Choosing between PMP or Scrum Master will all depend on your goals, the industries you want to work in, and the type of projects that you want to be working with. Here are a few details on both so you can determine what you might like to choose.
PMP Certification
PMP is a general project management certification that covers both structured and traditional approaches to project management. Industry acceptance is widespread; most industries (construction, engineering, finance, health, etc.) accept the certification.
Skillset: It is project initiation, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing across any type of project.
Prerequisites: Requires prior experience in project management and 35 hours of training. So, it is ideal if you have some knowledge of project management.
Career Impact: This certification will lead to higher salaries and qualify you for roles such as Project Manager, Program Manager, and other senior-level management positions.
Scrum Master Certification:
Focus: Very applied to Agile project management in the Scrum framework and facilitating teams, sprints, and iterative development.
Industries: Very applicable to software and IT and industries where Agile is common.
Skillset: Focuses on team facilitation, Agile practice management, and optimizing team workflows.
Prerequisites: No prior experience is required.
Career Impact: It's best for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Product Owners. It's mostly taken in companies that have an Agile team or are implementing Agile.
Which Certification is Better for Your Career?
PMP: If you're interested in traditional project management in all industries, with a big team and with a complex cross-functional project.
Scrum Master: when you enjoy an Agile environment, particularly in IT and software development, and want to support and coach Agile teams.
