Pivoting from admin assistant to full-time project management professional

Yes Tonya, those projects are relevant experience. Remember even if some of these projects don't use the PM framework (I assume you mean PMBOK) associated with CAPM or PMP, that doesn't mean you cant apply/overlay it over the projects you get involved in, even on a personal level. It's still relevant experience.

ok I guess I just need to think about how to position myself to make it seem relevant. I am involved in a community project so just need to think about how to apply/overlay the PMBOK framework.

Any specific ideas?

Create the project charter yourself, based on what you can learn from the project sponsor and key stakeholders, and have the sponsor review and approve it. It makes a great impression that you really know what you're doing.

Here are a few things I wish someone had told me when I first started out:
1. PMs are taught that every piece of project documentation is important and must be produced, but that simply isn’t true. Most of the clients for whom you’ll work won’t know or care about project documentation.
They hire you to give them results (such as greater visibility and accountability within the project, increased productivity, better communication and work coordination across the project, etc.). You need to identify your stakeholders’ motivations and expectations about the project early on so you can identify what they expect of you.
2. Project documentation isn’t a magical recipe that automatically guarantees project success. It’s just a tool to help create the above-mentioned results. Treating project documentation like holy scripture (i. e. it must always be created in full detail for every single project) is the quickest way to make stakeholders see you as a bureaucratic impediment and turn against you. For example, I work in the Information Technology (IT) field, and IT Engineers and their management *hate* unnecessary documentation. As a result I have never created a formal, signed project charter while working in this field, because it would be deemed unnecessary. However, I obtained the same information required in a charter and maintained it in my own records.
3. Stakeholders generally only want to know information about the project that impacts them personally. However, you’ll be expected to be a knowledge repository from which they can obtain other project information when they require it. Therefore, if you need their input to create certain pieces of documentation, make sure you explain clearly why the information they need to provide is important, how it benefits them personally, and how not providing it can negatively affect them. Also, make dealing with project documentation as easy as possible for users. Don’t just ask the average stakeholder to create a piece of documentation you need. Most will have no idea how, and will resent you for burdening them with more work. I usually write as much of the document as I can, then give it to them to fill in the information I don’t have.
Doing these things will help stakeholders see you as a valuable asset that will make their lives easier. This will make them eager to work with you, and you, the stakeholders and the project will all benefit by it.

Well the first thing Tonya is don't bite off more than you can chew. It's like entering any new job. You state what you know when the time is right, but more importantly what you don't know, and that you will get back with the right answer/solution. Also, when you get involved, you can let the project manager know that you are new at this, but doing what you can to learn fast and build skills and experience, as evidenced by your CAPM training and willingness to get involved with projects in any capacity. Don't worry about making mistakes or looking like you don't know what you are doing; mistakes will be made along the way, and you will and need to learn from them, so welcome them. Also the project manager will be aware that you are fairly new at this and will assign tasks accordingly.

Thx Sante, I will do just that and look you up on LinkedIn. Just what I needed!

thanks Sante!

The role you pursue depends greatly on the fit between your experience and the particular role. It's OK to go for a role that will stretch you - as long as you are confident that you can handle it, and the employer/sponsor is aware of your experience, and that it would be a stretch assignment.