How can you get Project Management Certification in Zero Dollars Budget?

1. Blogs and Articles

One of the best ways to get started with any concept is reading related articles. Various articles are available online that helps you understand a subject better. There is an informative article available on project management knowledge areas and process areas. From risk management to procurement and from time management to cost management, you can get an idea of all the knowledge areas from these articles. In fact, there are professional blogs like Simplilearn's Blog where there are hundreds of subject-related articles on project management for professionals like you.

2. Video Lessons from YouTube

After having some good informative readings, you can go through video lessons available on YouTube. You can choose topics and make a list of them. Go through videos on each and take time to understand and visit the lessons over and over again to understand better. You can also get sample videos on project management in various authoritative sites. These video lessons will help you get better insights on a subject.

3. Free Live Webinars

Attending webinars is another good way towards exam preparation. During live webinars, you can ask questions of the presenter and get answers immediately. This way, you can clarify your doubts on any concept. But the best way is to go through some readings and understand a concept, at least the basics before attending a webinar. This helps you understand better during the sessions. There are various authentic project management sites that conduct free live webinars. There are also recorded versions of webinars available online.

4. Practice Tests Online

Practice makes a man perfect and this stands absolutely true in terms of certification exams. If you are planning to attend any project management certification exam, going through a practice test is a must. There are authoritative sites where you can avail free practice tests and sample quizzes. By attempting these mock tests, you get a hand over the subject and feel of the actual exam. Simplilearn offers a free practice test for PMP, CAPM, and PRINCE2.

5. Discussion Forums

While articles, video lessons, and webinars help you understand a subject, discussion forums give you a view of the real-life scenarios. You get a chance to meet peers from your field and beyond who deal with project management on a day to day basis. Through these discussions, you get a feel of the real world and projects. You can share your real experiences and take ideas from others. Such discussions are really helpful not just in the certification journey but in professional work as well.

6. Project Management Events

There are various events being organized by project management bodies, few are free while others are paid. You can attend such events and understand different aspects of project management. Such events are also helpful for building professional contacts. Many times, companies sponsor employees to attend such events to get better views on project management.

7. PMI Membership Benefits

If you become a member of PMI, you get various financial benefits. While your exam fee is lesser than the actual value for non-members, you also get access to various study materials. As a member, you can avail PMBOK Guide, tools and templates, knowledge resources and also participate in PMI chapters and other project management communities. This doesn’t come with zero budget but is definitely worth the amount paid.

These are 7 best ways to prepare for project management certification in a very limited budget. These ways are handy but expert training is really helpful for you to fool-proof your success in a certification exam. If you have adequate knowledge and ample experience, with these steps you are good to go for a certification exam. For others, personalized training is important.
Various companies provide project management training for their employees. While certification helps you in your professional growth, it helps companies to secure their position with quality employees and production. Some of the benefits of attending project management training from an expert are mentioned below:

• One-on-one interaction with the trainer gives you confidence over a particular concept or subject
• Real-life examples from the trainer give you an understanding of the practical world and help you relate better with the theoretical concepts
• During training, you can interact with other professionals from project management and share and gain knowledge with them
• Training builds a base ground that helps you better during your self-study and prepares you perfectly for the actual exam

So now that you know the tricks to get project management certification in zero dollars budget, what are your certification choices? Here’s a list of top 5 project management certification programs that help you in developing your skills in project management and open up better professional career growth opportunities for you.

• PMP® – Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the most coveted certification program in project management. This credential gives you recognition ahead of your peers. Also, PMP is one of the highest-paying certifications.
• CAPM® – Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is a popular entry-level certification program in project management. Though PMP is world-renowned, there are certain eligibility criteria that one needs to fulfill to attend the exam. For the newbies, CAPM certification is an ideal choice. You get a chance to jumpstart your career with a globally recognized credential.
• PRINCE2® – This credential advocates the ideas of using business case, defined roles and responsibilities for team members, management by stages and more. The PRINCE2 methodology is effective for professionals who work in projects driven by PRINCE2. Besides, this credential demonstrates one’s ability to run a project smoothly till the end.
• PMI-ACP® – Agile Certified Professional is another globally acknowledged professional certification in agile project management. Agile is popular in today’s world and it is very important for one to adopt agile principles and methodologies in projects. This ensures success in projects.
• RMP® – Risk Management Professional (RMP) certification demonstrates your ability to handle risks in projects. Every project irrespective of size and industry faces various expected and unexpected risks. RMP educates you with the skills to identify, assess and control risks in projects.

By now, you might have a clear picture of which certification program you need to pursue. To avail free resources for exam preparation and expert-driven training, visit Simplilearn website and explore our project management training courses.