The Project Management Professional (PMP) degree is given by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and has existed for a significant amount of time. It basically certifies you as an expert in project management. The benefits of getting a PMP include potential salary increase as well as better professional recognition and better potential in general. It also looks great on your resume, making it stand out.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the leader and the most widely recognized organization in promoting project management best practices. Both the PMP and CAPM exams are gaining lots of popularity and demand in all areas of business and have become the industry standard certification for Project Management. In January 2010 there were already 90,000 PMPs and 25,000 CAPMs, and the number is increasing at an exponential rate. The PMP® exam is a four-hour, multiple-choice question examination. The exam focuses on the candidate's knowledge of project management and the ability of the candidate to apply that knowledge in many different situations and scenarios. A score of 61 percent is required to pass the exam. The exam has 200 questions, of which 25 questions are considered "pre-test" questions. This means you'll actually have to answer 106 correct questions out of 175 live questions. Despite the term "pre-test", these questions are seeded throughout the exam to test their worthiness for future exam questions. They don't count against you, but you won't know if you're answering a live question or a pre-test question. These exams aren't free. You have to pay a good deal of amount to take the exam and also in case someone has to retake the exam, I've included fees for these exams for your reference. PMP exam for a PMI member: $405; PMP exam for a non-PMI member: $555; PMP re-exam for a PMI member: $275; PMP re-exam for a non-PMI member: $275; CAPM exam for a PMI member: $225; CAPM exam for a non-PMI member: $300; CAPM re-exam for a PMI member: $150; CAPM re-exam for a non-PMI member: $200.

To take it, you need to have at least a significant amount of experience, from 3-5 years, working as a project manager. That said, while your work experience can prepare you for the exam, studying is essential. The test often asks things in a different way than you might be used to. The PMP test application process is a bit complex. The PMI will want you to show that you've met their qualifications for the certification. This means you will have to document the hours that you've worked on project management tasks.

Plan to spend some time organizing and handling the application itself. It is quite doable, but it takes a little time, so just be prepared for it in advance. The PMP exam is largely based off the PMBOK, or project management book of knowledge. The best idea is to study that, as well as get two or three study guides and do a lot of practice questions. You want to have done as many practice questions before the test as possible. This way, you'll be in top shape for the exam.

It's important to study the processes and stages of a project. You want to know how projects work from start to finish. It can be especially useful to memorize important formulas, like expected costs and values, as well as possibly six sigma and standard deviation. A nifty trick is that you are given 15 minutes before the exam starts to take a tutorial. Many breeze through the tutorial, giving you time to write down formulas you had memorized. This is called a brain dump.

After you've taken and passed it, congrats! You're a PMP. If you don't pass, you can still try two more times within a year. Once you're a PMP, you have to maintain the certification by getting 60 professional development units (PDUs) per 3 years. The PMI is actually somewhat flexible to how you can earn them, allowing a variety of tasks. You can, for instance, get PDUs from having formal discussions with colleagues.

Increasing your skills and professionalism relies on continuously maintaining a positive attitude, as well as developing a consistent set of credentials that will attest to your professional capabilities. With the right credentials to back-up your skills, coupled with a positive attitude, the possibility of getting hired and earning your dream salary will become increasingly likely. By having the right credentials, you will be able to stand out from your peers and differentiate yourself.

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