PMI What you need to know

PMI What you need to know by Michael Cheary Looking to become a certified member of the project management community? You should consider PMI…Not only do they offer the accreditations you need to take you Project Management career to the next level, membership to their organisation will also open up a network of opportunities and collective knowledge.Not sure where to start? Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know:What is PMI?Founded in 1969, PMI is the world’s largest professional membership association for Project Managers.There are more than 700,000 PMI members worldwide, enhancing their careers and improving the effectiveness of their projects through their globally recognised accreditations.What are the different PMI qualifications?PMI offer several certifications, each of which is tailored to different areas of project management. You can apply for any certification which best suits your current expertise and career goals, and no certification is a prerequisite for another.They are :CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)Aimed at entry-level candidates, the CAPM certification demonstrates the fundamental knowledge of effective project management processes, as well as an understanding of the basic terminology.PMP (Project Management Professional) The most well-known of the PMI certifications, PMP demonstrates that you have the competency and experience to lead projects. At least three years of previous experience in Project Management is necessary.PgMP (Program Management Professional)Designed for those who want to manage multiple or complex projects. This certification demonstrates the advanced experience and skills necessary for project management, and will require at least four years of work in the field.PfMP (Portfolio Management Professional)Recognises the advanced experience and skill of portfolio managers. An essential credential for anyone responsible for ensuring their organisation realises its strategies and objectives.PMI-ACP (PMI Agile Cert ified Practitioner)If you’re interested in everything agile, this is the right qualification for you. Bridging agile approaches such as SCRUM, XP, LEAN and Kanban, it is the only agile certification that requires a mix of training, experience and examinations.PMI-BPA (PMI Professional in Business Analysis)The PMI-BPA certification highlights a candidate’s expertise in business analysis, and how analysis can be used to improve the overall output of a business. At least three years’ experience in business analysis necessary, as well as a good amount of previous project work.PMI-RMP (PMI Risk Management Professional)This certification is specifically aimed at those working within risk management, and concentrates on risk assessment, mitigating threats and making the most out of business opportunities in this area.PMI-SP (PMI Scheduling Professional) Another specialised qualification, this time focussing on developing, managing and maintaining project schedules.Why do I need PMI?P MI career certifications are amongst the most recognised project management qualifications in the world. In fact, there are over half a million fully certified PMI holders, working in 180 different countries, and over six different continents. As professional networks go, that’s pretty big.And, aside from being easily transferable across borders, PMI holders are in demand across a range of different industries. Every sector, from construction and property, through to marketing, media and technology seek PMI certified professionals to fill their teams.If you’re interested in growing your career prospects in project management, PMI is for you.How much can I earn once qualified?This will vary depending on individual employer, location and certification. As a general guideline, once CAPM qualified you could be earning somewhere in the region of £30,000.PMP holders can attain salaries of around £45,000, and some of the higher level holders will easily be earning £50,000+ as a resu lt of their PMI expertise.What methods of learning are there?At most levels, this will be down to your own preferences. So if you feel online learning offers you the flexibility you’re after, or you’re more comfortable in a classroom, you can choose the type of course that suits you best.Some exams, however, may have to be taken at an officially recognised examination centre.How long will it take?Anywhere from 22 hours up to the 60 hour mark.All accreditations are self-paced, part-time and are flexible enough to fit around your schedule. So whether you’re already working in project management and can’t dedicate much time to the cause, or you’re just starting out, the courses are designed to meet your needs.Advantages of becoming PMI qualifiedA globally recognised project management certification demonstrates your knowledge and experience to employers, validating your skills and indicating your ability to effectively add value to any project you work on.Add to that increase d salaries and more opportunities for career development, and you’ll see just why PMI is the most recognised and respected professional membership association for project managers.Still not convinced? Read five reasons you should become PMI certified right now. Ready to get started? Enquire now.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

Managing a Multi-Generational Workplace - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Managing a Multi-Generational Workplace - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Millennials keep joining to the workforce and their numbers grow each day in the companies. Meanwhile, due to harsh economic conditions, Baby Boomers and Gen X postpone retirement and actively keep working. This leaves managers with a challenge of managing teams which consist of three generations.  Each generation has their strengths and weaknesses. The importance is to know which generation’s skills fit best to a certain task so that managers can assign parts of a project accordingly. According to an infographic done by Yorton Clark Jr., a professor and chair of the business administration department at MidAmerica Nazreen University, below are the eye-catching facts about these three generations. There are 53.5 million millennials out there in the US workforce. This makes up 35% of the total workforce. Gen X consists of 52.7 million workers and finally, Baby Boomers consist of 44.6 million workers. 75% of the managers agree that managing three generational teams is a challenge. While 55% of millennials describe their generation as the most productive, Gen X and Baby Boomers disagree with this. Employees from Gen X and Baby Boomers think that millennials lack work ethics and millennials seem to support this opinion. Only 37% of millennials describe their generation as having a strong work ethic. Millennials want to grow their careers and are very open to learning opportunities. 61% of millennials stated that they have a mentor and 94% of this group reported that they receive good advice from their mentors. When it comes to Gen X, they also think that they are the most productive generation. 74% of Gen X describe their generation as the most productive. The reason for this is that Gen X believe that they are the best problem solvers. 49% of Gen X believe that their generation is the most creative. However, millennials strongly disagree with this opinion. When it comes to Baby Boomers, only 14% of them think that their generation is the least cooperative. On the other hand, Gen X and millennials disagree with this and think that Baby Boomers are not cooperative at all. 61% of baby boomers describe their generation as the most friendly and helpful. However, the other two generations disagree. Only 20% of Baby Boomers think their generation is the most creative. Only 20% of Baby Boomers leave the office to eat lunch. It is important for managers to encourage their team to eat lunch outside because studies have found that creativity and innovation spark when people change environment. You can find the full infographic in this link.

Mid Century Classic You Are What You Say You Are

Mid Century Classic You Are What You Say You Are (This post was originally published  in the Career Pivot Blog.) “Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance.” David Mamet I first heard the term “mid â€"century classic” from a realtor on a home design program on television. She was referring to â€" of all things â€" a ranch house built in about 1957. Instead of describing it as low, cramped, and plain (as I saw it), she raved about its “clean lines, sleek styling and accessible décor.” You are what you say you are. I run into fellow baby boomers every day who describe themselves in terms that peg them as over the hill. “I don’t really get Twitter.” “I barely know how to use this stupid new phone.” “I just want to make it a couple more years until retirement.” “I need a flexible job so I can spend more time with the grandkids.” News flash, boomers: it’s time to get your swagger back. We were born in the 1950s, and in retrospect, it was a very cool era. The 50s produced cultural icons like James Dean, the Rat Pack, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.   Rock n Roll was invented. Blue jeans became the national uniform. Disneyland opened. These things are still cool today. You can be, too. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'iyIeA9PsRIp_zF2_08vrAA',sig:'pQuuW8Mq-aRywbu7c-ZdQc2DozubRKjk1T7G-IXVLfw=',w:'371px',h:'260px',items:'102589734',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Old School. Classic. Vintage. Retro. Original. All ways of saying the same thing: old.     But old with swagger.  Here are some tips to make sure you make the most of your classic self. Get a little thinner and a lot stronger. In part, what people perceive as youth is really about energy level. Fit and well-rested is appealing at any age, and great posture will make you look taller, thinner, and more confident. A smile gives you an instant facelift and makes you much more approachable. Remind yourself that beauty doesn’t disappear with age, but it does change. The Japanese have a term for it: wabi sabi. Wabi sabi reminds us that beauty is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Therefore, we appreciate objects (and people) with flaws; in fact, it’s the flaws that make them beautiful. This explains the demand for reclaimed barn wood. Its flaws, its age and its back story all go into its unique appeal. Actress Helen Mirren, who will turn 70 this year, kills on the red carpet. She doesn’t look like Emma Stone, and she doesn’t want to. She wears long sleeves, minimal jewelry and trusts artful draping, and she’s the picture of radiant confidence. Get comfortable with technology. It’s not fair that our generation is being pegged as tech-averse; after all, Jobs, Wozniak, and Gates were all boomers. But the perception is there, and even the appearance of refusing to adapt to new gadgets instantly ages you.  I know it’s a pain to learn every new software iteration and download endless upgrades (patience was never the boomers’ strong suit) but your professional survival depends on it. Finally, focus on what you do best and position yourself as an expert. Young workers are willing to try everything and hope for the best; it’s part of their learning process. Classics like us know what we do well after years of honing our skills; we tend to specialize and build deep expertise. Show the company what they get when they hire someone with skill and experience: a team member who knows how to lead as well as follow. And learned, both, by the way, by understanding when to get out of the way. So remember this the next time you’re tempted to feel sorry for yourself: no one would ever choose a 2014 Prius over a 1958 Corvette as his dream car. Miles plus hip attitude beats that new car smell every time.

Happiness 02 4 Keys to Create the Life You Want - Classy Career Girl

Happiness 02 4 Keys to Create the Life You Want Today we are going to talk about how to create the life you want and cover four key steps that will help you take care of yourself and improve your mindset. I have to be really honest; when I first created this program years and years ago, it was not the life I wanted. I was making one video a day; I had no time to do anything else for my business, to write, to post on social media. I could not do it all.   Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud 4 Keys to Creating the Life You Want Everything changed when I learned the concepts I am going to teach you today. Now, you might have different tasks, like job interviews, or informational interviews, or any other number of tasks. These keys will help you get more done, keep you centered, and help you build the life you want no matter what that life looks like. Key 1: Batching Tasks   Batching means completing similar tasks all at once. So, I sit down and record a full months worth of videos at one time. I focus on this one task and knock it out. I set up the camera, get my hair done, even put on a new shirt. And I set a few hours aside to stay focused. To start, break up your time into three categories, 1) Focus 2) Administrative 3) Sacred time. Create time in your calendar to batch similar activities together where you have no distractions. The Pareto Principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. So, focus on the 20% of your job search actions that produce 80% of your results. This is networking, updating the top of your resume, finding your best time in your day for your goals, and working on your goals in the morning before going to work on your employer’s objectives. Related Post: 5 Lies That Will Keep You Stuck   Key 2: Self-care What activities did you enjoy as a child? Maybe it was high school or college, but what did you enjoy? Add these back into your life and actively work to have more fun. What’s your happy place? For me, it was figure skating, and when I am back on the ice, I feel so alive. Make time for what you love every day. Put on your own oxygen mask first, before those around you, right? Take care of yourself, and you will be able to take care of those around you.   Remember, your best ideas come when you are not in front of a computer, and you are doing things that make you feel good.   Key 3: Clear Your Tolerations This is really about uncluttering your life. Perfect the present, and you will free up your mind and energy. I want you to plug your energy drains by fixing what is wrong before you take on more. What are you tolerating that is draining your energy? It might be your messy desk or a call you need to make. Take care of it!   You need to fix what is wrong before you take more on. Fall in love with your surroundings. If you want to change, make room for new things. Clean up and get rid of things, empty that closet, clear off that desk. Take care of what you have been provided with if you want more. Key 4: Put Your Health First Plan meals in advance; you are what you eat. What words describe the food you are eating? Is your diet making you more tired and depressed or feel healthy and happy? Daily exercise really will give you the energy to get through stressful times. Stay hydrated. If you feel great, you will be more confident and happier. Related Post: How to Boost Your Career With a Healthy Diet Try to get those seven to nine hours of sleep and exercise for 20 minutes per day. Making healthy choices leads to career success. I know when I put my health first, I am happier, and my career takes off.    Start taking care of yourself and your personal surroundings to improve your mindset. Ready to live the life you want? Ask yourself these questions: What activities did you enjoy as a child?   What’s your happy place? How will you put your health first? What are you tolerating? I hope todays episode helps you, and I would love to hear more about how these keys impact your career and your life! Share your thoughts with me on Instagram at Classy Career Girl!  

3 Useful Tools for Freelance Programmers to Solve Their Organizational Issues CareerMetis.com

3 Useful Tools for Freelance Programmers to Solve Their Organizational Issues Whether you prefer to work alone or in a team of freelance programmers, organizational issues that crop up from time to time can severely dampen your productivity, morale, and end-product quality.According to Finances Online, 86% of modern employees or professionals prefer working alone to reach peak performance, while multitasking can reduce your overall productivity by up to 40% due to a split in attention and resources.evalA different study done by Forbessuggests that 61% of professionals are burned out from their jobs, with 31% reporting high levels of stress due to workflow mismanagement.While working as an independent freelancerand programmer have its perks compared to traditional employment, a large part of your professional development and performance will rest on your own ability to manage time and projects through self-discipline. Even though you operate independently, your work will still have to be used, managed and modified by others such as your client or other freelanc e collaborators.To rectify any organizational issues which may crop up, as a result, numerous useful tools exist to make your work easier. With that said, let’s dive into what makes third-party organizational tools useful for programmers, some of the KPIs you should use, as well as several of the tools themselves to ensure that your work is easier to manage going forward.The Benefits of Using Organizational ToolsLet’s talk about why organizational tools are a useful extension of your programming arsenal before we jump into the tools themselves. Individuals that dedicate their professional and freelance careers to programming will often spend weeks and months looking over code, numeric values and letters on a blank screen with no GUI or visuals to keep them focused.As such, freelance programmers might come across organizational issues from time to time as a result of poor motivation, low productivity or short deadlines just to name a few.Organizational issues in programming can c ause stress and anxiety, burnout, health-related issues as well as a drop in overall work quality if they are not rectified on time.evalWorst of all, failed projects breached deadlines and poor-quality code can cost you your reputation and future project prospects in the long run.Luckily, using tools that can help you manage work and organize it into digestible chunks can help significantly. Coupled with writing tools such as Subjecto, they will ensure that you never breach a deadline or leave out an important part of your project due to overwhelming workload or time-management issues going forward.Some of the benefits of using organizational tools in your freelance programming career include but are not limited to:Streamlined file management.Better goal-based productivity.More free personal time.Higher end-product quality.Easier workflow tracking.Lowered risk of stress and burnout.Organizational Tools for Freelance Programmers1) TrelloevalevalTime management is one of the freelance r programmer’s worst enemies bar none. As such, relying on a professional, well-designed time management platform is essential for continued success.rello is a project and time management platform with a comprehensive and versatile UI capable of streamlining your workflow. Its basic functionality will allow you to split work-related tasks into three categories: to do, doing and done respectively.In addition, Trello features extensive collaboration functionality which will allow you to invite other programmers or your clients to review your performance, offer feedback and participate in the project via comments and contributions.The tool is highly reliant on its GUI and visual elements which will ensure that you always have a clear idea of where your project needs to go next in order to be finished successfully.Trello has its own mobile app which enables freelance programmers to always stay in touch with their projects and receive notifications of any new comments or developments f rom invited collaborators. When it comes to its business model, Trello comes in a variety of packages depending on the scale of your operation.However, freelance programmers that work independently can utilize its free model to its fullest and receive access to a wide range of capabilities without the need to invest resources into professional subscriptions.Whether you are an established programmer or a novice dipping their feet into freelancing for the first time, Trello is a wonderful organizational tool that will facilitate your career quite elegantly.2) JiraProgramming projects often fall into the agile category â€" that is, with collaborators and contributors coming and going all the time. This can make it difficult to keep track of progress, bugs and new versions of your code no matter how well-organized you may be personalized.evalJira is an organizational tool with one goal in mind â€" performance and progress tracking.This makes it perfect for programming-related projects g iven its specialty in bug and defect tracking. It provides a plethora of collaboration and project lifecycle management options which will ensure that no part of your project gets forgotten, sidelined or remains defective by the time you ship the end-product.In addition, Jira collects historic data from the moment you create a work environment, allowing you to go back in time and analyze any part of your project for insight, bug hunting and statistical investigation depending on your current focus.It is a rich and versatile organizational tool for developers of different profiles and specializations, allowing for data migration and code export into a multitude of formats.evalJira features a free trial and is quite affordable for independent freelance programmers with its flat monthly rate. While it may be daunting for newcomers and those who are still learning about programming, experienced developers will find a lot to love about Jira and its organizational capabilities going forwa rd in their freelance career.3) ClockifyTime tracking and organizational management is difficult even with reliable techniques such as Pomodoro available to you. Luckily, tools designed with tracking and analytics such as Clockify exist to amend for their shortcomings. Clockify is a completely free organizational management tool with specialized developer-centric features.Its primary focus lies in tracking and analyzing your everyday productivity based on overall performance, individual milestones or custom KPIs.Once you start the tool up, you can focus on your work and Clockify will add any coding and programming activities you’ve done to the list of time entries. This will allow you to create a timesheet of your activities and performance for later analysis to see where you spent most of your time, why and what you can do about it.Clockify features gamification features which will help increase your productivity by creating an achievement-based work environment for your convenie nce. The tool also features desktop and smartphone apps for your convenience and allows you to sync data between them seamlessly.With its extensive visualization features and the ability to export tracking data into sheets, Clockify is a great tool for both novices and experts in the freelance programming sphere. Simply sign on to its platform and start using its plethora of organizational management capabilities today.Useful KPIs to ConsiderWhile using the right organizational tools for your freelance programming projects is important, the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are also essential. Due to the specific nature of programming, setting your own KPIs shouldn’t be an issue depending on the project you currently work on.Goal-setting methods such as SMARTwill allow you to narrow down on the most important, impactful KPIs for your project and track them quite efficiently via the organizational tools themselves.Let’s take a look at several pivotal programming KPIs which may help you get the upper hand in your career going forward.Setting these KPIs up before approaching any project will assist you in getting it done faster and with higher quality as a result of tracking.Planned delivery time â€" Number of hours you anticipate to work on a project.Delivery time â€" Total number of hours you worked on a project.Code Testing â€" Number of code tests you’ve performed.Bugs discovered â€" Total number of bugs discovered.Bugs fixed â€" Total number of bugs fixed.Response time â€" The seconds it takes for the code to respond to commands.Planned delivery size â€" Planned number of lines of code in your product.Delivery size â€" Total number of lines of code in your final product.In SummaryEven experienced programmers and developers who focus solely on a single project at a time might come across organizational hurdles in their careers. Don’t approach programming projects without any form of tracking or organizational tool at your disposal. Losing focus and forgetting important development elements can quickly become a common occurrence that will drastically hinder your performance.Whether your focus lies in software, web or mobile development, using organizational tools and KPIs to your advantage will have a transformative effect for your freelance career.The quality of your work will increase and you will have far more free time available for yourself as opposed to working ad hoc like before. In turn, this will make you a better choice for future clients and freelance programming opportunities going forward.

How To Use Social Networks to...Network

How To Use Social Networks to...Network Maybe its time you tried changing your approach to networking- heres how to use social networks to network (build new mutually beneficial, long term relationships!). You may have noticed more companies becoming active on social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Social networks are multifaceted tools being used to create awareness, promote and build relationships! What if you tried using social networks to create awareness of your personal brand and to build new relationships? Social networks may not be the only solution to your job search woes but it just might help. Networking Isn’t a Once-and-Done Task People who are serious about managing their careers understand how important it is to have a pool of people to interact and share ideas with. This doesn’t just happen overnight. Pick up some of the habits of power networkers: Build and nurture connections for the future Embrace a pay-it-forward mindset Show interest in what others are doing and saying Smart job seekers focus on the needs, wants and desires of others and obsess less over the need to find a job. Successful networkers know that when they show generosity toward others, it can and usually does come back to help them in the future. LinkedIn Connections Can Power Your Success LinkedIn can help you stay connected with people you’ve worked with and people you know. It also allows you to meet new people who work in companies you are interested in or in roles you aspire to be in. Savvy networkers realize you cant just meet someone one time and expect results. The relationship needs to be nurtured. This can be done by monitoring LinkedIn in several ways: Congratulate a connection on a new job Share a connection’s status update, always giving him or her attribution Compliment or give a shout-out to a connection by mentioning his or her name in your status update Monitor a group’s discussion feed and look for opportunities to add to the conversation. You may have a different viewpoint, a success story to share or be able to offer help. Need more help using LinkedIn? Learn how to update your status on LinkedIn with this how-to article. And get more ideas on different types of activities you can use on LinkedIn to stay connected. Facebook Friends Can Help According to the Jobvite Job Seeker Nation Study, 76% of social job seekers found their current position through Facebook. These social job seekers are mostly ages 30 to 39, college educated, with annual incomes greater than $100,000. Social job seekers report using Facebook to: Find contacts sharing job opportunities Tap contacts who could provide an employee perspective on a company Share a job opportunity with a contact Need more help using Facebook? Get help preparing your Facebook profile for job search! Here are a couple of Facebook secrets you should know about. Engage on Twitter When you use an open network like Twitter, you can follow anyone you wish. And you can even send anyone a public message by tagging them (using the @[handle]). Strategically follow people who work in companies you would like to work for. (You can use Twitter’s Advanced Search function to find people using the company name.) Once you start following these company insiders, you can and should: Re-share appropriate tweets Add your two-cents to the tweet if there is room Reply to the person who shared a helpful tweet and explain why you liked it If you do this with some regularity, the person will usually respond. Continue to look for things you have in common, such as shared interests outside of work, colleges, cities of residence, etc. You can leverage any of these common interests to take the relationship to the next level. Most people who hang out on Twitter want to interact and build meaningful, worthwhile relationships. Need more help using Twitter? How To Use Twitter (for your job search) 11 Beginner Twitter Tips Pinterest Is Your Portfolio Pinterest is known for sharing visual content (pictures, infographics, etc), but you can use it to showcase links to your work or even your LinkedIn profile. Need more inspiration on Pinterest? What Pinterest Says About You Instagram Shows Personality Dont dismiss the potential to convey your personality and interests through Instagram. If it is where you are active and sharing photos of your life (outside of work), then why not use it for your job search too? How To Use Instagram for Job Search However, if it isnt something you want recruiters or hiring manager to find, be sure to use a profile name that will not easily identify you. In other words, do not use your name. And dont use the same email address you use for your job search. Take Pro-Active Steps to Manage Your Online Reputation Use these steps to clean up your digital dirt:  12 Easy Digital Housekeeping Steps Adapted from original post on US News World Report On Careers

The Best Way to Prepare a Prezi Resume

The Best Way to Prepare a Prezi ResumePrezi resume writing is one of the most important steps you can take to find a job or get your foot in the door of the new company. It is a fact that companies keep a record of each employee's accomplishments and therefore, a resume needs to stand out from the rest if it hopes to be noticed.If you are going to attempt to write a resume, it is a must that you have some idea as to what makes a resume impressive. You need to have a good idea of what will catch the eye of a hiring manager and how you can make a better one to be more enticing to a potential employer.Some people may think that they could not possibly write a resume because it is too difficult, but it is not necessarily so. You can do it yourself, but the only way to really become proficient at it is by taking the time to learn all you can about it.First of all, you should contact a professional resume writer. Not only is this your best chance of writing a good resume, but it also will help you become a better writer and learn the ins and outs of the whole process. Plus, when you become a certified resume writer, you will be able to give your resume that professional look and feel.Now you know what you need to do and what you can do yourself, the next step is finding a way to help you with the compilation of your resume. There are many places you can go for advice and suggestions, but first you should know which one is the best for you. There are many resume writing companies available for hire so make sure you select the one that will fit your needs.Another way you can start learning what a resume is, is by taking a few classes offered by the Professional Resume Writing Service Association (PRSA). They offer courses on various aspects of this field of work, including resume design and editing. Many times, these courses are offered as part of a package deal that is charged at a set price, so it is best to find one that offers both a course and the actual writing a nd editing services.You can get the tips and techniques you need to create your own press resume writing so what kind of materials you use is up to you. Do not feel limited to using standard templates as they have proven to be less than effective and perhaps even misleading.Your resume will need to be focused and clear, whether you are outsourcing your resume writing or having someone else do it for you. Being clear about what you want and explaining what exactly is needed is what separates the people who make it to the top of the pile from those who failed.