Is it useful to acquire prince2 certification to improve my PM profile?

Question

I have a PhD in anthropology and have been working as an ersatz PM for a R&D company for a few years now. I'm no R&D whizz, mind you, just a talented and organized people person. However, I lack any certificate. Just experience.

As the company is currently merging with a bigger one, I want to be sure to make my profile as attractive as possible to recruiters.

After noticing a few vacancies for PMs that require min. PRINCE2, it occurs to me that getting a certificate may do me good, a way to demonstrate that I've got the chops to manage projects.

Is this an accurate understanding or am I being naive?

Answer 1

This is a highly opinion based question, but here is my view on certificates.

Nowadays, online presence, experience, and references trumps certificates in information technology. Recruiters and sorcerers look for candidates with good background. Same of the HR persons I know say that certificate can be bought - actually that's the point of one - therefore it does not matter a bit in their domain.

On the other side, I understand that in building, manufacturing, and prodution PMP is useful and sometimes mandatory to fulfill a position.

Both domain requires experience, or you can start as a junior PM, or assistant. None of these requires certificate.

I believe one will not stand out and therefore won't be recognized because of one's certificates. You should use the time and money you plan to invest into PRINCE2 and build your own brand. If you aim for IT, organize meetups, be active in communities, do useful projects in your organization, etc. If you aim for production, check if the position you want or you want others to recognize you for, requires a PMP and do that one.

Answer 2

I think the answer to your question lives in your analysis of who is advertising for work and what they are asking for, reasons you are being given why you either did not get a chance to interview or why you were eventually rejected. Whether or not there is any performance validity to the PRINCE2 or PMP or any other certificate, hiring managers do use these certificates as discriminators much of the time. So if you are not getting interviewed or are being rejected, then maybe having this certificate might get you passed initial filters.