PMI was founded in 1969 as a Global Non-Profit Professional Organization for Project Management. As per the PMI Website it currently has a network of more than 2.9 Million professionals working in nearly every country in the world, and also has over 300 local chapters in over 80 countries.
Its always good to be part of an Organization of this stature. Before digging deep into the various benefits that PMI membership offers, lets see the different types of PMI memberships. There are 3 types of memberships
PMI-Membership Types
- PMI Membership – Anyone can join; Joining fee US $ 139, Renewal fee US$129/year
- PMI Student Membership – Gets all benefits of PMI Membership; Joining fee US$42, and Renewal fee US$32/year; Should be a student of a full time degree granting program in a college or University.
- PMI Retiree Membership – Should have been a PMI member in good standing for atleast 5 consecutive years and retired from active employment; Fee US$65/year.
For any questions on memberships please check this PMI Membership FAQ page.
Benefits of PMI Membership
- Get a digital copy of the latest edition of PMBOK Guide for free. It costs US$39, if you want to buy. Amazon
- You can download free digital copies of other resources such as standard for Program Management, Standard for Portfolio Management, etc.. and there are many other practice guides and extension guides as well.
- Discount on Certification exam fee – For a NON-PMI Member exam fee is US$555, for PMI Member its US$405. Note that the discount is not for only one certification. Its for all certifications that you apply.
- Access to valuable resources such as, white papers, case studies, research papers, templates etc.
- Free PDUs can be earned by attending various webinars and trainings. You need to earn 60 PDU’s in a span of 3 years for your certification to be in good standing.
- You can attend Local Chapter meetings that conduct various sessions on the latest trends in project management. This also provides a valuable opportunity to network with professionals who are already certified and who are preparing. You can learn a lot from your peers.
- PM Job board – Find more project management relevant jobs. You can even get help and guidance in building your resume, acquiring new skills, and finding jobs
- Receive PMI Publications – As a PMI Member you are entitled to receive Project Management Journal, and free monthly copies of PMI Today and PM Network Magazines free of cost. For more information check PMI Publications.
In lieu of all these benefits, it is only prudent to go for a PMI Membership.
If you have any questions, you can leave a comment.