Is it worth acquiring a Project Management certificate? “Of course!” said PMI Chapter Switzerland president Sascha Wyss in our recent blog post. Markus Kyburz, Head Consulting at Coopers Group AG, has just completed his PMP certification. Does he have the same opinion?
Coopers: This April you passed the PMP exam, congratulations! Did you spend a lot of time learning?
Markus Kyburz: I knew that I would have to learn a lot and I didn’t want to sit down and study project management texts after a hard day’s work. That is why I opted for an intensive course in Berlin. (Similar courses are also offered Switzerland.) My course began on Sunday and continued through to Thursday, and then I could take the test on Friday and yes, it was intense!
How was the course structured?
We were 12 participants and the course leader went through each topic with us. It was very efficient; he had prepared the flipcharts in advance and provided us with additional examples instead of purely going through the texts we had to study. He explained all aspects of project management from kick off to completion, and we learned a lot about leadership topics too.
How did you experience the exam?
The exams only take place in certified exam centres so that any form of cheating would be avoided. First I had to show my passport, so they could check if I really was the Markus Kyburz, whom I claimed to be. After that we were had to go through a security check, like at the airport. We had to take everything out of our pockets and weren’t even allowed to take any food or drink into the exam hall. Once I had passed security I made my way to my desk on my own, without any contact to other participants.
So, after this procedure you could take the exam.
Yes, we had four hours for 200 multiple choice questions. That is not much time, so it is best to have all the course material in your head, so you can respond quickly and confidently.
How did you find out if you had passed or not?
Once I had completed the test questions, the results showed up on my screen. I was very relieved and really happy when I found out that I had passed.
How long is your certification valid for now?
I need to recertify after three years, which I am planning on doing. This means I need to prove that I have kept up to date regarding reading project management books from a specific reading list, completed some specific advance trainings and things like that.
Now you have been through the whole process of completing your PMP certificate, would you recommend it to others?
Yes, absolutely! If you are leading bigger projects it certainly makes sense to do this certification. I find you get a good overview over project management and the course provides you with a broad knowledge, which you can profit from in your job.
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