No, there isn’t an “I” missing from that, though that is usually the first thing everyone thinks of when they see “PMP.” It stands for Project Management Professional, and is my latest certification triumph.

Out of all the certifications I have earned so far, this one I am perhaps the most proud of. It is a globally recognized certification that says not only do I know a little about project management, but I also have the experience to back it up.

The test itself was hard… it took me two hours out of an allotted four. While I nearly fell asleep during the test, I still did pretty well. Though maybe the hardest part was the actual application to take the test in the first place. Without a degree, I had to prove that I had at least 7,500 hours in project management as well as 35 hours of project management education. While I was able to best both requirements, you have to do a total hour breakdown in each of the project management knowledge areas. To top it off, there is a chance that your application could be audited at any time, which means your hours need to be spot on. You wouldn’t want PMI to come back and strip you of your qualification after all the time and money you put into something like this.

Now, I just have to keep this certification maintained.