PMP certification hub
What is PMP certification?
No matter your IT or cybersecurity background, you need project management skills to advance your career to management positions. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification through Project Management Institute (PMI) validates you have the skills to keep projects on track from iteration to completion. After obtaining PMP certification, you'll know how to motivate teams to perform their best and learn methods that can help you keep even the most challenging projects on track.
To find out more about how this certification can help you in your career, watch our video, What do cybersecurity project managers do?
PMP exam objectives
To achieve PMP certification, you must pass the current version of the PMP exam, last updated in January 2021. The exam covers three project performance domains, listed below:
Learn more about the PMP domains.
Why should I get PMP certification?
When you're focused on your area of expertise, it can be difficult to see the bigger picture of where you fit into an organization. PMP certification helps you see how parts of a project come together and how team members contribute to it with their work. It also gives you an idea of how one project can fit into an organization's operations. Being able to effectively see this larger picture and knowing the skills and strategies to keep projects and teams on track makes you a valuable manager to organizations of any size or industry.
Advancing to a manager-level position in the world of cybersecurity comes with perks. According to the PMI Salary Survey, PMP certification holders earn about 16% more than professionals without a certification. By efficiently running projects, skilled project managers can provide their organizations with a higher ROI. Organizations reward these efforts with higher salaries and more opportunities for advancement.
What is the current PMP version?
The PMP exam was updated in January 2021 at the same time the PMP Body of Knowledge, known as the PMBOK, was updated from version 6 to version 7. Unlike other certifications, the PMP certification exam outline and PMBOK 7 aren't one-to-one when it comes to structure and form. For example, there are only three domains in the PMP exam outline (down from five in the previous version), but eight Project Performance Domains are detailed in PMBOK 7. The information and knowledge are essentially the same; they’re just organized differently.
PMBOK 7 focuses more on the general principles of project management than specific processes and tasks. It also broadens the scope of project management to include project managers and team members, and it contains a new section called "Models, Methods and Artifacts" that provides tools and strategies for a broader range of project types and industries.
The exam has also gone from 200 multiple-choice questions to 180 multiple-choice, multiple-response, matching, hotspot and fill-in-the-blank questions.
PMP certification exam FAQs
The PMP certification exam was last updated in January 2021. Here's what you should know about the current exam:
Is PMP difficult to get?
PMP certification can be difficult for some people to obtain because you must have three years of documentable, professional project management experience before taking the exam. Candidates who have taken the exam also attest to its difficulty, with an average first-attempt pass rate of about 60%. Infosec helps you succeed with the Infosec Exam Pass Guarantee.
Is it worth getting a PMP certification?
With PMI reporting 20% salary growth with PMP certification, the hard work of earning the certification is worth it for most. Crossing the threshold from practitioner to manager advances your opportunities and sets you on a path to greater success.
How long is PMP certification?
The exam has an allotted time limit of 230 minutes, includes a 10-minute break for every 60 questions completed and consists of 180 questions. Your PMP certification is valid for three years before it needs to be renewed or maintained.
Free and self-study PMP certification materials
Studying for the PMP exam is the best way to prepare yourself to earn a passing grade. Luckily, there are many helpful PMP certification resources. Before you scout the best training resources, look at the official PMP exam outline to help you select the best study materials.
PMP exam study guides and books
Many guides are available to help you learn project management and prepare for the PMP exam. You can find them and more at your local library, bookstore or online stores like Amazon. A few of the most popular are:
-
PMBOK Guide, Seventh Edition by Project Management Institute (Project Management Institute)
-
The Standard for Program Management, Fifth Edition by Project Management Institute (Project Management Institute)
-
Information Technology Project Management, 7th Edition by Kathy Schwalbe (Cengage Learning)
-
Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by Harold Kerzner (Wiley)
-
Fundamentals of Technology Project Management, 2nd Edition by Colleen Garton with Erika McCulloch (MC Press)
-
Project Management: The Managerial Process by Erik Larson (McGraw-Hill)
Infosec also has several free project management videos on our YouTube channel.
PMP practice exams and simulations
Practice exams help you test your knowledge and understand the real exam. PMI offers its own paid practice exam, but several books also contain practice tests, including:
-
PMP Mock Practice Tests by Yassine Tounsi
In addition to these options, many PMP training courses include practice questions. For example, Infosec's PMP certification courses include over 130 comprehensive practice questions to help you prepare for your certification exam.
Other free PMP training resources
While official study materials are valuable, think outside the box with help from the project management professional community:
-
Forums like TechExams and Reddit allow you to connect directly with others studying for or who have already taken PMP exams.
-
YouTube is another great place to connect with managerial professionals and learn about PMP exams. There are a few popular paid training courses, but free videos are available to supplement learning.
-
Podcasts like the Cyber Work Podcast are a great way to learn about project management careers and your peers' career journeys.
PMP jobs and careers
Project managers can be found in every industry and cybersecurity environment, meaning a wide range of jobs are waiting when you obtain your PMP certification.
What does a PMP holder do?
Wherever projects need oversight and management, you'll find positions for project managers — even outside of cybersecurity and IT roles. Consider your current role or dream job and add "project manager" to understand the types of jobs this certification can open to you. PMP is a manager-level certification and can lead more managerial-level roles. However, it also provides excellent skills for practitioners.
What is the PMP average salary?
According to ZipRecruiter, the national average salary of a project manager with PMP certification in the U.S. is $97,970. Take a look at our article on Average PMP salary to learn more.
How many people have PMP certification?
As of late 2020, 1.9 million PMP certifications had been issued by PMI, and that number is likely much greater today.
Where can I find PMP jobs?
PMP certification can be a big boon to any seasoned or aspiring project manager, and general job boards like Indeed, Monster, Glassdoor, LinkedIn and CareerBuilder allow you to search by keywords like “PMP” or relevant job titles for open roles.
There are also cybersecurity-specific job boards, such as ClearedJobs, infosec-jobs.com and others. Another great way to find PMP and cybersecurity-related job openings is by joining local and national cybersecurity groups — such as ISSA, or Women in Cybersecurity — joining local meetups or engaging in other cybersecurity forums and websites.
To prepare for your job interview, read our Top 20 project management interview questions blog and download our free ebook of cybersecurity interview tips: How to stand out, get hired and advance your career.
Paid PMP training and exam prep
When preparing for PMP exams, you can train with books and free resources, find paid courses or both. Most PMP certification costs are related to the exam and the level of training you pursue, including live online boot camps or on-demand courses where you go at your own pace.
Live PMP boot camps
PMI partners with training providers like Infosec to offer PMP Certification Boot Camps. Available either live online or in person, it includes five days of instruction, meets the 35 training hours requirement for the exam and includes an exam voucher.
The benefits of live PMP boot camps include:
-
Live training and Q&A: The latest version of the PMP exam focuses more on people than it did in the past. Who better to learn from than a knowledgeable instructor who can interact with you in real time? Our expert instructors help guide you through the methodology and techniques of successful project managers.
-
Complete training package: Most boot camps have everything you need: instruction, exam vouchers, books, practice exams and more. Training with a live instructor is more expensive, so when shopping around, be sure you know what's included in your purchase — and what you must pay extra for.
-
Improved pass rates: Boot camp providers like Infosec stand by their training with an Exam Pass Guarantee. That means if you fail your exam on your first attempt, you get a second attempt to pass — for free.
Self-paced PMP instruction
Live instructors provide expert help, but some people learn more effectively at their own pace. These courses can include pre-recorded videos, online labs and exercises that keep learning engaging.
The benefits of on-demand PMP training include:
-
Train when you want: You're in charge of your certification training prep, whether bite-sized chunks on your lunch break or weekend-long study sessions.
-
Build an individual training plan: Don't waste time learning what you already know. When you're not tied to a group, you can spend more time on the areas you need to focus on most.
-
Prepare at your own pace: With on-demand training, you can take your time preparing for your PMP exams. But remember to stay at it consistently. Studies show you can quickly forget the information you're studying when you’re not actively using or reviewing it.
PMP certification comparisons and alternatives
PMP certification is considered one of the most popular project management certificates in the U.S. However, depending on your career goals, you may wish to explore alternative options. Check out these articles to learn more:
-
Certifications compared: PMI's PMP versus CompTIA's Project+: Both PMP and Project+ certification can help prepare you for a position as a project manager, but the latter focuses more on project management for IT practitioners. Find out more about the benefits of each and whether one or both are right for you.
-
Cybersecurity project manager: Is it the career for you?: Project management skills are crucial in any industry, but how do they apply to the world of cybersecurity? Learn more to see if project management can fit your future goals in cybersecurity.
-
Average CAPM salary (updated 2021): If you haven't received your CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management), you may want to before training for the PMP exam. Also offered by PMI, CAPM certification is more of a beginner-level project management certificate compared to PMP.
