{"id":2619,"date":"2021-05-12T19:58:48","date_gmt":"2021-05-12T19:58:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/center-professional-education\/?p=2619"},"modified":"2023-02-14T02:45:38","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T02:45:38","slug":"building-career-confidence-brian-clonts-pmp-success-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/center-professional-education\/2021\/05\/12\/building-career-confidence-brian-clonts-pmp-success-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Career Confidence: Brian Clonts’ PMP Success Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"two<\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian\u00a0<\/span>Clonts<\/span>\u2019 career is the\u00a0<\/span>epitome\u00a0<\/span>of working one\u2019s way up the professional ladder. After beginning his career as a non-destructive technician, Brian\u00a0<\/span>became\u00a0<\/span>a senior technician, a superintenden<\/span>t, and<\/span> a project manager. He is now serving as the materials department manager in Terracon\u2019s Chattanooga office. As a self-proclaimed \u201cmanager of project managers,\u201d Brian uses what he learned in UTC\u2019s <\/span>PMP<\/span>\u00a0Exam Prep<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>c<\/span>ourse<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to make sure his company\u2019s project management processes flow smoothly.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Marah: Why did you pursue the PMP certification?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian: My company recognizes what I can do, but those I interact with outside of the company don\u2019t know the full scope of my abilities. While working on various projects for Terracon, I use a resume (sometimes several resumes!) depending on the scope and size of the project. The PMP certification boosts my resume and\u00a0<\/span>gives me<\/span> credibility. The industry highly values certification; many project manager jobs you see on Indeed require PMP certification. Of course, implementing what I learned has improved my organization\u2019s processes as well!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M: How did you find out about UTC\u2019s course?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B:\u00a0<\/span>A\u00a0<\/span>former manager of mine<\/span>\u00a0told me about the course<\/span>. He\u2019s the one that recommended UTC, and he knew the program coordinator personally. <\/span>I am glad he pointed me in UTC\u2019s direction.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M: What did you learn in the PMP course that is beneficial to you\u00a0on a daily basis?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B: The<\/span>\u00a0information I learned in the<\/span>\u00a0course has helped me keep up with my direct reports<\/span>\u2019<\/span>\u00a0projects more closely. I am more of a trust and verify guy, and I like to let my project managers do their own thing. However, the course taught me to pay closer attention to certain aspects during the verification process. I catch details that I didn\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>catch\u00a0<\/span>before.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>What did you enjoy about the PMP course?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B:\u00a0<\/span>The course was interactive. The instructor kept my attention, which sometimes isn\u2019t the easiest thing to do. <\/span>It was way more interesting and fun than I thought an intensive prep course would be.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>What advice would you give to someone studying for the PMP? What are some study tips\/takeaways you implemented?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B: I have a six-year-old, and you can imagine that children are distracting study budd<\/span>ies<\/span>. If you have kids, it\u2019s important to have a support system (mine was my wife) to help entertain them during your study time.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The class is designed to help you pass the test. Everything that you are told to highlight is being emphasized for a reason. I suggest that you study your course notes in-depth.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, when it comes time to take the test, be confident. If you\u2019re thinking to yourself, \u201cI am probably not going to pass,\u201d you probably won\u2019t pass. Build yourself up!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M: What\u2019s an important lesson you learned in the process of earning your certification?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B: This old dog can still do new tricks. I am middle-aged and hadn\u2019t taken an exam like the PMP in forever. It was a pat on the back that I could pass the exam. Obviously, there were business-related motives behind taking the exam, but the motivation to prove that I can do what I set my mind to\u00a0was\u00a0a personal motivation. A little confidence goes a long way!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M: What\u2019s a fun fact about you?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B: I watch Disney Plus more than my six-year-old.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M: Is there anything else that you would like to share about your PMP course experience?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

B: You may not use everything you learn in the course in your specific role, but it\u2019s helpful to see\u00a0<\/span>a broader\u00a0<\/span>project management<\/span>\u00a0picture.\u00a0<\/span>I was able to grab the aspects that applied to my job and fill in the missing gaps. Take the course and go after your certification; know you can retake the exam if you don\u2019t pass the first time. It\u2019s a no-brainer! If you\u2019re going to manage any project, ever, then you will find the PMP to be useful. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/h4>\n

\"Marah<\/p>\n

Marah Whitaker (think Laura with an M) serves as the marketing assistant for the UTC Center for Professional Education. During the workday, she spends time writing blog posts, creating content for social media, developing email campaigns, and building relationships with CPE\u2019s customer base. During her free time, you can find her getting lost in a good book, having spontaneous dance parties, playing piano, and going to Buffalo Wild Wings on Wing Night. Professionally and personally, she aspires to live by Mr. Feeny\u2019s advice, \u201cDream. Believe. Try. Do Good.\u201d She strives to use her passions to serve others and contribute positively to the world around her.<\/p>\n

Connect with Marah on\u00a0LinkedIn.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brian\u00a0Clonts\u2019 career is the\u00a0epitome\u00a0of working one\u2019s way up the professional ladder. After beginning his career as a non-destructive technician, Brian\u00a0became\u00a0a senior technician, a superintendent, and a project manager. He is now serving as the materials department manager in Terracon\u2019s Chattanooga office. As a self-proclaimed \u201cmanager of project managers,\u201d Brian uses what he learned in UTC\u2019s… <\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1540,"featured_media":2626,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[58402,110214],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2619","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-project-management","8":"category-student-success-stories","9":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nBuilding Career Confidence: Brian Clonts' PMP Success Story - UTC Center for Professional Education Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Building Career Confidence: Brian Clonts' PMP Success Story - UTC Center for Professional Education Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Brian\u00a0Clonts\u2019 career is the\u00a0epitome\u00a0of working one\u2019s way up the professional ladder. 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