Jennifer Hunter-Oden
Smyrna, GA
BUCEC, Certificate in Project Management
Jennifer is currently a program manager for Corporate PMO for Allscripts®. She serves as a primary business liaison for a major business implementation project that the company is working to complete. Jennifer has many years experience as a project manager, leading projects to successful completion.
She decided to obtain her project management certificate, PMP®, because, although she had years of experience, she was not certified and felt that it was holding her back from opportunities. “I had been laid off and was unemployed and searching for a new position. My entire career involved projects and leading teams, but I was not certified. I found that certification was something that mattered significantly to potential employers,” Jennifer said.
It was during this time that Jennifer decided to earn her certificate with The College Network®. “I looked online to see what was out there and realized quickly that The College Network would be a good fit because of their partnership with the Boston University Corporate Education Center,” explains Jennifer. After speaking to a program advisor, she had a better understanding of what the program would entail and decided to move forward.
Once in the program, Jennifer was impressed with how much the TCN content was in keeping with the current edition of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). “I felt that the material was delivered in such a way that it allows one to remember all important factors. It truly allowed me to put myself in the example situation and think about the tools I would apply to best fit the project,” she said.
Jennifer feels she was able to work through her program so quickly and easily because she was not working full time, and it should appeal to those who have a need to re-tool. “Had I been working full time, it would have taken a bit more focus but would have been still achievable. I was able to take time and devote myself to obtaining my certificate because of my availability. I was working during the PMP® Prep Exam course and it was hard, but you just have to have a dedicated focus to get it done,” said Jennifer.
After Jennifer started in her program, she updated her resume with her certificate plans and received a job offer not long after. She feels that this update was a major contributing factor in the job offer she received. “I was able to add to my resume that I would receive my certification in December. I actually was hired beforehand but I don’t think that would have been the case had I not indicated that I was pursuing my PMP® certificate. I also think if I would have started my job search and was certified, I would not have experienced as long of a period of unemployment. When interviewing, the first question I was asked was if I was certified. Right now in the job market, competition is very fierce,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer recommends The College Network’s certificate program to other professional who are contemplating taking the next step in their professional development. “The learning technique is really good and I feel that this is definitely the way to go. I can tell you that advertised boot camps will not help you be successful. Anything that tells you it can do it in 4 days—you can’t pass a 200 question test on that much information by learning information in such a short time span. Use the tools in The College Network program and you will succeed. It is very doable,” she said.
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