I am planning to transition from the military into the civilian sector to pursue a career in management consulting in approximately a year. In preparation for the transition I am interested in pursuing a professional certification in project management. The PMP seems to be the front-runner by a significant stretch, but until I can achieve that is there value in obtaining another PM certification? The other two I've seen frequently are the MPM (Master Project Manager) from the American Academy of Project Management or the CPM (Certified Project Manager) from the International Association of Project and Program Management, are these respectable certifications worth the time/effort/cost?
Answers
PMP - Project Management Professional is the most typical credential and you'll want it from PMI. www.PMI.org It's a tough exam (I failed it once already) but with your experience and the credential - you'll be a shoe-in.
Google this: "McKinsey Consulting Disruption HBR" Their whitepaper published by the HBR will give you a sense of the direction consulting and project management is heading.
PMI provides only guidelines to manage the project and not all of their processes, tools and techniques have to be applied to each project. They are tailored to each project. Further, Organizational Process Assets (Organization's processes and procedures for doing projects and corporate knowledge base) and Enterprise Environmental Factors (Organizational culture, brand, procedures, policies etc. and other outside related factors that influence the project such as economy, competition, government regulations etc.) are taken into account in each process (as an input to each process). Accordingly, PMI Guidelines are very flexible.
There is a 10 K salary difference between individuals (speaking in terms of working in this occupation) who are certified and those who are not:
http://www.cio.com/article/699312/Project_Management_Salaries_Show_Earnings_Growth_Career_Potential . It will be easier to gain employment as well.
I've been asked this before. And while it helps getting a job and looks great on a resume, I'm always a little weary of certifications. Here's why:
Assuming you apply for and get into one of the larger management consulting firms (actually any of the companies), they all do things a little differently. There is a culture baked into each and every company and each likes to do things "their way." There's a reason for this. If you attempt to commoditize project management, then you experience a race to the bottom in terms of how much you can charge the client. Several companies come to mind that have fallen into this trap. Part of the issue is the packaging, compartmentalization, and transfer of work units off shore. By commoditizing the work units, you can charge less and theoretically get more work because clients want to save money. However there is a lower threshold one can charge while still being profitable. And if everyone races to that threshold, there's very little maneuver room to stand out and differentiate your service and brand from your competition.
To combat this, companies build a brand around service and charge premiums for that extra bit of effort and service. Some of it is true thought leadership and whitepapers. Some of it is many hundreds of man years of combined project management and delivery experience. Granted a PMP will teach you the core principles of the process which is always a good thing, but be mindful that companies are extremely protective of their culture, brand, and how they like to do things.
TL;DR: Get the cert if you have the time and cash, but be mindful that companies like to do things their own way.
I agree with John. It is rare to find a "Management Consulting" role unless you are a previous CEO/President. Up to that point, Management Consulting Firms use younger consultants for specific management/technical roles based on their background. If you had an IT background and IT certs, then you might fit IT Management Consulting roles. There would also be specific niches for "HR Management Consulting" and "Training Management Consulting". Back to your original question, the PMP remains the premier cert for Project Management and PMI also has higher certs in the PgMP for Program Management and now a PfMP for Portfolio Management. Consultants do trade heavily in certs, so if you feel you need some sort of bona fides in Project Management, then the PMP is the only way to go and others are just a waste of your time/money.
One thing you may want to consider is actually working in an industry for a few years and earning the relevant certs, prior to trying your hand at consulting. Consultants' credibility is based on their education, certs and experience and it would help your marketability to have actual experience in the industry (outside of the military) prior to trying to consult. The industry side is such a different environment from the military side that it would be difficult to consult credibly without first having real industry experience in the many variables that affect productivity, efficiency and profitability. Just for your consideration because you have time to chart your course.
Hello I am a bus driver and I just graduated with a MPM. I also have an MBA which I never used since I decided to get my bachelors and continue straight through with my current job until I totally completed my schooling. I just wonder if I'm asked if I have a certification would my master degree be suffice? Or would I also need a PMP certificate?
Just adding my $0.02. I agree with the posters above, a PMP certification is s start, not an ending. However, it will get your resume through the first gates, and that is key. With electronic screening of resumes, you do not want to be deselected from the start. Certification is also seen as a commitment to project management as a job goal. And you can take the classes on line for a reasonable cost so you don't have to break the bank to get this certification. There is also a lower level of certification if you do not have the experience required for the PMP.
The other thing you'll learn from working toward the PMP is the language of management consulting. While each company does have their own variation of methodology, there is a unique style of speaking. We may laugh at the buzzwords over drinks, but they are part of the environment.
To break into management consulting, there are a few other things you'll want to bring forward from your background:
- When have you provided leadership of a group. I know this seems like a no brainer for an officer However, work through the details of how you worked with the team to motivate them and effectively move things forward. You need to be able to present this in a manner that matches the corporate mindset. That is, you need to present how you made people want to be a successful part of the accomplishment.
- You'll want to identify those accomplishments that match the work done by management consultants; e.g., tracking budgets, managing scope of work/projects, negotiations, talking to people at all levels of an organization.
While many of the large firms do hire people right out of college, you bring something extra to the table - maturity and professionalism. If you can get to the interview, you can excel.
My ticket into management consulting was a Law Degree (Juris Doctor). I combined my with previous degrees in Engineering and Industrial Management. This allowed me to found my own company. There are all kinds of management consultants around with an MBA, etc. That's fine perhaps if you want to work for one of the major consulting firms. But if you want to found your own company, clients will be seeking more . Note: I went to night Law School since I already had a full time job; 3 kids; wife, 2 dogs, etc. There are some well recognized Law Schools with evening programs: Univ. of San Diego, for instance.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond and for your insightful answers. One of the things I really enjoy about this mentor-network is that no one just fires off the first thing that comes to mind, but rather everyone takes the time to think about their responses and give really great advice/information. Even if I don't mention you by name in my response below I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences and I can guarantee I have found value in each of your responses.
Joe, I am aware of the challenges of getting into the management consulting business without coming out of a C-level suite or one of the major companies. What I'm hoping is that the companies I end up applying to will see the similarities between young consultants and young officers. Both change business units (squadron) where they work on a regular basis, during their time at a given business unit they spend 6-18 months improving operational efficiencies/developing their subordinates, and both are generally tasked with finding solutions to problems facing a particular function in which they are not the subject matter expert on that given function. My goal in getting the PMP is to merge that experience with some bonafides that I am capable of "speaking industry."
Shawn, thank you for the advice, I am looking into the scrum certification as another potential option though from my initial research it seems to be mainly geared toward tech projects but I still have research to do.
Fouad/Craig, Thank you for the advice. I agree the cert is not the end all be all, but as Craig pointed out it "helps getting a job and looks great on a resume" which is exactly what I need. The government does project management a little differently and as a result I've got a lot of vocabulary to learn for the PMP, but really I'm just looking for that foot in the door so companies will take me seriously as a candidate and give me the chance to talk to them and share the opportunities I've had in the military.
Tom, I downloaded your checklist and printed it out in booklet format several months ago and it has been my guide in deciding to sit for the PMP. Thanks for putting that together!
Thank you all again and, since I think this will be far from my last question, I look forward to future opportunities to learn from each of you.
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Short of getting a Masters degree in Project Management, the PMP is the best choice. I've been doing project management for over 15 years in North America and am not familiar with the other two. Organizations that offer training courses are generally all designed for the PMP continuous learning requirements.
Relative to the consulting question, personality, communication skills and appearance are as important as credentials for any of the major consulting firms.
I agree with Fouad completely. He said much more concisely than I did. The good news is that project management experience is transferable to nearly every sector in the business world. And as more companies become clever and resourceful with how they spend money, more often than not they'll hire a PM for a project as a kind of hired gun, instead of paying a premium for a consulting firm to do the same thing.
This means you can incorporate yourself, save on taxes, and enjoy the freedom and flexibility of being your own boss. It's quite lucrative career path if you are good at it and enjoy the work.
Craig
Project Management Professional (PMP) is globally recognized and has over 400,000 certified as PMP's worldwide. However, PMP alone may not be sufficient to get you into the management consulting field.
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