TOPIC: PMI PMP Requirements - 36 Months + 4500 Hours

Hi,
I have searched and searched online for an answer to my specific question, but haven't found it yet. Can't find the solution on PMI.org either. Maybe you can help.

I have more than 4,500 hours for experience leading and managing project work and more than 36 months of experience... but the hourly experience is spread out over more than 36 months. This is because some of my full-time work was spent doing non-PM work and I have taken some time off between assignments. Based on what the Project Management Institute (PMI) is looking for... must the 4,500 hours of experience be attained within the specified 36 month period window? Hence, requiring full-time PM work for 36 months straight? Effectively, I would satisfy both the hourly and monthly requirements, but not together.

On the actual Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 6th Edition-based Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) application, how is the monthly requirement inputted ...or... is it determined by a calculation based on the inputted project dates and hours? If the later, how is that done?
Thanks,
Tom

Tom,

The PMP Handbook states, on page 6:

---

PMP Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the PMP certification, you must meet certain educational and professional experience
requirements. All project management experience must have been accrued within the last eight
consecutive years prior to your application submission.

---

So, if your 36 months of experience is within the last 8 consecutive years, you're good to go!

Best of luck,
Tracy

HI Tracy,
I appreciate that information. That has always been my thinking, but this PMI statement then, is a bit misleading:

“Minimum three years/36 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 4,500 hours were spent leading and directing the project”.

The qualifier "minimum three years" leads one to believe that the 4500 hourly requirement can be satisfied over the course of more than 36 months. Yet, the following - "during which at least 4,500 hours" - seems to suggest these hours should done within a finite 36 month period (effectively on a full-time basis).

Your accounting matches my understanding...but is this consisent with the quoted PMI passage above?

Thanks!!!
Tom

HI Tracy,
So, although my demonstrable 4500 hours of project management experience has actually been accrued over a period of say 48 months, because I have at least the minimum of 36 months and 4500 hours anytime within the last 8 years...I am good to go?

MONTHS
Awhile back I worked on a signicant number of small projects on a half time daily schedule for a period of 14 months.
Assuming no project overlap issues here, despite being on a part-time basis these 14 months can be included in the 36 months requirement? Is that correct?

HOURS
Of course, although the actual project hours have only been accrued on a part-time basis (~1000 hours), they do count for toward the total 4500 hour requirement.

PMI:
The statement from the PMI states:
“Minimum three years/36 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 4,500 hours were spent leading and directing the project”.


The qualifier "minimum three years" suggests that the 4500 hour requirement can actually be earned in more than 36 months...yet...the later qualifier in reference to the 36 months - 'during which at least 4500 hour were spent manageing" suggests these hours must be earned specifically within three years.

I find this confusing....doe this square with your recommendaton above? Is my analysis of the PMI statement correct?

Thanks!!!!
Tom

Tom,

I believe you are good to go. However, I strongly encourage you to call PMI directly and get their input on this to be sure, and for your own peace of mind.

The "qualifier" as you put it is meant to focus on the fact that you were acting as a project manager and not "merely" as a team member. The 3 year requirement assures that you accumulated the 4500 hours over a longer span of time (remember, the PMP certification is about validating your knowledge and experience, and leading projects over a longer period of time speaks to a deeper experience, where you likely encountered a wider range of the tasks and challenges associated with being a PM).

Best of luck to you!
Tracy

Hi Tracy,
Thanks again for the response. After reading your first post and digging a bit deeper I can see what the PMI is looking for. I definitely am Good to Go.

I appreciate your help!!
Tomster

Hi Tracy,
I am working up my project descriptions for my PMP application and would like to run one by you. I am working to very efficient and to ensure my descriptions are providing what the PMI is looking for. ( You will see, that I am using a lot of abbreviations.) Can you take a look at the following and let me know your opinion and if I need any changes? If you think I need to create a new thread to addresst this...or...if the there is an ongoing thread where I can request feedback...please let me know.

One key issue - I have been working as a digital project manager for many years, as such a lot on the projects that I have worked on are very similar. I will be documenting many such projects and I am not sure how to differentate them in a short 550 characters ensuring to touch every important process. I will be getting into a lot of cut and paste, I am afraid. Can you tell me what you think? Thanks, Tom

"OBJ: DEVELOP website for legal firm OUT: Website launch ROL: Project Mgr RESP: I did the following - IN: MANAGED meetings; DEVELOPED project charter /brief, stakeholder register, high-level requirements; SECURED authorization; PL: CREATED project plans, brief; DEFINED requirements, scope: CREATED WBS, schedule, budget, quality, risk plans; EX: LED & DIRECTED multifunct team to meet project objectives; MC: MON & CONTROLLED team work, quality, schedule, change, risk; REPORTED progress CL: ENSURED project acceptance; UPDATED lessons learned"