Michael CrossOperations Director| Dent SteelHuddersfield, United Kingdom
With it being relatively early in my career as a PM, and with my PMP qualification still fresh, I am very eager to learn what is out there for project managers such as myself.
I have it in my head that one day I would like to become a self-employed/freelance PM but I don't know how feasible/realistic that is and what experience is beneficial/extra skills are required (such as personal accounting, invoicing for hours etc.). I currently have 7 years PM experience all of which is in the Oil and Gas sector.
I am hoping for this to be a thread about your experiences in your career that you feel would be beneficial sharing with people such as myself who are openly exploring the avenues open to them.
I've spent a fair number of years being a hired gun and roughly the same working as an employee PM practitioner.
The administrative mechanics of being a hired gun are fairly straightforward and could likely be explained by someone in your local network who has been doing it for a while over a couple of cups of coffee. The main advice I'd provide is get a decent accountant to help you navigate the do's and don'ts of expense claims.
The big decision for yourself is what additional experience do you wish to gain to help you feel more fulfilled and to position you well for a future role?
Will you:
1. Go deeper within oil & gas
2. Jump industries
3. Specialize - for example, project recovery
4. Move into a capability-focused (vs. delivery-focused) role such as a PMO leader or methodology consultant
Hi Michael - You need to create an image and a good resume. Tap into your contacts and start looking for opportunities.
There are pros and cons being employee Vs independent contracting. Evaluate these and take a call. Saving Changes...
