TOPIC: How to even apply, when your Project experience is nothing like PMI expects

Hello, everyone:

over the last 8 years I worked in a large Hosting Business in Germany. I started as Program Manager taking over a large 2 year program, which was already started and failing, I safed it. I did some projects in between and 3 years later directed another larger 18 months program with many agile teams involved. Due to the regular restructuring of the company I changed departments quite often and many projects were cancelled. Under those circumstances I have serious trouble to provide enough PMI conform work experience. Our company is trying to move very fast and many attemps to create any form of regular project documentation were abandoned after a few months. Still I want to change the industry and need PMP to get those jobs I am interested in the ones having regular PMOs and projects.
I believe I won't get through an audit, should I even apply.

Cheers,
Peter

Hi Peter,

Very interesting case. From your post I see a lot of Program Management experience but very little on Projects. You mentioned out of the 8 years you spent 3.5 years as Program Manager, can I assume that the other 4.5 years you spent on Project Management? If so do focus on that first.

I can't speak for your industry, but in my company Program Managers and Project Managers have very distinct responsibilities. In some instances though the Program Manager would jump in and help out with some of the Project Management tasks, so make sure you focus on your PM experience over the PgM experience in those cases.

Hope this helps,
Joe

Also, there's no shame to include the projects that were cancelled. If you did work on the project charter and spent the time on the project management plan, it still counts as experience even if project gets chopped during execution.

Hi Joe, Thank you for your reply. I am browsing through my project archives and find a lot of smaller projects which will fill the bill for the required hours. I understand as well that my fear of not being fully PMI compliant might be unfounded, since tailoring is an expected normal thing to do. As long as I don't do e.g. requirements after planning and such blunders, I should be safe.

Yes, very different jobs. If you start doing the project managers job, you underminde their authority which is ethically questionable. Help on request is fine.