“Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run.” Habakkuk 2:2, New American Standard Bible Translation
The recurring inquiry I receive from potential clients is my insight into Project Management (PM) courses that lead to lucrative and employable jobs. This question puts me in an awkward position as all Project Management jobs meet the adjectives used. Just this morning, I received a LinkedIn Job Alert of 238 PM Jobs in Nigeria. Now, one may proffer different arguments to the concept of employability but what remains consistent is that there is high demand for projects globally hence all task to bring it to fruition, by association, will be in high demand. In the USA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 19% rise in Business Analysis (BA) jobs by 2022.
The demand for BA job is easy to explain in a computerized competitive world: the drivers below adequately explain the high demand trends of BA jobs:
- Accommodation of rapid changes
- Efficient value delivery
- Increase collaboration of Stakeholders and Project Team to deliver successful projects
Project Management Institute (PMI) recognizes the role that requirement management plays in the success of a project. It cites in one of its publication (Pulse of the Profession); “47% of unsuccessful projects fail to meet goals due to poor requirement management.” PMI also submits in its BA Practitioner’s Guide that poor requirement management practices are the second leading cause of Project failure, second to changing organization priorities.
Now, we know BA is in high demand and have explored its value to project success; lets discuss the importance of getting a credential in this role. Apart from the low attention span of cooperate recruiters in deciphering your competency without a certificate in play, the following below are 5 reasons you need to get PMI certified:
- Increase Earnings: There have been varying reports regarding credential holders experiencing salary increase because of their certification status. It also gives you an advantage in the job market. In the 2015 PMI Annual PM Salary Survey conducted in Nigeria, the median salary of 143 PMP certified respondents was estimated at N6.1 Million against median salary of N4.2 Million of 69 respondents that do not have PMP certification. An approximate 45% increase when you are certified.
- Career Opportunity: Certifications generally lead to career advancement and opens you up to varying opportunities. A PMI credentials identifies you as a practitioner who demonstrates competency and knowledge in PM process and specialty area of practice based on industry standards. It increases your job opportunity specifically for Nigerians in diaspora and those with migration dreams.
- Recognition and Endorsement: PMI credential is an unbiased endorsement of your expertise and professional experience in a global level. PMI credentials are world-renowned and have provided PM certifications for over 25 years.
- Professional Growth: PMI credentials provide Up-to-Date skills by continually conducting in-depth studies to ensure that its certification actually reflect current best practice one needs to succeed. The PMI Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program ensures that you continually develop your skill and stay current as the profession changes.
- Personal Development: One may use preparing for a certification exam as a driver to become proficient in any given skill. Most PMI exams test up to the complexity level of “Analyze” in the Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognition. This would force exam candidates to go beyond knowledge cramming to analysis.
