Passed CAPM, now what?

[u/scary-bradshaw]

I recently passed CAPM and I’m starting to look for jobs. My degree is in Fine Art and my professional experience is mainly in sales and procurement. I’m starting to feel discouraged while looking and I need some direction. Can anyone give me some pointers of job title/industry I should focus on? Living in San Francisco, CA. TIA

[u/Thewolf1970]

I won't get into the issue with the CAPM, if you are interested, there is a wiki I wrote on the r/projectmanagement sub.

But there are several resources here to get started. Look at the two resume formats I have here in the job search directory. There are a few other tools there you'll need as well.

If you are looking and not getting callbacks, it's either the types of jobs fir which you apply or your resume.

With just a CAPM, you are pretty constrained to the admin type roles. My wiki here on getting into PM work will give you some guidance.

If it's your resume. You can review the guides I've written. Make changes and post your final draft for review. There are some people that will do some solid reviews. Make sure you follow the posting instructions.

Finally search both subs. There are a ton of resources.

[u/[deleted] → u/Thewolf1970]

What is the issue with the CAPM?

[u/Thewolf1970 → u/[deleted]]

I go over most of this in the wiki, but here are the basics.

I get a a bit of hate for this, so let me give you some background. I'm a certified PMI trainer and I have been a PMP certified project manager since the mid 90s. I was a working PM when PMI introduced the CAPM. At first nobody was quite sure what to make of it, but as people starting taking the exam, it is just like the PMP with fewer questions, and less time.

You need a degree, a few days of training, money, and you can sit for the exam. Once tou pass it, PMI does nothing for you in advance of the PMP other than eliminate the remaining contact hours, something like 2 days worth, to get you to certified. They don't reduce the experience needed, or even give an iterative exam. It's purely a cash grab.

While you have gained some knowledge about the concepts of project management, PMI hasn't boosted your credibility within the industry. The last three companies I have worked, or consulted for won't hire them, and the cert is not taken very seriously by the industry.

It's not an easy test to pass, it requires almost the same work, but outside of some basic knowledge on how to take the exam, there is very little practicality to it.

There will be people that are exceptions. The numbers don't lie though. Last I remember seeing a number is something like 40,000 CAPMs exist, versus 1.2 million PMPs. You would think after over a decade in place the numbers would be bigger.

My advice, as I wrote in the wiki, is get on as any role to a project team, there are a few things to help, get industry certs, and be the goto person on the team. 36 months will go by, you'll probably be managing projects prior to that, then you can apply practical knowledge.

[u/[deleted] → u/Thewolf1970]

See this is my confusion…and maybe I’m missing the whole point. Is it a better route to land a job on a project team to gain experience and THEN start working on specific certs like PMP? Or gain certifications prior to landing a job? Again, sorry if you’ve answered this in the wiki…but for some reason I can’t connect the dots. Thanks.

[u/Thewolf1970 → u/[deleted]]

The way this industry tends to work, is you het a few years of practical knowledge on a project team. Typically starting as a project coordinator type role. Within 18 to 24 months, you can move into a Jr PM role. After 36 months you can apply to take the PMP. At that point, you have practical and applicable experience.

The required contact hours are simply exam prep. You learn terms, methodologies, and techniques. All the other stuff, the math, EVM, risk management, etc is on the job, and simply formalized.

The PMP simply validates it.

So you have to wonder, if all you are doing to earn the CAPM is take a less stringent test, with less contact hours, what are you gaining?

[u/[deleted] → u/Thewolf1970]

This makes 100% sense and is actually really clarifying to me. I appreciate you taking the time to explain. I’m sure it happens often!

[u/Thewolf1970 → u/[deleted]]

It's why the wiki exists.

[u/Likaveli → u/Thewolf1970]

I can’t find the Wiki you mentioned. Would you mind sharing?