PMP® stands for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification. Developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the PMP® is the leading project management credential earned and accepted by professionals across the globe. The PMP® certification is unique in that it doesn’t focus on a single project management process but addresses three of today’s leading management methods: predictive, agile and hybrid. This makes the PMP® certification ideal for any project manager across a variety of industries.
- PMP Exam Content
- How To Get A PMP Certification
- Who Should Earn A Project Management Professional Certification?
PMP Exam Content
PMI developed the PMP® certification exam using industry best practices and accredited against ISO 9001 and ISO/ANSI 17024 international standards. Additionally all questions are developed and consistently reviewed by project managers and subject matter experts who hold a valid PMP®.
That being said, the most current version of the PMP® exam (updated as of January 2021) focuses on content within three major domains:
- People: 42%
- Process: 50%
- Business Environment: 8%
Under each domain are a series of tasks that represent “the underlying responsibilities of the project manager within each domain area,” (PMP® Exam Content Outline). Below are the tasks associated with each exam domain. Every task will be addressed in every PMP® certification exam. PMI also includes Task Enablers in their Exam Content Outline that provide a more illustrative description of the task in action.
Domain 1: People – Tasks
- Manage conflict
- Lead a team
- Support team performance
- Empower team members and stakeholders
- Ensure team members/stakeholders are adequately trained
- Build a team
Domain 2: Process – Tasks
- Execute project with the urgency required to deliver business value
- Manage communications
- Assess and manage risks
- Engage stakeholders
- Plan and manage budget and resources
- Plan and manage schedule
- Plan and manage quality of products/deliverables
- Plan and manage scope (Examples: WBS)
- Integrate project planning activities
- Manage project changes (Examples: Change Management)
- Plan and manage procurement
- Manage project artifacts
- Determine appropriate project methodology/methods and practices (Examples: Project Management Methodologies)
- Establish project governance structure
- Manage project issues
- Ensure knowledge transfer for project continuity
- Plan and manage project/phase closure or transitions
Domain 3: Business Environment – Tasks
- Plan and manage project compliance
- Evaluate and deliver project benefits and value
- Evaluate and address external business environment changes for impact on scope
- Support organizational change
How To Get A PMP Certification
The PMP® certification process includes some stringent requirements but that is what makes it a valuable certification to employers and credential holders. In terms of earning your PMP®, you have two options for meeting the application requirements and we have outlined them briefly in the table below. For a more in-depth explanation of each option, including what types of projects count, read our post “What Are The Requirements For A PMP Certification.”
| Option 1 | Option 2 |
| A four-year degree 36 months leading projects 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® Certification | A high school diploma or an associate’s degree (or global equivalent) 60 months leading projects 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® Certification |
Enroll In PMI Authorized Training
Once you meet the requirements, you will need to apply to sit for the PMP® exam. Once your application is approved, you will be prompted to schedule your exam and you have exactly one year from the date of your exam approval to take the exam.
We always recommend students enroll in a PMP® certification exam prep course prior to scheduling their exam. Not only do our students review our class as a vital resource to helping them prepare for the exam, as a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP) our class also meets the 35 hour project management education requirement.
As a PMI ATP, we also leverage PMI-developed course content and only use PMP® certified instructors who understand the exam and can best prepare you to pass it. Learn more about the benefits of authorized training from our students:
“Both presenters did an amazing job at presenting the information in an entertaining, yet very informative and interactive way. Very happy with the course….Highly recommend to others.”
PMP® Group Training Student
“Loved covering the questions with people who understood the exam.”
PMP® Group Training Student
“The prep session was very eye opening for me as I was unaware of the large volume of content and complexity of the PMP exam. [The instructor] was very helpful in providing supportive links to the PMI application and PMP exam content.”
PMP® Group Training Student
Who Should Earn A Project Management Professional Certification?
The simple answer: Anyone who manages projects.
As mentioned previously, the PMP® exam content covers a wide variety of project management methodologies which makes it suitable for nearly any project manager. The content is also industry agnostic so it can easily apply to healthcare, manufacturing, construction, finance, information services and more.
Additionally, the expansive need for project mangers makes the role highly demanded. In fact, PMI® recently reported “The global economy needs 25 million new project professionals by 2030. To close the talent gap, 2.3 million people will need to enter [project management-oriented employment] PMOE every year just to keep up with demand – this includes project managers and all changemakers.”
Jobs That Use PMP®
At the time of this posting, over 413,000 jobs on LinkedIn reference the PMP® and job titles include:
- Marketing & Communications Operations and Project Management Associate
- Director of Sales Operations
- Associate Project Manager
- Content Specialist
- Program Manager
- Revenue Enablement Manager
- Strategy and Operations Lead
- Product Marketing Manager
- Director of Operations
These job postings are also within organizations such as Lowes, Disney Parks, Bet MGM, VMware, Campbell Soup Company, Kellogg’s, National Aquarium, Reebok, Snowflake, Oracle, Google, L’Oréal and more.
Benefits Of Earning Your PMP®
Simply put, employers across the globe trust the PMP® certification. By earning this credential you can open doors toward your dream job or dream company because employers trust you have the project management skills they need. Additionally, this trust allows you to demand a higher salary, PMP® credential holders:
- Earn 32% higher salaries than their non-certified peers
- Earn steady salary increases over time if they maintain their PMP® certification (source)
Earn Your PMP®
Complete the form below to schedule a time to speak with an Admissions Advisor about our upcoming PMP® training classes. Training Available Weekdays, Nights & Weekends!