Project management certification is proliferating worldwide as organizations around the globe ‘projectize’. This article surveys the various flavors of project management certification out there today.

PRINCE2

PRINCE2 is the de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognized and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. The key features of PRINCE2 are:

- focus on business justification

- defined organizational structure for the team

- product-based planning approach

- division of project into manageable and controllable stages

- flexibility at a level appropriate to the project

The PRINCE2 project management certification has the following levels:

- PRINCE2 Foundation

- PRINCE2 Practitioner

PRINCE2 Practitioners need to complete the PRINCE2 Practitioner re-registration exam every 3-5 years to keep their qualification up to date.

AIPM – Australian Institute of Project Management

Project management certification through the AIPM is primarily geared toward Australian professionals and organizations, although it is based on international standards and best practices.

There are several levels project management certification with the Australian Institute of Project Management, and an individual’s level is based on the outcome of the RegPM (“Registered Project Manager”) process. The individual’s competency in the workplace is assessed, and project management certificationis awarded at one of three levels:

-CPPP Certified Practising Project Practitioner

-CPPM Certified Practising Project Manager

-CPPD Certified Practising Project Director

After 3 years recertification through Continuous Professional Development is required.

CompTIA Project+

CompTIA Project+ is inexpensive, streamlined, uncomplicated project management certification that is more geared to teams of individuals within organizations. There are no prerequisites, no continuing education is required, and there is no application process, but there is a test based on international standards. It is targeted to teams or organizations that want to rapidly get up and running with the team thinking in a similar focused way about project management. CompTIA project management certification gives project managers the skills necessary to complete projects on time and within budget, and creates a common project management language among project team members. As with all CompTIA certifications, it is geared toward IT, and there is no evidence of strong market value for this project management certification.

Project Management Institute (PMI) – PMP and CAPM

The Project Management Professional (PMP) project management certification for experienced professionals is the most widely known and recognized worldwide. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry level project management certification and does not require experience.

Requirements for the PMP include:

-A bachelor’s degree and 4,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups, OR, a secondary school diploma and 7,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups

-35 contact hours of classroom instruction that relate to project management objectives. Several types of courses fulfill this requirement.

-Supporting Documentation is required for the above qualifications.

-Pass the PMP exam, which consists of 200 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 4 hours

-60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) are required every 3 years to maintain the PMP project management certification

IPMA “International Project Management Association

This Swiss organization, “the oldest in the project management profession”, is primarily comprised of national project management associations worldwide. The IPMA represents 45 national project management associations on the international level and also offers a competence-based four level project management certification program.

The IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) is the basis for the IPMA certification system. Certification is an independent third party assessment based on a level-specific combination of:

- Self assessment

- Written exam

- Report on the management of a project, program or portfolio

- Interview

Resulting project management certification levels are:

-IPMA Level A – Certified Projects Director

-IPMA Level B – Certified Senior Project Manager

-IPMA Level C – Certified Project Manager

-IPMA Level D – Certified Project Management Associate

APMC Advanced Project Management Certification

The APMC is a specialized advanced project management certification for senior project managers who want to go beyond go beyond PMP® accreditation and complete training in “The Kerzner Approach to Best Practices”. Candidates must complete two required courses and four of the elective courses, and pass a short online post-test for each course. The focus is on expanding knowledge of higher-level strategic project management issues, including complex project management issues such as managing risk and quality to managing portfolios and multiple projects. Learning is from experts and practitioners, focused on analyzing current best practices from successful companies.

American Academy of Project Management (AAPM)

The AAPM offers project management certification in the following flavors:

-MPM Master Project Manager

-CIPM Certified International Project Manager

-PME Project Manager E-Business

-CPE Certified Planning Engineer

All require an application based upon completion of education, exclusively by approved education institutions and not private businesses.

BrainBench project management certification

BrainBench offers a project management certification that borrows from the PMI. The test is based on the PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). BrainBench’s unique niche in project management certification is in “delivering easy-to-use assessment products that predict success on the job,” and thus it is more targeted to organizations than to independent individuals who are seeking a widely recognized credential.

About The Author

John Reiling, PMP, PE, MBA is an experienced Project Manager and certified Project Management Professional. John’s web site, project management certification provides online project management training for beginning managers and for PMP exam prep and PDUs. John also writes regularly in his blog, http://PMcrunch.com.

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Why do some speeches and presentations linger in

the mind while others pass from one ear, through

the brain and then out through the other ear,

generally without leaving a trace of … anything?

Well, there are many reasons, but I’d always

begin the detective work with the structure.

Over the years I have tried several different

speech formats, a number of which I have found

effective and I will describe some of the more

advanced possibilities in subsequent articles.

However, without a structure, the speech is

doomed to become a shambolic ramble of random

thoughts.

Have you ever watched the news on TV? Well, of

course you have. But have you ever taken time

out to observe the structure? It’s really simple

and effective.

It starts off with three news headlines:

1) The Bank of England announced interest rates

will rise by a ¼ point

2) A large manufacturer in the Midlands has shed

400 people because of falling demand

3) David Beckham is back in the England team

following a year in the footballing wilderness

These headlines essentially signpost what is to

come. Why do they do this? Well, if you have a

mortgage, another interest rate rise could cost

you more money than you had budgeted for. Or if

you work in the manufacturing industry, what

happens in the Midlands usually has an impact on

other aspects of industry. Or finally, anything

about David Beckham and football is newsworthy…

The idea of the headlines is to give you a taster

of what is to come. TV networks are searching

for viewer ratings because most of their revenues

come through the sponsorship of corporate

advertisers. They are trying to hook you because

they want you to stay and watch.

And surely, should we not be doing this with the

introduction of a speech or presentation? Of

course, we want to grab their attention. We tell

them what is to come and whet their appetites.

It’s designed to keep them listening.

When the headlines end, in comes the main body of

the news which builds on the headlines.

It tells us that the Bank of England meeting

lasted an hour longer than scheduled because

further analytical information was required with

regards to interest rate trends in Europe. The

British rate trend was discussed with the last

two years data described by graphs and so on.

The theme is expanded to cover the day’s

potential angles and then moves on to job losses

in the Midlands. If the presenter is quick on

his/her thoughts, they will somehow try to link

the first story with the second.

Now we hear about the details of the company and

its history of achievement. The decision to axe

jobs will have a major impact on other aspects of

the local economy. And so the story unfolds with

interviews of managers and workers alike. This

personalisation of the news has increased viewer

ratings because a lot of the comment is from

regular people in the street. People like you

and me.

So they work their way through the three stories

and usually try to end on a high. People like to

be informed and entertained and lots of news

channels will include a human interest story

where for example, a young child demonstrates

great character by overcoming a medical or

physical problem.

And finally, the news is coming to an end and the

presenters recap the main points which

unremarkably are the same points as the headlines.

But now that the item has been examined there

is room for further comment.

We know this as Winston Churchill’s, tell ‘em

what you’re going to tell ‘em – tell em – tell ‘

em what you’ve told ‘em.

With good linking and interesting development of

the main themes, anybody can achieve a successful

speech structure. Next time you plan a speech or

presentation, why don’t you give this advice a

try?

About The Author

Vince Stevenson is one of England’s greatest speaking enthusiasts, having competed for and won many prestigious competitions. Vince is a founder and lead trainer at the College of Public Speaking. Please visit us at => http://www.collegeofpublicspeaking.co.uk

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Credit And Debt Management
 by: Kelly Kennedy

Today’s consumers benefit drastically from the usefulness of credit. Credit cards are especially useful for large purchases, emergency situations, reservations, identification, and protection from fraud. Unfortunately, millions of consumers abuse credit cards beyond their financial earnings. The use of credit results in costly interest payments and late fees, impulse buying, overextended lifestyles, and the unnecessary stress from harassing telephone calls from collectors.

Do You Think You Might Have a Problem with Debt?

Below is a list that will help determine whether you are a single mother debt problems.

Over the Limit Credit Card Spending

If all of your credit card balances are greater than 80 percent of your credit limits, you should consider this a danger signal to debt.

Too Many Cards/Too Much Debt

If you can’t pay off your combined credit card debt within one year, you should consider this a serious issue.

Out of Money

Many people use credit for small purchases such as food and gas. If you previously paid cash for these or other small items, but are now using credit, not debit or cash, it could be a sign that there is a problem.

High Debt-to-Income Ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio measures the amount of debt you have against the amount of income you are making. You can calculate this ratio by dividing your total monthly debt payment (excluding mortgage/rent) by your total monthly gross income (before taxes). If your debt-to-income ratio is close to or over 20 percent, this is a sign that you may have a debt problem.

Emergencies

Crises and emergency situations do occur, and sometimes people are unable to afford such things such as emergency auto repairs or medical expenses because their credit cards are tapped or the majority of their earnings are put towards debt repayments. It’s always important to keep an open line of credit available for such situations.

Minimum Payments

What many people don’t realize about revolving credit card bills is that making only the minimum payment can take 12 to 15 years to repay. You are not applying any significant amount toward the principal if you are only making minimum payments concluding that you may be overextended and in need of putting together a spending plan.

Using Your Credit to Make Payments on Other Cards

Taking cash advances to pay bills is not a solution for paying off debts. If you are paying one credit card with another you are actually creating more debt. You will also be faced with any cash advance fees and interest from that new line of credit.

Balance Transfers

Many creditors offer new credit cards with balance transfers available at low interest rates for only a limited introductory period. It’s important to remember, though, that after the introductory period the interest rate usually skyrockets up to 19 percent or more. As well, a growing number of credit cards are associating fees with transferring balances.

Skipping Payments

If you are late with getting payments in such as your mortgage, rent, car loan, or utility bills more than once per year and are juggling bills and skipping payments, this is a definite sign that you have a debt problem.

Borrowing Money

If you are borrowing money from family and friends and unable to pay them back while struggling to pay your bills, credit counseling can teach you how to budget or advise you to go on a plan for paying off your debts.

Debt Consolidation Loans

Are you borrowing from a new source to pay off an old debt? Many people who do so obtain debt consolidation loans to pay off all their existing bills. However, once the bills are paid off, some people wind up charging on their credit cards again. This means having to pay back the loan plus the new credit card charges, which ends up driving people into further debt. Learn more about debt consolidation at Incharge.

Unsure of the Amount Owed

If you have no idea how much debt you owe on a monthly basis and keep using credit cards, your financial spending might be slipping out of your control. If you noticed that you were nodding your head up and down as you read through the list of debt problems you could be on your way to a serious problem with your finances. What to do about it as a single mother comes next.

Help for Single Mother if in Debt

If you’re ready to tackle your own debt pile, here’s what you need to do:

Get to know your debt

Study everything relevant about your debt such as your account balances, the interest rates, if the interest is deductible, how and when those rates can change and find out if you’ll face any kind of penalties for paying an account early. If youÕre not sure call your lender and ask.

Prioritize your debt

Divide your debts into two piles

About The Author

Kelly Kennedy writes for http://www.singlemotherresources.com, a great online source for single mothers

nathan@mindcomet.com

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Does anyone know if mortgage lenders call employers to verify employment “100% sure” or just use your stubs?

We are trying to close on a house and i just lost my job, but am still receiving severance – so am praying they may not ACTUALLY phone….

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Life Insurance Fears Following The London Bombings Tragedy
 by: Richard Green

Following on from the tube train and bus bomb attacks in London there was a move from several UK insurance companies to reassure victims that claims would be processed “quickly and sympathetically”. This need for reassurance came in light of concerns that many victims of the blasts would not be covered by their existing health and life insurance cover. This would mean that families of the bombing victims could not only lose a relative, but also suffer financial hardship as life insurance companies refuse to pay out on policies.

Standard Life, Axa-PPP and Norwich Union all announced that policy holders would be covered for events on the 7th July. Standard Life said that the company was not looking to “cause more distress” to victims and their families.

Reuters have been told that other firms such as Churchill, Endsleigh and Direct Line are likely to be sympathetic when dealing with people who have been injured or whose holidays have been disrupted, however these insurers have fallen short of announcing complete cover.

Churchill said that it would, “provide cancellation and personal accident cover if customers are physically injured on the way to their holiday departure…in addition, if any of our customers are away on holiday and hear of injury or death to a close relative, we will facilitate their return home…missed departures due to travel delay in central London will also be treated sympathetically.” This is despite Churchill including ‘acts of terrorism’ exclusions into their policies. This means that policies will generally not pay-out if losses are sustained due to any terrorist activities. This represents one of several general exclusion clauses which are often regularly added to many policies and which prevent payout for particular potentially costly situations for the insurers.

The terrorism exclusion is still regularly included in policies despite the introduction in 1993 of the Terrorism Insurance Program which provides reinsurance cover to the majority of U.K. insurers, is expected to absorb a large proportion of the insurance claims resulting from the 7th July attacks. Under the program, the insurance industry as a whole is liable for 75 million pounds per terrorist “event”, with losses above that covered by a mutual reinsurance pool. Should the costs rise above the funds available through the pool, then the UK Treasury will step in to cover the remaining costs.

Another group recently highlighted who may fall foul of this exclusion is the emergency services workers. Unison representatives have warned that this exclusion clause could leave emergency workers and their families high and dry if they are injured or killed. This would prove particularly disastrous for families with personal insurance policies which cover accidents and that also offer mortgage protection, as the potential loss of income due to injury combined with the lack of mortgage cover resulting from the exclusion, could mean those workers’ families affected may experience difficulties maintaining their future mortgage payments.

Some fire crews in Somerset have already threatened to go on strike due to claims that they may not be insured if they are injured whilst dealing with a terrorist attack. This action has since been called off, but many emergency workers are still justifiably worried, not only for their own safety, but also their families should anything happen to them whilst responding to a terrible emergency such as has already been seen in London.

Unison ( http://www.unison.org.uk/ ) pointed out that its own insurance policy which is offered to members provided full cover and called for other insurers to do the same.

Sam Oestreicher of Unison said, “We are asking all insurance companies to look at their policies and if they have such exclusion clauses to drop them”.

The Association of British Insurers has also tried to reassure emergency workers and other customers saying, “most types of insurance are readily available without terrorism exclusions… The major personal types of insurance, such as life, household and comprehensive motor insurance provide cover for the effects of a terrorist incident as a standard feature of the policy.”

Today the plethora of online comparison sites such as Moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) or Moneyfacts can search all the insurance policies available and provide guides to help consumers make decisions, however the need for people to check with providers to ensure they are not left unprotected has never been more evident.

The insurance industry itself has admitted that some policies do have exclusion clauses and are also advising policyholders to study the small print or contact their insurance company or broker to determine their cover levels.

About The Author

Richard Green lives in Edinburgh, occasionally writing for the personal finance blog Cashzilla ( http://cashzilla.blogspot.com/ ), and reciting Vogon poetry.

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Finding The Right Mortgage Company

There are several mortgage companies that offer a rich array of loan products of services. Below is short list of these mortgage companies.

Fannie Mae Mortgage Company

An industry giant, Fannie Mae Mortgage Company is one of the leading companies that offer home loans. The products and services of this mortgage company make it possible for low-, moderate-, and middle-income families to buy homes of their own. Since 1968, Fannie Mae Mortgage Company has helped more than 63 million families achieve their homeownership goals.

Freddie Mac Mortgage Company

Another mortgage company that is comparable with Fannie Mae Mortgage Company is Freddie Mac Mortgage Company. This mortga
1000
ge company is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by the U.S. Congress to keep cash flowing to mortgage lenders and in the process support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac Mortgage Company purchases residential mortgages for single or multiple families. Aside from that, this mortgage company also buys mortgage-related securities. These mortgages and securities are financed by Freddie Mac Mortgage Company through the issuance of mortgage pass via securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. By doing this, this mortgage company helps homeowners and renters get lower housing costs and better access to home financing.

CTX Mortgage Company

CTX Mortgage Company is a subsidiary of Centex Corporation, one of the Fortune 500 companies. This mortgage company offers several loan programs. One of the loan programs offered by this mortgage company is Conventional Financing. This loan program is not insured or guaranteed by any agency of the state of federal government. Another loan program offered by this mortgage company is FHA. This loan program requires lower down payment compared to conventional loans. This mortgage company offers Veterans Administration (VA) as part of their loan programs. VA loans allow more freedom compared to FHA loans and conventional loans. Through this mortgage company, veterans may obtain 100% loans up to $203,000 with no money down.

Other loan programs offered by this mortgage company include 5/1 Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs), 7-year Balloons, and jumbo loans.

Members Mortgage Company

Based in Woburn, Massachusetts, this mortgage company specializes in providing assistance to credit unions throughout New England. Members Mortgage Company does this by providing a comprehensive, convenient, and cost effective mortgage and loan programs for their clients. Aside from offering services for credit unions, this mortgage company also offers its products to home owners. This mortgage company has lending programs for home purchase financing or refinancing mortgages.

Utter Mortgage Company

A mortgage company that specializes in long term-financing, Utter Mortgage Company caters to commercial real estate. This mortgage company provides direct correspondence for a number of west and mid-west insurance companies. With loan amounts beginning at $750,000, this mortgage company provides financing for properties, such as warehouses, shopping centers, office buildings, et cetera located in Nevada and Northern California. The loan terms involved in this mortgage company are usually 5, 7, or 10 year terms. Moreover, interest rates of this mortgage company are based on the Treasury rate index.

East/West Mortgage Company

This mortgage company offers very low rates on their mortgages. This mortgage company’s loan products include refinance mortgages, home equity loans, and debt consolidation. In addition, the East West Mortgage Company website offers free and convenient mortgage calculator that will help you estimate your monthly payments.

By: WebMedia20

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Hopefully you found this article helpful, it was provided by JVM Lending, the leader in CA Home Loan and CA Mortgage.

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Where can i get a mortgage with 100% financing?

NACA PROGRAM

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2nd Bailout Plan Of $40 Billion To Help You Refinance

The Federal Government is working on $40 billion plan to help homeowners refinance their mortgage and avoid foreclosure.

Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., told the Senate Banking Committee that the government can do more to help homeowners to avoid foreclosure.

“Specifically, the government could establish standards for loan modifications and provide guarantees for loans meeting those standards,” Bair said. The FDIC is working “closely and creatively” with the Treasury Department on such a plan, she said.

First bailout package of $250 billion allows government buy preferred shares directly from banks in return for injected
1000
capital. Nine of the largest U.S banks were signed into $125 billion capital infusion.

Monthly report by Realty Track suggests that foreclosures are up by 21 percent from a year earlier. Foreclosure filings, default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions-fell by 12 percent from August to 265,968 in September.

Many state laws have changed which helped slow down foreclosure fillings. California requires lenders to contact a borrower 30 days prior of filling a Notice of Default (NOD). However, California accounted for more than 27 percent of the nation’s foreclosure activity, with 210,845 properties receiving a foreclosure filing during the quarter. Massachusetts law requires homeowners to give 90 days to become current before filling for foreclosure.

Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana and Colorado were among the top ten states with the highest foreclosure rate in September.

With increased foreclosures U.S home prices fell 0.6 percent in August versus July as huge supply of unsold homes, foreclosures and tighter lending standards have pushed down home prices.

For the 12 months ending in August, U.S. home prices fell 5.9 percent, and the cumulative decline since the April 2007 peak is 6.5 percent, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s House Price Index…

On a Capitol Hill Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress on Thursday he is “shocked” at the breakdown in U.S. credit markets.

While Greenspan has been known as one of the most accomplished central bankers in U.S history, the low interest rates during his last years as Fed. Chairman have been blamed for fueling the housing bubble and eventually led to financial crises.

“At the heart of the breakdown of credit markets was the securitization system that stimulated appetite for loans made to borrowers with spotty credit histories”, Greenspan said.

Former Treasury Secretary John Snow added that risks in mortgage markets were added by accounting irregularities at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Greenspan called the $700 billion rescue package passed by Congress on Oct. 10 “adequate to serve the need” and said that its impact was already being felt in markets.

By: ratetake

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Susan Duey represents RateTake Mortgage Loan marketplace. RateTake matches consumers with multiple lenders offering low mortgage rate quotes. RateTake also operates #1 Debt Help resource center.

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Who can help with a 100% mortgage and no PMI ?

Very few companies are doing 100% mortgages now because of the meltdown of loans. However if you have really good credit and a good debt ratio and employment record then you can get one. If you want no PMI you need to do an 80/20 . mortgage insurance (PMI) is to protect the lender for 20% of the loan. This will help protect them if the loan defaults

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