Why pursue multiple Professional Certifications???

You can tell I am new to blogging since I don't quite know where to enter the words.....

For me it was not about adding credentials to my resume as much as it was validating that along with my education and experience I was a certified professional.

Since I started my career as a Financial Analyst, having a BS in Finance, I eyed IMA's Certified Financial Manager (CFM) certification as a natural credential to aspire to. Once I had earned the CFM it was only a matter of passing another exam to earn the Certified Management Accountant (CMA), which turned out to be a good thing since the CFM is no longer available and the CMA is recognized as the credential for non-CPAs to obtain if not in Public Accounting.

Earning the Earned Value Professional (EVP) made sense, since as a Financial Analyst for Lockheed Martin and then Northrop Grumman, Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS) was our specialty. At that point in my career I was a Program Control Manager and really was content, however given the opportunity to expand into Project Management made pursuing the Project Management Professional (PMP) the next logical step.

Having earned my PMP and as a Deputy Program Manager in charge of many ECP proposals, when the opportunity to lead proposals as a Proposal Manager came my way and then a transfer into the Contract Management Organization, the Certified Contract Management Professional (CPCM) provided a credential to validate my new functional expertise. Working as a Proposal Manager as one of my many roles the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) validated that functional expertise.

So you see, I didn't start out thinking I was going to earn multiple functional professional certifications. As my career evolved, so did earning those credentials along the way. Always earn a professional certification to help continue your professional development and to learn new skills. Sure they look great on a resume, but it is your active career development that positions you for those opportunities to expand your roles and experience and perform to the best of your abilities. End the end it is all about performing well.

#APMP #ProfessionalCertification #EVP #PMP #CPCM