- What did you do before becoming a project manager?
- Why did you become a project manager?
- How has it benefitted you?
- Why are you still a project manager?
I'll start.
Before falling into project management, I worked in customer service, event management, and technical support. Without meaning to, I worked my way into project management; I had other objectives, but when the opportunity presented itself it made sense. I stayed, for over 20 years, because it continued to make sense.
Being a project manager has given me opportunities to work closely and build relationships with people across most organizations at the companies I've worked at, learning more about how the business works, and doesn't, than I would have, otherwise.
My title is no longer Project Manager, but it's still part of what I do and, to be honest, a little bit of how I think. It's a skillset I plan to continue to use and hone as my career evolves in other ways.
Prior to being a PM I was an implementation consultant helping companies to improve their IT operations management. There was significant project management involved in the role so my manager suggested I take a PM course to see if I was interested. It ended up being a soft skills leadership-focused one and I was hooked as I saw it provide an opportunity for lifelong learning.
While it has been my career till my retirement at the end of last year, it has benefitted me through the network I've built, the opportunities for giving back and the ability to apply what I have learned to non-work pursuits.
While I am not managing meaningful projects now, I am actively mentoring a number of new & intermediate experienced PMs with their career growth.
Before stepping into project management, I spent five years teaching in a remote Indigenous community through an NGO focused on delivering equitable, high-quality education. One day, a community member asked if I could help manage a project—they were struggling to find someone reliable. I figured, why not give it a shot? Three months in, I realized I genuinely enjoyed it. That trial run sparked a three-year journey in project management. Eventually, I found my way back to engineering—driven by something personal: the visible impact of mining pollution on our land and water. This time, geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering
Akin Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
I started my professional career with a project, a software conversion, in 1974. After that, I worked for 12 years as a software developer, yes, on projects but not managing them. Then I changed my career to become a systems engineer, helping customers to adapt, change, and maintain their data centers, for 2-3 years. I was asked to run a major data center migration project, and after that, I decided to quit software development and systems engineering to pursue a project management career.
The feedback I got from this project was that I excelled in communication and influencing and trust building. I understood that staying in technical areas would become harder as I got older and that knowledge over time will not be building on previous knowledge. This is a major difference to working with people, as you build your expertise on your experience, and especially difficult situations. Im never regretted this decision. Saving Changes...
I had a technical degree and found a part time job in accounting while I was in college. My first job as an engineer was to help with projects launching because I could speak English. When I was offered a manufacturing job I rejected it and looked for a projects related job.
I found it exciting, interesting, dynamic, relevant and strategic. I loved talking to people, finding solution to problems, working in teams, preparing presentations and planning. I was promoted and recognized for doing a good job by customers and management and as a result I kept doing it.
I still do project management because I still feel the excitement of having impact in the strategic objectives of the company and because the mindset also has a big influence in my personal life. Being project Manager makes me happy. I am curious to learn more about how to it better and to have different type of projects, in different areas like Human Resources or publishing. I don´t imagine that I would do anything else, the mindset is part of my DNA now and I love it. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Because I like not to work...hehe
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1 reply by Aaron Porter
Aug 05, 2025 3:22 PM
Aaron Porter
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Both funny and true. There can come a point in your career where going back to something else no longer makes sense. Maybe it's a cut in pay, maybe it's a lack of qualifications. In most cases, the best thing you can do is move forward, whether that means continuing to grow as a project manager or evolving into something else.
Both funny and true. There can come a point in your career where going back to something else no longer makes sense. Maybe it's a cut in pay, maybe it's a lack of qualifications. In most cases, the best thing you can do is move forward, whether that means continuing to grow as a project manager or evolving into something else. Saving Changes...
I didn't realize I was a project manager when I became one - the role was positioned as a client account manager but I became the "new launch specialist".
Terms like critical path were frequently used but no one ever explained what they meant! It was only years later when I fell into a PMO role that all became clear!
Now I move between business analysis, project management and project portfolio management in my life as a consultant. Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
Main reason: To drive meaningful change.
Why do I still enjoy it? Because it allows me to interact with a wide range of professionals from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, giving me a unique opportunity to learn and grow.
And the big bonus: every project is different—there’s never a dull moment. Saving Changes...
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