I'm currently studying for a CAPM certification and have a job interview for a position that I believe will help me get started in the PM field. Here is the job title and description:
Project Controls Administrator
- Project planning and schedule maintenance
- Prepare and maintain detailed work plans and schedules, maintain required project baselines
- Keep resource plan up to date
- Reconcile time applied, work accomplished, and estimates to complete with project team
- Highlight schedule, cost, and resource issues for PM
- Monitor issue resolution and risk mitigation activities
- Assist with preparation of status reports
- Store project deliverables and records of approvals
- Store status reports, meetings agendas, and minutes
- Schedules team meetings, prepares agendas, and records meeting minutes
Is this a good place to start? Where did you begin in your PM career? What is the next logical move after having a CAPM and working in this position for a year or two?
Just looking for some advice and insight on where to steer and focus my efforts.
Thanks! Saving Changes...
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Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
It reads to be a great beginning to your career. Based on what you are currently striving for, and how this description reads, I say it would be a fantastic entry into the field. I wish you the best of luck. If you are passionate about what you are doing and where you want to go, show that. Not simply with words, but through your actions, mannerisms, and the way you speak to your work and aspirations. Trust me when I say that could be the deciding the factor. Saving Changes...
While this is a good entry into the profession, it really comes down to the PM you are supporting. If they are a good mentor, they will give you a chance to learn how to be a PM, not just a glorified "assistant" to them. Assuming you will meet the PM you are supporting ask them whether they will give you such opportunities - for example, proxying for them at key executive meetings if they are unavailable...
It's a very good place to start. The CAPM, the job title, and the job description you mentioned is the perfect trifecta for a start in a project management career. Go for it and good luck :-) Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
To learn about being a PM the key thing to lear is not tools and techniques. The key thing to learn is about the environment and the dynamics. Projects are started to put strategy into action, strategy is the way the organization answer to environmental changes, organization is an open and adaptable system, system is a set of components and its relations, then you will involved into a system and you have to learn from it. It is up to you to keep your eyes, ears and mind opens. If you ask me, if you could, I will start in that position as soon as possible. Saving Changes...
Dinah YoungProject Manager / Software Asset Manager| Prince William CountySpringfield, Va, United States
I think this sounds like a very good starting position.
Good luck on the interview. Be sure to express to the interviewer your enthusiasm for the job. When interviewing try to find examples in your life were you have done similar tasks. For example, project planning and scheduling. Have you ever moved? How did you plan the move? You scheduled a day, scheduled people to help you move, rented the truck, packed your stuff into boxes labeled with what was in them, I also label what room they will go in, directed the movers on where to put the boxes, closed the project by returning the truck, rewarding the helpers (with pizza). This is just one type of example that you could use when you do not seem to have the experience in a business environment but you do in your personal life.
Next step. You get the job. Do not be complacent with just doing what you are told. Use it as a learning experience. Volunteer to do more. Watch how others manage tasks. See what works well and what did not work so well.
After you gain enough experience, take the PMP.
One more note, do not stay too long at the job if you are no longer learning or growing. Knowing when to move on is one of the hardest things.
