As per PMI’s Job Report 2024, Technology, Manufacturing, Construction, and Aerospace are the top industries to watch out for in South Asia for PM-based roles. Thus, the need for skilled project managers will become even more pronounced in the coming times. PMP certification positions you as a sought-after candidate for senior project management roles and offers ample career growth opportunities. You can also keep an eye on the opportunities posted by PMI on its Job board. PMI updates new job opportunities from across the globe on this page, and it can help unlock greater opportunities for you as a PMP.

The PMP certification is backed by extensive research, including job tasks and global practice analysis. So, it is curated to hone you with the most in-demand project management skills as well as global practices. Moreover, PMP now encompasses various project management approaches, from predictive to agile and hybrid methodologies. This is after PMI reflected the curriculum as per industry demands. Therefore, with methodologies that empower you to lead teams irrespective of industry vertical, organization size, or geography, PMP certification stands as a significant advantage in today's job market.

Yes, pursuing PMP certification is totally worth it. We don’t say it as trainers for PMP but with a team of PMP-certified experts backing the claim. All our trainers are active holders of the PMP and are some of the leaders in the field. So, here are some Let’s see why:

1. Monetary perks: Obtaining a PMP certification early in your career has many benefits, including increased interview calls, stronger negotiating positions for salary, and access to higher-paying job opportunities. Some Project Managers have even bagged double their salary after adding the PMP tag after their names.

2. Proof of Competency: Having a PMP certification demonstrates a foundational understanding of project management. It’s a stamp of approval and a significant one at that. There are other project management certifications as well which involve you going through self-paced courses and that’s about it. However, PMP has stringent criteria and requires dedicated effort. Naturally, PMP stands out as a certification and distinguishes you from others in the field too.

3. An Extra Push To The Skillset: PMP certification adds to your existing skills and knowledge. It propagates Agile, Waterfall, as well as Hybrid approaches. Hence, you become a versatile professional. From an employer’s point of view: If asked to choose between 2 similarly experienced PMs, who would you prefer? – The one who took time to improve themselves, or the one who’s stagnant in upskilling?

4. Access to Untapped Opportunities: The PMP certification is respected by employers and carries a certain level of prestige. In our opinion, companies value the certification and consider it mandatory, because they value the experience, which the PMP is indicative of, unlike many other certifications. They don’t have to verify the experience and education of the person - because it comes packed with the PMP Badge. Therefore, we strongly recommend pursuing the PMP certification at an early stage of your career to reap more benefits. Contact our team to learn more about the Benefits of Obtaining the PMP!

There is no age limit for PMP. However, most PMP holders are in the age group of 35-45. Also, as per the Salary Survey Report, individuals who hold a valid PMP for longer periods, reap higher benefits. So, the younger you are to get PMP-certified, the more advantage you'll have. If you fulfill the eligibility criteria for PMP, then the time to start your PMP journey is NOW!

No, freshers cannot take PMP. To apply for the PMP Certification, candidates must have a minimum of 3-5 years of experience in project management prior to application submission. The strict educational and experiential criteria makes PMP such a prestigious certification.

ProThoughts offers PMP Certification Training without geographic restrictions - Enroll in our live PMP Online batches from anywhere in the world! Our sessions are live and instructor-led, ensuring that you learn at your convenience but without compromising on interactions! Also, if you’re keen on learning in a physical classroom environment, ProThoughts offers PMP Classroom Training in Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. If you are close to any of these locations, we would be ecstatic to see you in our Classrooms. Contact our Team to get more details on PMP Certification Training near you.

If an institute is a PMI ATP, it means that it serves as PMI’s Authorized Training Partner and is officially recognized to coach professionals for PMI certification exams.

Authorized Training Partners hold PMI certifications, have completed PMI Train the Trainer courses, and use PMI-developed training course content. The PMI Authorized Training Partners Badge guarantees that you're receiving training aligned with the latest PMI Global Standards. ProThoughts has the Premier status in the ATP program. Only a few institutes gain that status. We have it because we are one of the oldest institutes propagating Project Management Knowledge, with PMI-certified instructors for each course!

Yes, you can pay the PMP Certification Course fee in 2 installments at no extra cost. You can pay the 1st installment to reserve the seat and pay the remaining amount at least 2 days before the PMP training workshop. To know more details about PMP Fee payments and other finance-related queries, you can contact our customer support team.

Yes, we do assist in the PMP exam application process. We provide our candidates with sample PMP applications at no extra charge. These sample applications serve as a reference and help you prepare a draft of your own PMP application. Moreover, once you get the draft ready you can share it with our team. Your PMP course instructor will review it and provide you with further guidance before you submit your application to PMI. Our team ensures that no applications submitted to PMI are rejected!

For the most part, ProThoughts covers everything in the tuition fee - from materials to practice questions, and from application samples to PMP exam simulators. For classroom training, the PMP certification fee you pay us also covers the venue costs and your meals.

While budgeting for PMP, however, you’ll have an additional fee to pay to PMI. This would include the Exam Fee which is ₹23,288 for PMI members and ₹47,150 for non-members, and an optional PMI Membership fee of ₹9,840. Other expenditures would be travel expenses on the day of the exam if you choose a Center-Based Test or if you take classroom training. Moreover, if you choose to print the PDFs we share with you, that would also add to the number. Besides that, we’ve got you covered!

The entire PMP certification process takes a minimum of 4-5 months to about a year for some professionals.

The PMP certification process starts with hunting for a good training institute, enrolling in a course, and getting trained as per their batch dates. Then, the process speed depends on your commitment to getting PMP-certified. Some candidates attempt the exam a week after the Training is complete, while some wait for months together.
At ProThoughts, we suggest not waiting beyond 2-3 months to take the exam. In this period, you also need to apply for the exam. Sometimes PMI puts applications for an Audit, which also takes a week or two (if done right away). Therefore, several factors contribute to the time it takes to complete the PMP certification process. Taking a rough estimate of 6 months is a good idea - to incorporate any barriers that delay the process. `

Yes, you must complete all the 35 PMP contact hours mentioned in the eligibility criteria before submitting your application to PMI. In the PMP application, you need to mention the date of completion along with your course details to meet the eligibility criteria. At ProThoughts, we can assist you in determining what details should be documented and how, so you don't have to worry much about it!

The ideal way to approach the 35 contact hours requirement is to undergo PMP certification training from an authorized training partner. However, you can also get 35 contact hours from different sources. As long as the sessions address project management subjects, each hour spent can add to the contact hours. The course hours may include sessions on project quality, project scope, project schedule, project budget, project communications, project risk, project procurement, project cost, project resources, project stakeholders, and project integration management. You can record these hours regardless of when you accrued them. The only criterion is that you must complete it by the time you submit the PMP application to PMI. The bottom line is that, no you do not need to earn all 35 contact hours from 1 project management course - but it is ideal to do so.

You will be notified by PMI when your PMP application is approved to proceed with the fee payment. You can log in to your PMI account and pay the fee. In India, the PMP exam fee is ₹23,288 for PMI Members and ₹47,150 for Non-members. You can make the payment online using various payment methods such as Credit Cards, Debit Cards, PayPal, and EFT. Further, ensure your payment is processed successfully. After submitting your payment information and completing the transaction, you will be redirected to a confirmation page.

After your fee payment has been confirmed, your 12-month eligibility period to take the PMP exam begins.

During the PMP application process, PMI sometimes requests additional documentation as a part of an Audit. PMI conducts application audits to confirm the experience and/or education details documented. The purpose of the audit is to enhance the credibility of the PMP certification program and the PMP holders. Only a small fraction of applications undergo an audit, and it is picked randomly. If your application is selected for an audit, you will be notified by email before the PMP exam fee payment.

For the PMI Audit Process, you will be asked to submit supporting documentation such as Copies of your diploma/degree/global equivalent, Signatures from your supervisor(s)/ manager(s) from the project(s) recorded in the experience verification section of the application, Copies of certificates and/or letters from the training institute(s) for each course are recorded on the application to meet the required 35 contact hours of professional education.

Candidates can log into their PMI dashboard and select ‘Access Audit Package’. From there, you will be directed to the application audit dashboard. Simply upload academic and professional education requirements. Additionally, you can send references electronically. You cannot select the submit button until all documents are collected. You will have 90 days to submit the PMP Audit Package and the processing time from PMI is 5-7 business days. If you meet the terms and conditions of the audit, you can proceed with the PMP Exam Fee Payment.

The PMI PMP Audit fails if the candidate does not meet all the requirements or makes an incomplete submission to PMI. The PMI Certification Department will address further actions with you depending on your case. Moreover, if you choose to not abide by the rules of the audit and do not proceed with the steps, it results to audit failure as well. In this case, you will also be facing a 1-year suspension period from applying for any PMI certification. Please note that, the audits are conducted at random and are only in place to uphold the credibility of the PMP certification.

You can find more information about PMP Audit in the PMP Certification Handbook available for download on the PMI website. You can also visit the Certification FAQs page for more specific queries and resolutions regarding the Audit. Moreover, you can contact our consultants at ProThoughts to guide you through the Audit process and resolve any issues. We have a seasoned team of experts on board for complete PMP application assistance!

If your one-year eligibility period has expired without appearing for the PMP exam, you will forfeit the entire exam fee paid to PMI. If you still wish to obtain the PMP certification, you will have to reapply and submit all associated fees again. You can also take a PMP refresher course from ProThoughts to revisit your concepts. At ProThoughts, we suggest that you do not take a break from PMP preparation and take the exam 2-3 months after completing your PMP Training.

If you do not succeed in your PMP examination on the first attempt, you have two more attempts to take the test in a 12-month eligibility period. Once you receive your official PMP results from PMI (which is usually within a week after you take the exam), you can proceed to schedule your Re-examination.

Step 1: Login to your PMI account

Step 2: Navigate to the Certifications Section

Step 3: In the PMP Certification section, follow the instructions to apply for the Re-exam.

Step 4: Pay the PMP Re-examination Fee. The PMP Exam fee for further attempts is $275 for PMI Members and $375 for Non-Members. Step 5: On payment confirmation, you will receive a new Eligibility ID.

Step 6: Using the provided PMP Eligibility ID, you can schedule your PMP Re-Exam on the Pearson VUE platform. The re-attempt can also be taken either as a Center-based test (CBT) or as an Online Proctored Test (OPT).

Step 7: Follow the same steps of PMP Exam Scheduling as you did for your 1st attempt. If you have any questions or queries, our Support Team at ProThoughts will be available for assistance.

No, there is no re-evaluation in the case of the PMP exam. You do, however, have two more attempts within your eligibility period. So, if you fail your PMP certification exam on the first try, you can always opt for a re-exam. There are additional fees associated with the re-examination: $375 for non-members and $275 for members.

PDUs stand for Professional Development Units. As part of the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program, you must earn these “PDUs” to quantify your professional developmental hours. 1 PDU is equal to 1 Hour of learning/activity. For the PMP certification, you must earn 60 PDUs within a 3-year duration to qualify for PMP certification renewal. PDUs system and the CCR program exist to uphold the credibility of the certified professionals and to keep them up-to-date with the latest in the project management field.

There are 3 Types of PDUs as per the PMI Talent Triangle:

Ways of Working (previously Technical Project Management): This PDU category encourages you to learn new and different project management practices. There are many practices that exist today: predictive, agile, design thinking, hybrid and there are more that will be developed in the future. It is clear that there is no one size fits all approach. Thus, PMI encourages you to learn a diverse set of methodologies and practices to become a versatile professional.

Power Skills (previously Leadership): This PDU category focuses on interpersonal skills. You can attend sessions that help you grow your collaborative skills, leadership power, emotional intelligence, and communication skills. The idea is to help make you a well-rounded professional with an innovative mindset, for-purpose orientation, and empathy. Thus, you become a leading change maker who can engage anyone and everyone!

Business Acumen (previously Strategic and Business Management): This PDU category aims to sharpen your decision-making skills to paint a larger picture. Simply speaking, professionals with business acumen understand the macro and micro influences in their organization and industry. And also have the domain-specific knowledge to make good decisions. Thus, PMI urges you to grasp how your projects contribute to the overarching organizational strategy and global trends, regardless of your level or role. You can attend webinars, enroll in self-paced courses, or contribute to the community, to gain PDUs in these different categories.

PDUs, or Professional Development Units, are used by project management professionals to maintain their Project Management Institute (PMI) certifications. Here are some ways to earn 60 PDUs for your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification:

Free alternatives
Attending Events: Participating in project management conferences, workshops, or seminars can earn you PDUs, provided they are accredited by PMI or other relevant organizations. At ProThoughts, we conduct project management webinars every month. You can register for these insightful sessions with expert speakers and earn PDUs for Free.

Giving Presentations: Delivering presentations or speeches related to project management at conferences, seminars, or within your organization.

Volunteer Work: Volunteering for project management-related activities, either within PMI chapters or other professional organizations.

Writing/Publishing: Authoring articles, books, or blog posts on project management topics. Getting these published in reputable outlets can earn you PDUs.

Paid Alternatives
Online Courses: Completing online courses offered by PMI or other approved providers. Many online platforms offer courses specifically designed to help professionals earn PDUs. At ProThoughts, we have an Earn PDUs plan, where you can complete a course of your choice from our options and earn 60 PDUs in one go.

Formal Education: Participating in university courses. Enrolling in a course in project management and completing it can add to your 60 PDUs count.

Self-Directed Learning: Engaging in self-directed learning activities such as reading project management books, listening to podcasts, or watching educational videos.

To maintain your PMP certification validity status, you must earn 60 PDUs in a 3-year period. The PMP is valid for 3 years, and after that you must renew it to maintain your PMP status. To maintain your PMP, you need to accrue 60 PDUs corresponding to the three categories in the PMI Talent Triangle. These categories are Ways of Working (Technical Project Management), Power Skills (Leadership), and Business Acumen (Strategic and Business Management).

You can earn these PDUs by:
Attending Events: Participate in PMI-accredited project management conferences, workshops, or seminars. ProThoughts offers monthly webinars led by expert speakers where you can earn PDUs for free.
Giving Presentations: Deliver project management-related presentations at conferences, seminars, or within your organization.
Volunteering: Engage in project management-related volunteer activities within PMI chapters or other professional organizations.
Writing/Publishing: Author articles, books, or blog posts on project management topics and get them published in reputable outlets.
Enrolling In Online Courses: Complete online courses from PMI or other approved providers. ProThoughts offers an "Earn PDUs" plan where you can select a course and earn 60 PDUs. Undergoing Formal Education: Enroll in university courses in project management to accumulate PDUs.
Self-Directed Learning: Read project management books, listen to podcasts, or watch educational videos independently.

In addition, you must pay a PMP renewal fee of $60 (for PMI Members) OR $150 (For Non-Members) to maintain your PMP certification. Your new cycle will start once your current certification expiration date is over (even if you make the payment earlier).

Yes absolutely. The CCR program by PMI allows you to maintain multiple project management certifications simultaneously, thereby simplifying the maintenance process. There are 2 Types of PDUs: Education PDUs and Giving Back PDUs. You can earn these PDUs for multiple certifications in the following ways:

Education PDUs: Since Power Skills and Business Acumen concepts are broader educational topics and not specific to any one certification domain area, the PDUs claimed in these education areas can be applied across all Certifications. For example, if you attend a course that awards two leadership PDUs, you will be able to count them towards every certification you hold.

Education around Ways of Working is specific to each certification domain area (e.g., the Ways of Working to perform program management differ from those for business analysis). However, certain Ways of Working topics apply to multiple certification subjects. In this case, the Ways of Working PDUs can be claimed for all relevant certifications. The number of PDUs claimed should be equivalent to the amount of time spent on the specific technical topics.

Giving Back PDUs: Giving Back PDUs Apply Across All Certifications Since activities related to giving back to the profession apply to the core aspect of each PMI certification, the PDUs claimed through these activities can be applied across all certifications. As an example, if you claim 2 PDUs for volunteering at a PMI event, you may count them towards every certification you hold.

After a 3-year cycle, PMP certification renewal costs $60 for PMI members and $150 for non-members. In addition, you must also accrue and submit 60 PDUs to PMI for the PMP renewal process.

There are two things to cater to here: 1. PMI classifies certification status as “Suspended” and “Expired”. These refer to different things.

PMP Certification: Suspended Status: If you do not satisfy the 60 PDU requirements within your current cycle dates, you will be placed in suspended status. The suspension period lasts one year (12 months). During this time, you may not refer to yourself as a PMP certification holder or use the PMP certification designation. Further, you will be required to earn the necessary PDUs and complete the renewal process during this suspension period. The date of your next CCR cycle will not change once your certification status changes back to Active (i.e., the cycle dates remain the same as before.)

PMP Certification: Expired Status: Now, if you do not earn the necessary PDUs or do not complete the renewal process within the suspension period too, your PMP certification will go into an Expired status. Expiration means that you will lose your PMP certification. If your PMP certification expires, then there is no way of renewal. You must re-apply for the PMP certification, pay the exam fees, and retake the PMP examination all over again to become PMP-certified again.

Both Prince2 and PMP certifications are highly valuable project management credentials.

Prince2 (Projects in Controlled Environments) is a process-based methodology for project management. It provides a structured framework for managing projects, focusing on the organization, control, and delivery of projects.

On the other hand, PMP (Project Management Professional) certification promotes all project management methodologies - Predictive, Agile, and Hybrid. It approaches all the methodologies under the umbrella of its 3 domains - People, Process, and Business environment. This practical approach is to ensure that the certified candidates are well-rounded professionals.

PMI’s PMP is more strict in terms eligibility, applications, and the examination. Because the process of getting certified is so rigorous, it is considered a very important and credible certification. However, Prince2 has no such criteria set. Since, Prince2 is a standard in European government and public sectors, people tend to opt for it there. But, in rest of the world, PMP aligns better - because the course content is not bound by geography, industry vertical, or language. PMP is globally recognized, with certified professionals in every country.

Certainly! When comparing PMP certification to an MBA, we would say PMP tends to be a better choice for Project professionals. Here's why:

Specialization in Project Management: PMP certification provides is specifically created for project professionals. In contrast, an MBA offers a broader business education covering areas such as finance, marketing, and operations. Thus, it does not have a laser focus on project management methodologies and practices.
Affordability: Compared to MBA programs, which can be expensive, PMP certification is more affordable. MBA from a credible university costs a hefty sum of money, for which people sometimes go into debt. A full-time MBA program starts from $50,000 to more than $200,000. PMP certification cost is much lower in comparison ranging between $405 - $595. Thus, it is a more accessible option for professionals looking to upskill in project management.
Time Commitment: MBA programs typically last for up to two years and require dedicated studying for this period. PMP certification on the other hand requires a shorter time commitment. PMP Candidates from ProThoughts typically clear their exam in 45 days!! As working professionals, this time difference definitely plays a major part.
Job Opportunities: There are very few PMPs as compared to MBA graduates globally. Therefore, while both PMP and MBA lead to lucrative career opportunities, competition among MBA graduates can be fierce, Moreover, an MBA may not always translate directly to project management roles, but a PMP always translates to a PM Role.

PMP vs Agile has been a long-standing debate because these two terminologies represent two very different yet popular approaches to project management. Until a few years back, PMP solely consisted of traditional predictive project management methodologies, like the waterfall model. Agile, on the other hand, uses a more flexible approach to project management. Agile consists of several methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, XP, etc. But, PMP also included Agile in its curriculum in 2021.

PMP runs with the times, by conducting Job Task Analysis and Global Practice Analysis to consistently find out what the current roles demand. With PMP also turning into Agile mode, it seems PMP is an all-encompassing solution. Moreover, PMP carries a legacy of success to millions of PMP-certified practitioners across the globe. However, PMP offers an introduction to Agile Fundamentals, not complete mastery.

You can therefore go for a PMP first. Then, you can build on the concrete stability of project management knowledge acquired through the PMP with an Agile Specialization. For example, Disciplined Agile Coach or Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC) are some credible master-level agile certifications.

Here is a curated list of certifications you can pursue after your PMP:

Program Management Professional (PGMP) Certification

The PgMP Certification enables you to stand out from millions of PMPs. PgMP is a very prestigious certification and is quite exclusive when it comes to training and assessments. To give an overview, the PgMP certification holder or a Program manager keeps the organizational goals in mind while considering the projects and teams under it as a sub-component. Essentially, the program manager has an eye for the bigger picture rather than just a single aspect of it, as it would in the case of a project manager. Thus, you can work to get involved in the decision-making procedures of an organization after your PMP.

Six Sigma Certification

Six Sigma certification equips you with the knowledge of process improvement methods that increase efficiency and minimize errors by focusing on customer expectations. The end goal of Six Sigma is to create products or services with less than 3.4 defects per million products or services produced. This extreme focus on product quality makes Six Sigma a very lucrative certification in the market. This specialization will sharpen your skills and also make you an in-demand professional.

Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC)

Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC) is a certification designed to make you an Agile Coach who can help enterprises achieve true Agility. An Agile Coach is the expert authority to consult on Disciplined Agile and lead teams. It is definitely one step above a Project Manager. Thus, the DAC certification can uplift you from managing projects to coaching teams at an organizational level with your Agile knowledge and experience.

DAVSC Certification

PMI’s Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC) certification teaches you how to scale Disciplined Agile across your organization and deliver value quickly. Its curriculum includes practices from Flow, Lean, Theory of Constraints, Organizational Development, and more. With the Disciplined Agile toolkit, you can go beyond managing projects to effectively optimize enterprise-wide value streams.