Good day, I am starting out in project management. I would like to know what my first steps should be?
Like certificate programs or diploma programs?
I also want to know if I want to work in other countries except for South Africa what would make me a better candidate for the job than local candidates? Saving Changes...
I would suggest doing a self evaluation where you map your prior work history to PM core competencies. Do you have core knowledge in some specific industry, leadership experience, business management knowledge, experience using the typical tools and processes employed in PM?
Whenever you want to go from a current state to a desired end state, you need to know your starting point, just like if you wanted GPS directions to help you navigate to a destination. Saving Changes...
Unless you really want to invest in a full certificate or diploma program, taking a foundational, comprehensive course in project management, joining your local PMI chapter and networking heavily and looking for any opportunity to practice the profession (either in a voluntary or paid capacity) would be a good starting point.
Roles as a project analyst or coordinator are also a common stepping stone into a full fledged PM role.
Dear Cobus,
Project management aims to succeed in dealing with the business vision, clients, strategies, and business resources, leading a team or groups of teams to take jointly or individually decisions to achieve the project objectives. Such resources comprise internal and external actors (people), systems, organizations´ assets living and interacting within an environment. Indeed, they encompass the project and business context characterized by continuously changing.
Each team member or leaders need information valuable and timely, insight and knowledge (practices, techniques, tools) to make successful decisions. Those enable them to perform an adequate assessment of the situation to respond actively to the different risks and issues, solving daily and complex problems during all execution of the project.
All previous mentioned will require a period, permitting you to experiment by yourself and get meaningful learning. Thus, I recommend start walking before running. The first step is to gain experience working in the different areas of project management, at least for one or two years. Meanwhile, try to acquire qualifications within universities, institutions, and organizations, for developing knowledge about new techniques, practices, and tools. Take the opportunity to validate each new knowledge with your daily experiences. This will help you learn meaningful, understanding why such technique and/or practice will successfully solve an issue. Also, how to choose or tailor practices depending on each situation. Search job opportunities to challenge yourself, leaving your zone of comfort, working in organizations that permit you to grow.
After all those experiences and knowledge, you can obtain certifications to validate your qualifications and experiences in project management. Of course, the certification preparation process will improve your competencies to design innovative and successful solutions to create value in your organizations, in Africa or wherever you would like to work. Saving Changes...
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