Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
I see many PMs out there with various career paths which lead up to being a PM. Many have worked their way up through experience. As the importance in acquiring a PMP certification grew, many aspiring PMs, or those working as PMs were able to attain the certification. Others fell into the role by starting with a professional degree like engineering or construction, etc. These days many folks have opted for a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD and/or a certificate in Project Management. The paths to a PM vary.
Would be great to hear what your path to becoming a PM was, and why you took that path? Saving Changes...
Mark PaleschPresident| Palesch Consulting Group IncCa, United States
"Project Management isn't just a Job for me....It's a Lifestyle!"
From a very young age, I can remember creating "check-lists" and "Task Lists" to help keep me organized, and used this method all throughout elementary, middle and high school. When I first entered the workforce back in 1987, my first job was a stock-boy/checker at "Thrifty's, and my Manager immediately noticed that I did pretty well at managing "short term initiatives". As my career progressed, I was always the person the managers called on to manage projects (albeit at that time I managed projects with a start/end date schedule, a task list, and names put on paper who would be responsible for completing each of the individual tasks and that's pretty much it). I guess I was the "accidental project manager" (Managing projects without a formal PM role/title) although I always knew it was in my blood. As time passed, and the many different Supply Chain and IS/IT roles I held, I continued to put my organizational skills to good work, develop my leadership skills, went back to school, and continued down the career path of Program, Project and Organizational Change Management profession. I worked for the same company for over 27-years, and when the opportunity presented itself, I decided to make the brave decision to start my own business, and get into consulting, and offer advice and expertise to organisations to help them improve their business performance, profitability, management, structure and strategy through Program, Project and Organizational Change Management Services. Saving Changes...
Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
It appears from the responses on this post that many folks became the accidental project manager or assumed the role or were inadvertently branded with role of a PM because of circumstances. Regardless of the path, planned or otherwise, each person embraced the role with confidence and certainty to become successful at it. Many thanks for the responses. Saving Changes...
