Six Sigma or Project Management cert?

[jamays00]

So I have the opportunity to either get my Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean Six Sigma cert or CAPM (certified associate in project management) through my work on their $.

I was in the process of looking into employment elsewhere and figured this could only help my chances.
I am only 2 years out of college (dual major in business management and marketing) not much work experience (alot of customer service and a little sales, also a little with SEO)

my question is... which cert would be more beneficial? I am hoping to get into internet marketing or at least away from sales. I am not very familiar with these professional certs, or how valuable they are.

 

[bbaquiran]

If your company is spending money to send you to training/cert, isn't there usually a bond or contract that you have to stay with them for a time, theoretically until the company has recouped their investment in you?

I would go for the project management course/cert. unless you want to go into some manufacturing or industrial field in which case six sigma would be valuable.

 

[cioni2k]

I agree, typically there is an agreed upon period of time you must work for the company after the training. It isn't charity. So keep that in mind if you are looking to work somewhere else

 

[jamays00]

oddly enough there is no contract when it comes to certificate programs, i think degree programs are set up differently though.

 

[HRoi]

I have people who work for/with me that have one or the other. In general, I find the that the CAPM people are more in demand for technical jobs (such as deploying/building info systems) while the Six Sigma folks do more Ops management and process redesign/consulting.

It's an overgeneralization though, because I see no reason why both disciplines can't cross over.

 

[epb]

At our office it seems Project Management helps you advance more than Six Sigma.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Project management certs. are only worthwhile if you've been managing projects. If you never do any PM, I don't see the point. If I'm interviewing a candidate who has a certification in PM but has never managed a project I'll most likely ask him why he felt the need to get a certification for something he never does.

Six Sigma is more concerned with operational/change management and it might be more worthwhile to you if you're switching jobs.

 

[cl smooth]

these are useless things you speak of.

 

[Star]

I am PM and recently got the Prince2 certification. Certification gives you a framework to operate under when managing a project but if that is all you are relying on then you are in trouble. In a Project Management role you will find all sorts of people, interests, hidden agendas, knives and daggers and things that come out of the blue. In some respect it is like herding cats!

Prince2 and PMBOK will not teach you how to deal with these curly situations. Will not teach you the fine art of 'tactics' managing people and abstract situations. There are books out there that attempt to teach you that crap but they fall short. The only way to learn is to get yourself parachuted into curly situations and get yourself burnt a few time plus more. A former manager once said to me that the difference between himself and a recent MBA graduate is that he has 'battle scars'.

The point of my reply is : 1) get your cert 2) get parachutted into a project/environment and 3) try to learn and refine the way you operate.

 

[maxnharry]

Originally Posted by Star

I am PM and recently got the Prince2 certification. Certification gives you a framework to operate under when managing a project but if that is all you are relying on then you are in trouble. In a Project Management role you will find all sorts of people, interests, hidden agendas, knives and daggers and things that come out of the blue. In some respect it is like herding cats!

Prince2 and PMBOK will not teach you how to deal with these curly situations. Will not teach you the fine art of 'tactics' managing people and abstract situations. There are books out there that attempt to teach you that crap but they fall short. The only way to learn is to get yourself parachuted into curly situations and get yourself burnt a few time plus more. A former manager once said to me that the difference between himself and a recent MBA graduate is that he has 'battle scars'.

The point of my reply is : 1) get your cert 2) get parachutted into a project/environment and 3) try to learn and refine the way you operate.

I hire PMs and both certifications have value and can be a help to you in the future. Which are you most interested in? Either can help you secure a job, but as mentioned by others, you need to get some real experience to go along with your certs.

 

[Douglas]

If you're trying to get into internet marketing, none of these are really directly all that great to have, though the project management could be useful if you transition towards product management or something similar, which would be a natural progression from marketing.

The lean/six sigma stuff seems entirely worthless based on your chosen career.

 

[fredfred]

Originally Posted by Douglas

If you're trying to get into internet marketing, none of these are really directly all that great to have, though the project management could be useful if you transition towards product management or something similar, which would be a natural progression from marketing.

The lean/six sigma stuff seems entirely worthless based on your chosen career.

Yup. Both are worthless for what you say you want to get into. They are also useless for sales.

6 sigma refers to plus/minus three standard deviations in data. That's the "normal" range of variation in data. The certification is something dreamed up to sell certifications and classes.

The project management deal.. .well, I always feel if you learn something in those classes you shouldn't be allowed to project manage, as you don't know what you should innately.

I've spent plenty of time in online marketing stuff... neither cert. will help you. If I had to pick one to put on a resume I'd put the project management cert. BUT it would be much better to say "I helped plan/manager the xyz online ad project". (Or spend the time learning google adwords, etc... )

 

[celery]

Want your Six Sigma cert?

Here's what you need to know to get it:


Six Sigma: How have you helped this organization?

Mr. Naive: Well I eliminated some of the beureaucratic policies that were slowing down production, streamlined logistics and found additional tasks that current workers could assist with since some time has been made available from the new efficiencies I made.

Six Sigma: So you didn't reduce the size of the work force?

Mr. Naive: No, I didn't have to, I increased productivity which helped profits and made the organization run smoother.

Six Sigma: You should really take a look at cuts.

Mr. Naive: But the necessary man hours are being filled at an optimal rate.

Six Sigma: Who is doing the least? Find them and see if it would be possible to eliminate them.

Mr. Naive: Well, this guy in upper management is essentially coordinating between two departments and they could do that themselves.

Six Sigma: Sigh. No, cut the workforce from the bottom by 15%.

Mr. Naive: What? Why?

Six Sigma: Because that's how you fix a business!

 

[WallStPeon]

Six Sigma Black Belt is a very high designation that typically demands, at least in my company, a high six figure salary. I know a fellow in our corporate office that has that and he's brilliant...developing a lot of tech and managed to finangle an enormous tech budget for upgrades next year. Six Sigma would be a better path than a general project management...it's like the difference between the CIMA designation and the CFP...either one will do you well, but the CIMA is more respected. If they're going to start you on the Green Belt, then I'd go that route.

 

[mkarim]

Originally Posted by Star

In a Project Management role you will find all sorts of people, interests, hidden agendas, knives and daggers and things that come out of the blue. In some respect it is like herding cats!

Exactly the reason I decided to stay hands-on instead of going into PM.