Project Managers need your advice!

[Bad324]

I saw this and was wondering if this would be a legit way to get some certifications to help me in the future

 

http://www.groupon.com/deals/learnsmart-9-cleveland?p=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&sid=dec8c014-bd5f-405c-9501-acc65d95df13&division=cleveland&user=8a2705690f7734ee487394571bab992275dc0410bc36f9c3e6576955fb34daef&date=20140528&s=body&c=button&d=deal-page&utm_campaign=dec8c014-bd5f-405c-9501-acc65d95df13

 

 

If it is, I'm gonna jump on it and get as many certs as I can

[banditj13]

First - What is your goal: the certification and door opening for jobs, or the book learning?

 

Second - how much self study initiative do you have? - You can do a lot of the cert prep work much cheaper on your own, if you have the initiative... the only way its ever been cheaper for me to take a course like this is when the local tech college offers a steeply discounted student rate for the actual Cert test at the end of the class... although I am not sure how much cheaper it really was, after you add the class cost in with the book cost, and then the exam cost at the end...

 

 

 

I personally did not have a good experience with LearnSmart Systems. I had signed up for a cisco deal they were offering, it was basically a "try one course, and if you like it, get more" deal. Had to give CC information, and basically buy the whole course work, in order to "try" it, then cancel within 30 days and one course, if I didn't like it... 

Well... I didn't like it... I spent over 2 months trying to cancel... had to get the credit card provider involved. Finally got it cleared up. 

 

The course work itself wasn't much more than what I could get out of a Cisco book itself, and was basically some guy reading from the book anyways.

 

I would only be able to assume that it's the same way with PMP/CAPM stuff on there... 

I ended up taking the self study route, came out cheaper in the end... 

[cmh_sprint]

I'm not a PM but have managed a group of them for several years. For $99, I don't think you can go wrong. Even if it isn't the greatest training it would still get you familiar with PMP and the requirements needed to obtain that cert. It is a very time and self discipline intensive certification. If you have any questions on PMP let me know. I could put you in contact with one of the PMP's that used to work for me.

[Tpoppa]

Is this specifically for the PMP or something else?

[Tonik]

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/specific_search/learnsmart

[mello dude]

I saw this and was wondering if this would be a legit way to get some certifications to help me in the future

 

http://www.groupon.com/deals/learnsmart-9-cleveland?p=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&sid=dec8c014-bd5f-405c-9501-acc65d95df13&division=cleveland&user=8a2705690f7734ee487394571bab992275dc0410bc36f9c3e6576955fb34daef&date=20140528&s=body&c=button&d=deal-page&utm_campaign=dec8c014-bd5f-405c-9501-acc65d95df13

 

 

If it is, I'm gonna jump on it and get as many certs as I can

For $99 bucks, it looks like good information whether you get the cert or not. 

- If you want to get the cert, the PMP is very good to have. The CAPM is kinda like a PM in training cert. 

- Stuff you gotta have for the the PMP

            - 4500 hours of actual PM experience that you can document and is auditable. They pull 15 percent of applications and verify the info on them from former  bosses and co-workers. 

            -35 hours of class room work that is focused on the PMP exam. 

            - Filled out application. - Its a nasty 20ish pager

             - Pay your $400 bucks and get an exam date. 

 

-No matter what you do, the exam is a bear, and you would need to study your ass off. There are online practice tests and you should do plenty of them before going for the real thing.  There may be a PMI chapter where you live and you should hook up with them. 

- Join PMI.org and get going. In the long run, it will pay off. 

 

--------------------------

- Adding from note with Tonik, yeah 99 bucks is absurdly cheap, typically you will spend $2800 -$4000 to get this done. 

Edited May 30, 2014 by mello dude

[bowdog]

Honestly, having this course would not influence me one way or another if I was hiring new project managers.

[Bad324]

First - What is your goal: the certification and door opening for jobs, or the book learning?

Second - how much self study initiative do you have? - You can do a lot of the cert prep work much cheaper on your own, if you have the initiative....

1) the certification to open doors for sure

2) average at best in college. May be different now but studying has never been my forte. Learn much better from doing things and solving problems than reading

Lotsa great info, Thanks!

Edited May 30, 2014 by Bad324

[Bad324]

Is this specifically for the PMP or something else?

Yea I'm mainly looking for PMP. This popped up in my email and thought it may be a quicker or easier way to get it. Being completely honest I don't even really know what it takes to get a PMP or what it entails having one. I've never had to worry about it until now so I'm just starting my research. Likely it would be for a down the road if required

So far I have 2 places where they have a project manager opening that I've talked to (both companies where an OR member has helped out) and doesn't require a PMP but would likely be beneficial in the long run

[Tonik]

Buy me a beer and I will give you PMP certification.  Pretty Mean Person, and I can tell you that cert awarded by me carries a lot of weight.

[Ron505]

1) the certification to open doors for sure

2) average at best in college. May be different now but studying has never been my forte. Learn much better from doing things and solving problems than reading

Lotsa great info, Thanks!

 

 

...and that's the reason I hire people for their experience, not for their certifications.  In my industry, experience is everything.

[Tpoppa]

I've been a PM for 17 years.  I've had a PMP for the last 5.

 

I took the 4 day PMTI prep course.  M-Th then you take the test on Friday.  I literally did zero prep before the course and did not study at all outside the course.  I passed the test with room to spare.  I've always had good test taking skills though.

 

Thoughts on having a PMP...

--It will most likely not make you a better PM.

--It definitely will help you get more interviews for PM positions.  Some places won't even read your resume if you dont have a PMP.

--It will get you more money.  10-15k more per year is reasonable.

 

If you do large unique projects completely from scratch, PMP methodology is helpful.

My projects are software implementation & customization.  We do lots of similar projects over and over, I've managed something like 400-500 projects.  I would estimate that 15-25% if the PMP methodology is applicable to our business model.