This blog post will discuss key PMI membership benefits.
Some of the most commonly asked questions by PMP aspirants are whether to become a PMI member, if it is worth getting it and what the benefits of a PMI membership are.
They ask these questions because the membership is not cheap. The joining fee is 139 USD for one year and 129 USD for each yearly renewal.
As you prepare for the PMP exam, you will have many other mandatory expenses, such as training costs, the exam fee, the cost of the PMP exam reference books, etc. So obviously, in this situation, you will want to avoid any optional expense with no visible benefit.
A PMI membership has many tangible and intangible benefits for PMP aspirants. Some benefits look intangible and may not be appealing, but they are worth it.
First, we will discuss the tangible and intangible PMI membership benefits for PMP aspirants, and then we will discuss how it will benefit you when you become a PMP.
PMI Membership Benefits for PMP Aspirants
PMI offers many benefits to PMP aspirants. Many of them directly help you in the exam preparation, and others may not seemingly help you in the PMP exam. These benefits are as follows:
Benefit # 1: Reduction in the PMP Exam Fee
This is the first tangible benefit of a PMI membership to the PMP aspirant.
The cost of the PMP exam is 555 USD. However, if you become a PMI member, it is reduced to 405 USD.
This is a straight savings of 150 USD.
Please note that the cost of the PMI membership is 139 USD, so if you deduct the membership fee from the discount, you still have a savings of 11 USD.
You can see that this benefit is enough to join PMI.
Benefit # 2: Free PMBOK Guide Download
In the PMP exam, many questions come from the PMBOK Guide, and you must study this guide if you want to pass the exam with flying colors.
The price of the PMBOK Guide is 41.40 USD on Amazon.
However, you can download it for free if you become a PMI member. So, again here is a savings of 41.10 USD.
You don’t just get the PMBOK Guide; you can download 19 other standards, such as practice standards for risk management, scheduling, etc., for free.
I am not counting the price of the other standards and extensions as they are not very useful for the PMP exam, but they can give you in-depth knowledge of different subjects if you are interested.
Benefit # 3: Access to Technical Papers
This is a shared benefit between PMP aspirants and PMPs.
On the PMI website, you can find hundreds of technical papers published by experts and scholars covering many project management concepts.
During preparation, you can search through these papers if you face tough concepts or are struggling with any topic. You will find a relevant article to help you understand the concept.
There used to be a section on the PMI website called Books24X7. In this section they provided many books including some PMP exam reference books. This was my favorite section during my PMP exam preparation, and even after passing the exam I used to visit it very often.
Unfortunately it has been discontinued as of January 31st 2016 due to limited usage. I hope in the future PMI continues it, considering its usefulness and to help students prepare for the PMP exam.
Benefit # 4: Networking with Professionals
Usually, PMI local chapters conduct a meeting or seminar every one or two months. You can join these events and meet with many PMPs.
Ask for their help and lessons learned. Their advice will be valuable and motivate you to become a PMP.
PMI Membership Benefits for PMPs
Now we will discuss the PMI membership benefits you can enjoy if you are a PMP. These benefits are as follows:
Benefit # 1: Free Category A PDUs
If you are a PMP, you will need to renew your PMP certification every three years; to do so, you will need 60 PDUs every three years.
Earning these PDUs can be daunting, or you must buy a paid package to earn them at once. However, you can earn these PDUs for free if you are a PMI member. More importantly, you will not need to report them as well; they will be automatically recorded in the system.
In the PMI library, you will find hundreds of webinars. Select your favorite topic and start earning your PDUs. One hour of watching a webinar will give you one PDU.
Benefit # 2: Discount at PMI Marketplace
PMI Marketplace offers many technical papers, eBooks, printed books, and print copies of its various standards.
If you are a PMI member, you can buy them at a discounted price.
Quite often, PMI offers free ePapers and quizzes to members through PMI Marketplace. You can get them and claim the PDUs.
Benefit # 3: Career Growth at Career Central and Headquarters
PMI provides you with many resources at Career Central and Headquarters to grow your career.
Here you can find guidelines for building your resume and acquiring new skills. It also keeps you updated about the latest trends in project management.
In this section, you can also post your resume and look for new job placements in project management.
Benefit # 4: PMI Magazines and Journals
PMI publishes two monthly magazines: PM Network and PMI Today. Being a PMI member, you will get it free and delivered to your doorstep. You can also get it digitally delivered to your email instead of a printed version.
These magazines help keep you informed on the latest updates and information in project management. Here you can find many case studies, interviews, and in-depth articles.
PMI also publishes the Project Management Journal four times a year. This research journal advances the understanding of project, program, and portfolio management. You also get it for free.
Benefit # 5: Access to Templates
During the project life cycle, you may need to use many templates, for example, project charter, stakeholder register, risk register, issue log, etc. There are dozens of templates that you may need for your project.
You can download these templates for free if you are a PMI member. These templates are very useful; you can use them as they meet your requirements.
Benefit # 6: Networking with Professionals
You can participate in various PMI activities, such as local chapter meetings and seminars, and become involved with a community of practice to make new connections.
These connections can help your career growth and are helpful when looking for a new job.
Conclusion
PMI membership offers many benefits to PMP aspirants and PMPs, and I encourage you to get one. If you are preparing for the PMP exam, join PMI as soon as possible, get involved with PMI activities, meet with PMPs, ask for their help, and build your network. Please note that if you are preparing for the PMP exam and have decided to join PMI, do so before applying for the PMP exam so you can get the discounted exam fee.