Switching Industries:
Why PMP Holders are More Successful
With a little foresight, you can use your certification as an asset when job-hunting in a new industry.
by Sandra Beckwith
More often, Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential holders are finding that certification isn't just a tangible indication of professional competence and commitment—it's also a tool for helping project managers get ahead, whether within their chosen industry or embarking on a new field.
When MaryGrace Allenchey, PMP, moved from her position at a telecommunications company to one that helps employers improve their employees' performance, her PMP credential was a strong asset. "When I applied for this job, my PMP certification said to the people here that my profession has recognized that I have demonstrated certain capabilities," says Ms. Allenchey, director—workforce performance solutions portfolio management office, of The Center for Effective Performance Inc. (CEP), Atlanta, Ga., USA. "They knew I could manage projects at CEP as well as I did at my previous job."
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| Bob McGannon, PMP |
Better Interviews
Bob McGannon, PMP, vice president of Mindavation Inc. in Denver, Colo., USA, says Ms. Allenchey's experience is not unusual. "A lot of employers ask me if I can recommend good project managers and about two-thirds of them say they want a PMP [holder] or someone who can demonstrate they will take the test soon," he says. Mr. McGannon adds that certification "forms a basis for a much richer conversation in the interview process, one that uses a common vocabulary." This is especially important when you don't know the industry language.
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| Diane Dromgold |
Job applicants need more than certification when applying for a job in a new industry, though, cautions Diane Dromgold, managing director of RNC Global Projects, a project management firm in North Sydney, Australia. Experience counts, too. "I've yet to see candidates who can be effective deliverers on the strength of certification alone," she says.
By following these tips, you can ensure your certification helps you find a job in a new industry:
- Don't assume that you and your job interviewer share the same view of project management. "If you go in believing that you can manage any project in any industry and the interviewer doesn't share that view, you're at a disadvantage," Mr. McGannon says. Find out as much as you can about the role of project management in that company before the interview so you're as prepared as possible to get over obstacles.
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| Jennifer Whitt, PMP |
Explore unexpected ways to get industry experience before applying for a job. Jennifer Whitt, PMP, a project management trainer and coach at Optimo Inc. in Atlanta recommends volunteering in the field, taking specialized classes to get industry knowledge, or doing a paid or unpaid internship. "There are many ways to earn experience without being paid for it," she says.
- Take advantage of PMI's networking opportunities. "Go to a local chapter meeting or use the special interest groups in the industry you're targeting to learn more about how project managers are viewed or valued in that industry," says Bonnie Biafore, PMP, author of the project management book, On Time! On Track! On Target! Managing Your Projects Successfully with Microsoft Project [Microsoft Press, 2006].
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| Bonnie Biafore, PMP |
Help focus the job interview on the reason you're being hired, not on your lack of industry experience. "Ask the interviewer, ‘What is the job you want me to do? Do you want me to manage the delivery of the products or do you want me to build the products?'" Ms. Allenchey says. Help the interviewer see that as the expert in managing projects, you will work with the experts in product development to identify the steps needed to build that product.
"The PMP certification process has armed me with the knowledge that every task can be addressed as a project," Ms. Allenchey says. "My organization has started to realize the value of that."
Sandra Beckwith is a freelance web writer in Fairport, N.Y.
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