Project Management Institute (PMI) is globally recognized for the best online Project Management courses. If you are an aspiring management certification holder, I suggest you review this article about my PMI membership experience. The benefits of PMI membership elevated my career to new heights by enhancing my project-handling skills.
Although I had the opportunity to apply for PMP certification without being a PMI member. However, I have chosen a PMI subscription and availed access to exam fee discounts, certification maintenance, etc. This decision allowed me to experience firsthand the advantages of PMI membership, such as exclusive resources, networking opportunities, and professional development tools. There are various types of memberships, which I am going to share below. You should choose the best one according to your best matching type.
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10 Benefits of PMI membership
As some may question the value of PMI membership, one would surely like to ensure the worth of the fee which you pay to become a PMI member. As a PMP certification aspirant, you can reap great benefits from your PMI membership.
You can access your PMI membership benefits by logging in to pmi.org and click on the myPMI tab. Once you click on the ‘dashboard’ link, you will find a ‘Knowledge Resources’ section in the right-hand column. You just need to select PMI publications and access the online version of the PMI standards.
Some of the advantages of PMI membership are:
- PMP® Certification Exam Fees Savings
- Free Access to PMI Standards and Publications
- Access to Various Research Papers
- PMI Marketplace
- Career Central and Headquarters
- PM Network and PMI Today
- Project Management Journal
- PMI Chapter Meetings
- Networking
- Free PDUs
1. PMP® Certification Exam Fees Savings
PMI members qualify for the members pricing of the PMP® exam feels at a cost of $405. The cost for non-members is $555. Taking into consideration the PMI membership costs of $139, you will be looking at savings in the exam fees in addition to the other benefits of PMI membership.
2. Free Access to PMI Standards and Publications
As a PMI member, you get access to electronic copies of all standards published by PMI . As a member, you can download an electronic copy (PDF) of these resources from the Library of PMI Global Standards. If you are a PMP® certification aspirant, another advantage of PMI membership is the ability to download a free copy of the latest edition of the PMBOK® Guide, which is an essential document for your PMP® certification journey.
The standards published by PMI include:
A. Foundation Standards
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK® Guide - Latest Edition
- The Standard for Portfolio Management - Third Edition
- Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3®) - Third Edition
- The Standard for Project Management - Third Edition.
B. Practice Standards and Frameworks
- Practice Standard for Earned Value Management - Second Edition
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures - Second Edition
- Practice Standard for Project Risk Management
- Practice Standard for Project Configuration Management
- Practice Standard for Scheduling - Second Edition
- Practice Standard for Competency Development Framework - Second Edition
- Practice Standard for Project Estimating.
C. PMI Standards Extension
- Government Extension to the PMBOK® Guide Third Edition
- Software Extension to the PMBOK® Guide Fifth Edition
- Construction Extension to the PMBOK® Guide Third Edition.
3. Access to Various Research Papers
Being an honored member of PMI, you get free access to numerous research papers published by PMI. Moreover, you can avail the paid papers at discounted rates.
4. PMI Marketplace
The benefit of PMI membership extends to exclusive access to the PMI Marketplace, where members can explore a wide range of project management-related books and hard copies of all PMI standards, all available at discounted prices. This exclusive access not only helps members stay current with the latest industry practices but also makes essential resources more affordable.
5. Career Central and Headquarters
As a PMI member, you get access to a vast collection of resources under Career Central and Career Headquarter of PMI for your career growth. These resources provide you guidance from building your resume to acquiring new skills and keeping yourself updated on the latest trends. You can also submit your resume here and search for jobs.
6. PM Network and PMI Today
As a PMI member, you are entitled to receive free monthly copies of PM Network and PMI today, magazines published by PMI. These magazines are either delivered to your doorstep or you can receive them in the form of email for free.
Update yourself with the latest happenings on the world of project management and across the PMI local chapters with these magazines. You can increase your knowledge with the interviews, case studies, and in-depth articles available in these magazines.
7. Project Management Journal
Project Management Journal is a research journal published by PMI. You are entitled to get a copy of the journal as a PMI member. It gets published five times a year and will help you to get a clear understanding of program, project, and portfolio management.
8. PMI Chapter Meetings
Once you join the local PMI chapter and acquire the PMI membership, you get an opportunity to participate in every local chapter meeting at discounted prices or sometimes it’s free. One of the advantages of PMI membership is the access to exclusive resources and events, enhancing both personal and professional development.
9. Networking
One of the most amazing benefits that you can avail as a PMI member is networking. As a PMI member, you can avail the opportunity to connect with professionals through Communities of Practice or in PMI chapter meetings. These events give you a great opportunity to learn by connecting with professionals.
These connections will surely help you to prepare for your PMP® certification exam or this can help you to land up in a good job.
10. Free PDUs
PMI membership can give you an opportunity to earn unlimited numbers of Category-A PDUs by watching free webinars. Moreover, these will be automatically reported to PMI and you don’t have to report these to PMI by yourself.
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PMI Local Chapters
Do you know your nearest PMI Local Chapter? Join your nearest PMI Local Chapter and take advantage of the knowledge and networking available over there. These Chapters are spread across the world and can be segregated in zones. The zones are:
PMI Membership Fee
There are various categories and membership fee varies for each type of membership. The following are types of memberships along with their approximate fee.
A. PMI Individual Membership
As I don’t fall into categories like student, retiree, and group membership, with no choice, I have chosen the PMI individual membership. The fee for this membership is ₹9,840.00 per year.
B. PMI Student Membership
You can get PMI student membership benefits at ₹3,034.00 per year. You can avail of this membership only if you are a full-time student in a college or university. The publication of your membership will be communicated electronically.
C. PMI Retiree Membership
Retiree membership is for those who are officially retired from their jobs in any organization. It is required to be an active member in good standing for 5 consecutive years. The price of the retiree membership after the discount is approx. ₹5,330.00 per year
D. PMI Group Membership
If you are a group of 15 members or more from an organization, university, or friend group, then you can apply for group billing. Right now, no group billing plans are available online. But you can get the information by contacting PMI customer care through your organization or university-authorized personnel.
The Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR)
The Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program of PMI supports your ongoing professional and educational development so that you can always be prepared to meet the demands of today’s complex business environment. The purpose of the CCR program are as follows:
- Promote continuous learning and development among the certification holders
- Ensure the relevancy of certified practitioners by providing direction in the development areas
- Recognize and encourage individualized learning opportunities
- Sustain the value of PMI credentials and global recognition
If you hold a PMI certification then it is compulsory for you to maintain your certification by participating in the CCR program in order to renew your certification every 3 years. You need to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) by taking part in various professional development and learning activities in order to fulfill the continuing certification requirements.
How can you earn PDUs to meet the CCR requirements?
You should maintain your PMI certification once you get one. The PDUs required to maintain your certification by meeting the CCR requirements can be earned through various professional development activities that center one of the following areas. Additionally, one of the advantages of PMI membership is that it provides exclusive access to resources and opportunities that make earning PDUs more convenient, including webinars, events, and courses tailored to help you stay certified and competitive in your field.
1. Education: It can be defined as learning opportunities which allow you to enhance and expand your leadership, strategic, or technical and business management skills.
2. Giving back to the profession: It can be defined as a set of activities that enable you to share and utilise your skills and knowledge in order to contribute and help to build the profession.
The PDU distribution for both categories in order to meet the CCR requirements for your PMP® certification are as follows:
| Categories | PDUs you can earn |
|---|
Education | 35 |
Giving back to the profession | 25 |
There are many ways to earn PDUs under both categories. You can choose from a plethora of development activities which are conducted for you to meet your CCR requirement. The activities are as follows:
PMI Membership Cycle and Renewal
One of the common queries that prevail among people is that how long is the PMI membership cycle. Your PMI membership is valid for one year from the date of your membership activation. You can track your membership status in your my PMI profile on PMI.org and can renew the same as soon as 90 days from your expiration date.
You can auto-renew your membership by accepting the automatic renewal terms and conditions on the payment screen on PMI.org. But you may opt to turn off this feature and renew your membership each year via phone, mail, or online.
What if you fail to renew your membership?
Failing to renew your membership before the expiration date of your membership will lead to a discontinuation of your PMI membership benefits, like discounts on certification, additional PDU opportunities, member-only webinars, or maintaining your chapter membership. The advantages of PMI membership also include continuous access to these exclusive resources, helping you stay connected and updated within the project management community.
To avoid any disruptions, you can activate the membership automatic renewal feature and ensure the advantages of PMI membership remain available without interruption.
How to Acquire PMI Membership?
Acquiring a PMI membership is a step-by-step process. The following are the steps I have followed to get a membership:
- I Visited the PMI official website link: https://www.pmi.org/.
- Go to the “Membership” section on the home page. There are various memberships available, such as individual, student, retiree, and group memberships. I have chosen the most suitable membership according to my qualifications.
- Login to the PMI account. If you do not have an account, then create one. Typically, it involves providing the email address and creating a password.
- After logging into the PMI account, submit the PMI membership application. Provide qualifications, professional experience, and project management leading or managing details in the application.
- Review and confirm the details provided in the membership application and agree to the terms and conditions of the PMI membership.
- After applying, now is the time to pay the annual membership fee. There are various plans available; you can choose the best fit for your needs.
- After getting the membership confirmed, explore the benefits available for the membership, like discounts on certifications, free access to resources, and networking.
Now you can avail discount on certification fee. However, it is recommended to take an authorized training like a PMP certification training course and prepare well for the exam.
The above-mentioned steps may differ from time to time. It is recommended to regularly check the official PMI website for the most up-to-date information.
Is PMI Membership Worth It in 2024?
The advantages of PMI membership make it more worthwhile. The following are some considerations to consider when determining how worth it is to have a PMI membership:
- As there is a discount on every certification fee for PMI members, it helps to get the required certification at an affordable price.
- PMI provides many tools, like webinars, papers, and entry to the PMI Global Conference, which can help you grow as a project manager. The subscription may be worthwhile if you use these resources frequently.
- PMI provides a job board and career services that help job searchers and individuals trying to develop their careers. The expense of membership may be covered by having access to these resources.
- As a member, you will have access to relevant study tools, practice tests, and savings on certification fees.
By looking into the above PMI membership benefits, we can say that the PMI membership is worth the annual fee we pay. If we are not using the benefits provided by the PMI membership, then it will not be worth the cost we pay.
Conclusion
There are numerous benefits which you can reap by becoming a PMI member. These benefits of PMI membership would surely motivate you throughout your PMP® certification journey. But in order to realize these PMI membership benefits, you need to be involved with them. The membership will give you access to the local chapter meetings and help you out to get an opportunity to interact with other Project Management Professionals (PMP®).
This will help you to learn more about the format and challenges of the PMP® examination. Moreover, this will help you in your career growth through communication and networking. This will boost your career growth through enhanced communication and networking, which are key advantages of PMI membership.
