is business analysis and what’s the job of a business analyst? PMI defines the business analyst’s work as “the evaluation of an organization’s needs — followed by the identification and management of requirements — to arrive at a solution.” In short, it is the discipline of working with stakeholders to “define an organization’s requirements in order to shape the output of projects and ensure they deliver the expected business benefit.”

To be eligible for the PMI-PBA, you don’t have to have the formal title of Business Analyst, but sufficient professional experience is a must. According to PMI, the certification was designed to get staff up to speed on the fine art of business analysis, which boils down to evaluating the business needs of an organization and then quantifying and managing those needs, or “requirements.” In other words, you need sufficient professional experience and background to identify the measures an organization must put in place to succeed, and then manage the deployment of those measures.

PMI Eligibility Overview

Certification Eligibility and Process

To become PMI-PBA, you need to take the following steps, which follow a process very similar to other PMI certifications’.

1. Fill out and submit your application
2. Wait for review of your application
3. If audited* fulfill audit requirements
4. Pay fees if application passes
5. Schedule exam
6. Pass exam
7. Re-certify on CCR after three years

*PMI audits are usually random, and if you’re audited, you must present a higher level of detail related to experience. Candidates are given 90 days to fulfill the audit requirements, and PMI reviews audit materials in 5 – 7 days.

PMI-PBA Pilot Phase

The pilot phase of the certification started on May 12, and applications are now accepted. The exam for the pilot will run through August 4. According to PMI, it takes five days for an electronic application to be reviewed, so to secure their opportunity to take the exam during the pilot, candidates need to have submitted their applications by July 28. A paper application can take up to two weeks, so it must be in by July 14 – which means you have 4 weeks left! (these timelines assume that you won’t be audited). The good news about the pilot exam is that candidates who take it, will be refunded 20% of their exam fees – which is important given the cost of PMI’s exams and preparation materials.

To prepare for the PMI-PBA exam, be sure to explore the official exam outline.

Briefly, the exam covers 5 domains:

1. Needs Assessment – 18%
2. Planning – 22%
3. Analysis – 35%
4. Traceability and Monitoring – 15%
5. Evaluation – 10%

Each domain is broken down into tasks and topics, all available in the outline. Holders of PMI credentials we have talked to about the outline and the exam itself, agree that the exam won’t be as simple as its materials may look. Similar to the PMP exam, where many candidates claim the materials to be ‘common knowledge’ as they look at exam goals and outlines and get seriously disappointed, the PBA exam is unlikely to be a piece of cake.

Nevertheless, taking this career step may be a viable option for many business analysts. We’ll have to wait and see whether the glory of the new PMI-PBA surpasses the one of the PMP, but the newness of the credential certainly gives it some added value. Therefore, if you work in the industry and feel confident enough to take the exam, why not jump on the chance of saving 20% and being the first PMI certified Business Analyst this summer? Do tell us what you think!

Developed and offered by Project Management Institute (PMI), PMP has over 500,000 active certified holders. The credential is known to boost a professional career in project management industry.

In spite of the popularity of the credential, many project managers claim that high level industry knowledge and professionalism that supposedly comes from certification and translates into high salaries, does not come from the credential. Instead, it is grown by the years of hard work and professional experience. On the other hand, many object to that saying that there may be different quality to project management, e.g. managing a project for a small or even medium-sized company vs. Fortune 500 company. And PMP opens the doors to working with Fortune 500 companies.

Project management experts agree that the PMP certification establishes a common language among project managers and helps them work within a common framework. The PMP equips its holders with a better level of applying the processes, tools, and techniques to projects. It builds on Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) framework and demonstrates that through actions, you’ll build your own personal brand within the company as someone who can deliver. Consistent and successful delivery using PMBOK framework is a must for managers to be moving up the project ladder, to larger and more complex projects and more reputable business organizations. By demonstrating greater competency managing more complex projects, you’ll also be able to compete for more senior positions.

Yet, like any certification, which is basically an exam that validates academic competency, it does not guarantee the success of your career. Neither does it prove your track record of successful projects. It certainly sets successful candidates apart and makes it easier for them to secure great jobs, especially candidates with less experience, to whom the credential can be very helpful. It’s an excellent way to kick start your project management career and give it a huge boost – from getting your CV through initial HR screenings to being taken more seriously by your project team.

But what about those professionals who have been in the project management for years, and are happy with the way their career advances and do not feel the need in any formal validation of their skills? If this sounds like you, congratulations, you do not need to invest the time and money in this credential. Chances are, you doing great just wherever you are!

Yet, there is still something to consider. Many PMP holders report that the credential has really helped them in terms of perception management, of how they are viewed by other project managers and teams, and the credibility they are granted as a result. Which, once again, is especially helpful to candidates who have not worked up their name and reputation yet.

Another reason PMP is great for newer project management candidates is its networking opportunities. You get to meet other PMP holders and people working in the industry. This is the same value many get from MBA, MA or just high-end college programs – networking, getting to know people and forming the circle with high potential for excellent professional opportunities, references, endorsements etc. We all know that personal connections go a long way these days!

So, if you are ready to get around $1000 out of your pocket (PMI and PMP registration + preparation materials, courses, books etc), you better get ready to study hard. PMP exam is very complicated, and it does have a high fail rate. Yet, if a certification is associated with truly high salaries, it cannot be a piece of cake, right?

So, before you get your credit card out to pay for your PMP certification, you need to ensure that you are eligible for this credential. Candidates need to have:

A secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree, or the global equivalent) with at least five years of project management experience, with 7,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education.

OR

A four-year degree (bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent) and at least three years of project management experience, with 4,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education.

To proceed, candidates need to register with PMI and login to their online system to apply for their PMP certification. Be sure to get PMP Handbook, which will become your best friend until you pass the exam.

Summing up, PMP is definitely a high potential certification. It can be especially valuable for candidates who still have room to grow their project management career, and want to give their professional skills and reputation a boost. This is a very challenging certification, but it sure opens the doors to great future – and excellent pay slips.