The CAPM certification is a great way to explore a career in project management.  Becoming a Certified Associate in Project Management can also help take your existing career in a different direction, allowing you to earn a higher salary and gain more recognition. If you’ve decided to get your CAPM certification, Rita Mulcahy’s CAPM exam prep book is an excellent tool to help you prepare and pass the exam on your first try. If you haven’t made up your mind, let’s cover the CAPM benefits and career options.

CAPM Jobs and Career Opportunities

  1. The Benefits of the CAPM
  2. The CAPM 2023
  3. What Types of Jobs Can You Get with a CAPM?
  4. How to Get Your CAPM Certification
  5. Level Up Your Project Management Skills

A Brief Look at the Benefits of the CAPM Certification

More and more opportunities are opening in the field of project management. In fact, by 2030, 2.3 million new project management professionals will be needed each year to meet demand. Therefore, you’ll want to differentiate yourself from other candidates who are also looking to fill these positions. Even if you have little to no experience as a project manager, preparing for this certification can give you the know-how and confidence to get your CAPM.  This certification will help you build the core project management skills and best practices to take a project from start to finish.

In addition, it’s also a great place to start if you’re already a project manager but you want to handle more complex projects and larger teams.  Becoming a CAPM is a wise move.

The CAPM 2023

PMI has announced that the CAPM will be changing. The upcoming exam change will align the work of entry level professionals on project teams to the new exam content.

The CAPM certification will test your understanding of predictive, adaptive, and business analysis principles skills across four domains in the Examination Content Outline. The 2023 exam change will be significant.  Almost 50% of new questions will cover agile and business analysis principles.

Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts Domain:

This domain represents 36% the questions on the CAPM exam.  Therefore, you’ll be expected to understand multiple project lifecycles, project planning tasks, project roles and responsibilities, and common ways to problem solve.

Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies Domain:

This domain represents 17% of the CAPM certification exam. So, you’ll be tested on your understanding of when and how to use a predictive project approach including how to schedule and control plan-based projects.

Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Domain:

This domain represents 20% of exam questions. You will need to understand how and when to use an adaptive approach, what’s in an adaptive plan, planning project iterations, documenting project controls and managing tasks.

Business Analysis Frameworks Domain:

This domain represents 27% of exam questions.  You’ll need understand business analysis roles and responsibilities and how to conduct stakeholder communications, gather and validate requirements, define a product roadmap, and how to adapt business analysis process based on the type of method used for the project.

What Types of Jobs Can You Get with a CAPM?

With your CAPM certification, a variety of doors will open when you’re ready to start a new career or enhance an existing one.  In project management, you can consider pursuing positions like the following.  Keep in mind that these aren’t the only career paths that are possible with a CAPM.

CAPM Careers and Salaries

  • Junior project manager you plan and organize projects, as well as direct and lead teams, for a company, but you’ll likely work under the direction of a senior project manager. Average Annual Salary: $72,200
  • Senior project manager you use your previous experience and high-level skills to lead more than one project at once or lead more complex projects. Average Annual Salary: $104,400
  • Technical project manager you work on various projects, ensuring they’re completed correctly, while also acting as an expert when it comes to technology needs and requirements. Average Annual Salary: $113,000
  • Associate project manager you will likely assist higher level project managers and program managers, working on a variety of tasks to help complete large projects. Average Annual Salary: $67,000
  • Program manager you come up with a strategy for a program, and you oversee multiple projects to ensure a business initiative is met. Average Annual Salary: $92,000
  • Project coordinator you take care of smaller aspects of bigger projects while working under the direction of a project manager to help complete projects within budget and on deadline. Average Annual Salary: $55,000
  • IT Project coordinator you compile project status reports, coordinate project schedules, and analyze systems requirements. Average Annual Salary: $68,000

In addition to the positions described above, individuals who have a CAPM certification might also be able to pursue jobs as consultants, PMO specialists, business analysts, and more.

Careers That Require or Prefer CAPM Certification

  • Acquisition program analyst
  • Senior project management analyst
  • Management and program analyst
  • Project controls analyst
  • Senior project management consultant
  • Project consultant
  • Enterprise architect
  • Deputy project manager
  • IT project manager
  • Agile project manager
  • Support technical manager
  • Infrastructure project manager
  • Project controller
  • Program delivery coordinator

See? It really is worth it to put the time and effort in to get this credential on your resume!

How to Get Your CAPM Certification

To meet the CAPM requirements, you need:

  • a secondary degree, which could be a high school diploma, associate’s degree, or the global equivalent
  • complete 23 hours of project management education by the time you take the CAPM certification exam

The next step is to prepare to take the exam offered by PMI.  Check out our virtual exam prep courses offered by RMC Learning Solutions. It is one of the fastest ways to prepare for the exam have you interact with an instructor in real-time. For example, with the Live Online class, you get the full RMC CAPM Exam Prep system including Rita’s CAPM Exam Prep Book, FASTrack exam simulation software, and Hot Topics flashcards, as well as the workbook from the course and follow up support if you need it.RMC instructors will guide you through everything that you need to know to successfully pass the CAPM certification exam on your first try. Importantly, by learning what you need to know for this exam, you’ll also develop skills that will make you a more effective project manager.

If you want to prep online at your own pace, consider our CAPM eLearning course. Our popular self-study options including our CAPM Exam Prep bookCAPM exam simulator or our CAPM Exam Prep System. 

Level Up Your Project Management Skills

Any certification in project management can help you go farther than you would without it. But if you aren’t quite ready for more advanced certifications, like the Project Management Professional (PMP), the CAPM certification the ideal place to start your journey.  Given the anticipated exam change, now is the perfect time to consider getting your CAPM certification. 

Check out RMC’s CAPM certification exam prep courses, practice exam simulation and self-study options to help you pass the CAPM on your first try!

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Cate Curry
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