Managing projects, programs and portfolios is what my current occupation requires of me and to both enhance and test my knowledge in this growing profession, I have taken the initiative to acquire certifications in them. As my resume highlights, I have acquired most of the significant ones recognized in the project management fields. There have been debates as to the validity of these certifications and whether they measure any significant metric to assess the competency of a project manager. In my opinion, there are very valid arguments on both sides, but regardless it cannot hurt you to get these certifications.
Some certifications such as the Certified ScrumMaster only require you to pay and attend a 2 day seminar, and others such as becoming a certified trainer or technical SME for a enterprise PPM tool set such as Planview, Clarity, Primavera, etc. would require you to work in a Fortune 500 company and get access to and training that can cost thousands and even hundreds of thousands. The two most popular and fortunately cost effective for those who cannot get a company subsidy for it, are the Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Technology Specialist in Microsoft Project 2007.
To assist those who are considering pursing these certifications, I have decided to place notes, study tips/guides, and links that I have built up from my studies.