The most topical question in the Project Management profession: experience or certifications — what matters more?
I’ll keep it brief — it’s experience.
Certifications are certainly valuable, especially if they are from reputable institutions, but nothing says “I can do this job” more than proof that you did it several times in the past.
Experience is like the meat and potatoes, and certs are like the side salad. Experience gives you the energy you need, and certifications help balance out the meal.
That’s why my advice to anyone trying to break into PM, is to land a contract Project Management role or a Project Administrator role first, rather than spending hundreds of dollars on a certification without having any hands on experience to back it up.
In my next post, I’ll suggest which certifications I think are the most valuable for project managers and which niche I think they are best for.
I’ll also detail out which certifications makes the most sense at the different phases of a PM’s career (A PMP does not make sense for a beginner PM, no matter what they tell you!)
But again, experience should be the first step and then, gaining certifications will supplement your career along the way.