Are you interested in achieving IPMA Level-D certification this fall? (Level D is similar to PMI's PMP designation.)

PMI has done a great job advertising the PMP certification over the past 15 years or so, with a rapid growth in the number of PMPs. In Canada and the USA, it is almost mandatory to have your PMP to get a start in the PM field. However, that is slowly changing -- employers are recognizing that a job candidate having their PMP does not mean that the candidate is a "good" (or skilled) project manager. The PMP does not guarantee any measure of project management success. What employers are looking for now, is something to distinguish the best candidates out of the pile of resumes with PMPs on them. The answer, is *competency* assessments.

Competency assessments determine whether a candidate is a competent project manager, has managed projects successfully in the past, and whether the person has the knowledge, skills, and personal traits to be able to do so again in the future. IPMA offers a 4-level certification program that tests competency at the 3 higher levels (Level A through Level C). Level D is a knowledge-based assessment; however, if you are planning to move on to a competency assessment through one of the two IPMA member associations in North America, the Project Management Association of Canada, or the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (www.asapm.org), then you will want to probably start with Level D to make sure your knowledge and skill base is broad enough to make it through the higher-level assessments.

For example, the PMP only checks the nine PMBoK Guide knowledge areas dealing with PM specialty knowledge. The IPMA Level-D assessment checks that (though they break the nine PMBoK Guide knowledge areas into 20 areas -- same content, just carved up differently), but ALSO assesses your general business knowledge as it affects your project context as well as your knowledge of the behaviours and personal traits required to be a competent project manager.

Details on these areas that the Level-D exam covers can be found at http://pmac-ampc.ca/node/183