How you can efficiently work on or with project teams is greatly determined by one powerful credential― a certification. But with the numerous choices offered in the industry, where do you earn the best one? Project Management Institute (PMI) has generated a well-acknowledged credential that will best define your career as a professional, and that is none other than the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification. This is unarguably one of the leading credentials recognized by managers and recruiters across the globe. An entry-level certification, this is ideal for project practitioners who wish to stand out in the marketplace. You can carve your own mark in the industry and receive recognition from your employers and team members. Moreover, such an advantage is not only applicable during job applications; this will help you get recognition all throughout the course of your professional path.
This is ideal for those who don’t have much experience in project management. If you want to challenge yourself in handling larger projects, this is the perfect place for you to land. Through this, you can show your proficiency in the basic terminology and processes of becoming a project manager and enhance your skills as a professional.
Benefits in earning a CAPM certification
First things first, let’s serve the icing on the cake. Let’s discuss the advantages you will receive once you become a CAPM certification holder. There have been many success stories shared by several professionals who have been certified by PMI CAMP. And they can exactly prove that these benefits are worth the time and effort spent in preparing for the exam. Here are few of the advantages you can enjoy as a CAPM certified:
- A salary increase of 25%
According to many surveys, a project management job is one of the most high-paying jobs an IT professional can have. A Project Manager can have an annual salary that ranges between $90,000 and $150,000. For a CAPM, specifically, a certified project manager can receive the average salary of $92,000. The increase in salary highly depends on the country you’re staying as well as other factors.
- Give your IT career a boost up
Since this is an entry-level certification, this will help you move up to more advanced job roles and certifications. CAPM serves as a prerequisite that will enable you to give your professional career a leg up.
- Have your knowledge and skills recognized
This certification is essential in your personal and professional growth since both your personal and professional attributes will be honed. CAPM Certification allows you to increase your responsibility, manage challenging projects, and exposes you to the best tools and practices of project management. You’ll be able to acquire real-world skills needed in handling real-world experiences.
- Give your resume a striking credential
A CAPM certification will definitely add a bonus to your resume as this is an acknowledged global certification. Aside from that, this certification is aimed to give you global opportunities essential to advancing your career.
Steps in becoming a CAPM certified
With time and study, you can acquire this certification by following a series of paramount steps. And the first step begins with your commitment to gain a CAPM certification. Your decision of earning this certification is indeed a celebratory milestone! Once you become certified, you will surely realize why this credential is on the top list. And, a thriving group of professionals who have already witnessed the benefits can surely attest to it.
The next step in the ladder is verifying that you are an eligible candidate to take the exam. A CAPM training class is best recommended for you to become a certified associate in project management. Now, you can apply on the and pay for the fee.
After completing these steps, you can proceed to schedule for your exam. Prepare with the best external and online materials to achieve the best outcomes. You can access a variety of these materials, study and practice your way to mastery. You can further prepare for the exam by reviewing the CAPM handbook and practicing the CAPM Sample Questions using the exam dumps. These are best designed to give you a gist of how the questions of the actual exam are presented and as well as they help to revise the learnt material. Also, to make sure you are not missing anything in the course of your exam preparation, you can enroll in a formal study course. PMI chapters and Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s) offer this as well as study books for you to make use of. Nothing beats a well-prepared candidate. So, since you’re already dedicating your time and effort in passing the exam, why not exhaust all means of mastering the topics, right? You can do so by reviewing Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition.
Moreover, you can learn the basics of the following:
- Project scope management
- Human resource management
- Project integration management
- Quality management
- Communications management
- Project and organization lifecycle
- Time and cost management
- Project risk management
- Procurement management
- Stakeholder management
- Project management processes
CAPM Exam Details
Once you’ve made use of all helpful materials accessible by hand and met all experience and education requirements, you can now confidently proceed to the determining step of your CAPM journey – the exam day. Basically, the exam is composed of 150 questions, which are set in a multiple choice format. You must answer all of the exam items for three (3) hours. Every five years, you must take CAPM exam to maintain the certification. The price is US$300.00 for non-members while US$225.00 for members.
Prerequisites
- You must have acquired a high school diploma or an associate degree.
- You must have a 1500-hour project experience or a 23-hour project management education before you can take the exam.
Moreover, you can take the exam online. The online proctored exam is made possible to cater to the needs of a test-taker. Through this, you can schedule and take your exam with more flexibility. If you can’t go to the nearest testing location, taking the test online is an alternative. You can have the luxury of scheduling your exam 24 hours a day within the week.
Conclusion
Carve your own mark in the industry and receive recognition from your employers and team members. CAPM is the perfect certification to help you keep up with the tight competition of the project management arena.
