What's more important? having the experience, knowledge and the track record as project manager or just having costly certificates in your profession?

I am sure that we all agree about how many got certificates and didn't even hired yet ? but mean while we can't deny the importance of it , which lead us to one answer both are COMPLEMENTARY , Finally any one have been hired any place in the world , the basic question is what physical experience you have for the job applied for ? then come any certificates , Also we all must take in our consideration that all employer just want one thing ( Work to be done in accurate way ) and not a certificate just to hang it on the wall.

My view on this,1) Importance of Certification: -----> Having certificates proves you are competent in that area rather you have knowledge and you are aware of international practices.
------>Now, you need to convert this knowledge into the expertise by facing practical challenges.2) being experienced professional doesn't proves that you know best practices followed by project Management world.
Even if you know, nobody will acknowledge and they may pay you little less.
Conclusion: Certifications are required to boost your career.
And the most important thing the best outcome is the result of knowledge coupled by hardcore experience.
Application of knowledge is crucial.

Certificates help differenciate you from the heard and make it easier to get noticed in case you're looking to switch jobs for instance..

Experience however is always more important in the long run.  You need to be able to apply what you have learned to succeed professionally.

Having experience is most important as knowledge comes from practical experience.
Certifications are a plus point as multiple techniques read in theory can be applied during project execution and they can only become refined and strength of a successful project manager after the practical experience.
In other words an experienced project manager without the certifications is more successful and a better choice rather than less experienced one with a lot of certifications.

كلاهما مهم للغالية يمكن ان تكتسب خبرة عملية من خلال عملك في ادارة مشاريع كمهندس ...
ولكن ستجد نفسك تنقصك الادوات والعلم الذي يساهم ويختصر عليك زمن في فهم بعض الامور المتعلقة بالعمل ولكن عندما تتخصص اكاديميا بدون العمل مسبق في المجال ، ستجد علوم كثيرة لن تستوعب كيفية استخدامها الا بعد الشروع في العمل انا شخصيا افضل العمل في المجال لفترة معينة ثم الشروع في الدعم الاكاديمي ، لكي تكتمل الصورة

I think it also depends on what you are going for and your determination. John Major was a UK prime minister but a school droup out. The problem is getting to the interview stage and many recruiters will only look at certificates in the first stage. However there are always other ways of standing out especially if you really have a passion for your field and thats by putting up a simple blog and discussing the field, maybe even interviewing a few people in your field. This will show your employer your true passion for the field. 

 

All in all in my experience while working in the middle east good certificates are a must. 

Any given time, Experience is important than any certificates.

 

Experience is the attestation for your certificates.

Know that Project management is Art+Science. Art is what and how you are, learnings ganed through experience. Science is certificates. I would rate Project management as70% Art and30% application of science. Hope that helps.

Abdul Rahiman

PMP,RMP,SP,ITILv3, CSM