PMI Overview The Project Management Institute (pmi.org) is considered the leading entity in the field of project management. From time to time they publish a Program Management Body Of Knowledge, which is known as the PMBOK. New editions are released every few years to reflect enhancements in the project management field. The most recognized credential for project managers is a certification known as the Project Management Professional offered by the PMI. Requirements to sit for the exam are listed on the website. One requirement is documenting 5,000 hours of work experience in project management. The work experience doesn’t have to be just as a project manager, it can also be working as a member on a project team. If you want to get into project management, seriously consider obtaining PMP certification. It is a widely held certification, and your resume as a Project Manager would be conspicuous if you didn’t have it. It is important to ask yourself if project management is truly what you want to do. There are a lot of opportunities for strong project managers, but the job isn’t for everyone. You need to be detail oriented, follow up on lose items, and not have an allergy to aspirin (lots of headaches). The thing that struck me when I first became a project manager was the amount of time I spend on non-project related items. People with car problems, sick kids, and just about anything else you can think of. I had one team member that must have thought I was a psychologist. The flip side is that there is quite a rush delivering projects (well). Recently I finished a two year stint with one of the largest resort companies in the United States. They were going through some major acquisitions and needed help. Much of what I did could be better termed Program Management, which is managing a series of projects simultaneously. It is quite a different story when you have team members from a company that you are purchasing, and they know their job will be gone when the projects finish. If you ever find yourself in that situation, negotiate some sort of stipend at the end for the team members that stick around until the project finishes or you may be stacking all the wood by yourself. There will be a series of podcasts related to these adventures as well as others. I do want to introduce you to the PMBOK, as it is a major source of questions on the PMP exam. The PMBOK overview is in a separate document in this content module. Note that the PMBOK is not a required text for this course, but if you are planning to take the Project Management concentration that I very highly encourage you to obtain a copy. It is available online at PMI.org and there is a discount for students. You can also obtain a student membership in PMI, which provides access to a number of project management resources.