According to Michelle Bowles (1), on the current job market a solid experience is not enough to earn a candidate an interview. To secure the competitive edge, project professionals need to blend their experience with formal education and certifications. Especially it is a proven practice if a project manager is moving beyond implementation roles into director roles. Experienced project mangers without formal education or educated project managers without experience can find themselves unable to advance.
Professional certification like, for example, Project Manager Professional(PMP)credential is an evidence that captures experience, skills and competence of the job candidate. Admission to the rigorous exam for this certification requires on-the-job experience and formal education. The exam itself as a process is a high barrier for the non-experienced candidates. It also validates a high level of knowledge.
The human component of the experience, especially interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence are of the utmost importance. There's no better chance for "negative learning" of the best management lessons than watching horrible managers and learning how not to do things. Being agile and react quickly to problems can be acquired only in the workplace along with the ability to quickly adopt to the critical situation, not overreact, and stay calm and collected.
Being formally educated in project management makes a project manager to go through the process of problem-solving by using collection and observation of facts, reflection and critical enquiry.
The whole package of careful balance of job experience, professional certification, and recent, relevant formal education provides the best chance for happy landing on the great job for a project manager seeking employment.
Resources:
1. Michelle Bowles, The battle of the resumes, PM Network, March 2011
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