Project Management

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PMP Certified. Unemployed (mostly). Struggling on Next Steps. Pivots Galore

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Anonymous

In short, I am looking for advice and I am hoping someone out there understand how to help me move forward in my career development.

In my 20 years as a professional I have figured out what I do not want to do. And things I enjoy, but don't know how to pivot or improve on.

  • I started in the energy industry as an senior analyst then for a moment as a project manager. I was at the company for 7 years when I decided I wanted a change and went for a start up where I ended up becoming furloughed. I continued down the energy efficiency path for another 3 years with a well known govt contractor, but during this time I really wanted to be hands on and starting learning how to code. I started taking a bootcamp on coding.
  • I got recruited to a 6-month contract as a front-end developer and project manager, thus staring my first industry pivot.
  • Since then I have been a developer, a product manager, and a project manager. For some time I was product manager for voice apps (though I did a lot more of the PM work) and then a project manager on (mostly) website design, development, and launch. What I loved is the research, sometimes working hands on, reviewing work, being part of creating great user experiences, and collaborating on ideas.
  • My last endeavor was a Marketing Operations Project Manager for a manufacturing company with a large e-commerce site. I won't go into details, but either the job, industry, or company (or maybe all) wasn't the right fit.
  • I chose to leave my job and get my PMP.
  • I have part time work under an NDA for a travel company doing UAT in AI products. There is an element of fun to this.
  • I love travel, specifically planning travel. I love events. Specifically planning events. Creating experiences, themes, budgeting, and keeping spreadsheets of data is my fun place. Yet I have no real professional experience (outside of being a certified travel agent and some volunteer experience) in this realm.
  • So now I sit here going, what's next?
  • I know I am not a sales person. I have learned this multiple times.
  • I know I hate being dishonest. I saw how much my last job tricked people into spending more money for "upgrades" that were not actual upgrades.
  • I know I need a balance of heads-down work, collaboration, research, and hands-on creation.
  • In my ideal job, I would make a difference, I would celebrate achievements with my team, and I would create the best user experiences ever. But I don't know how to obtain this.
  • I have learned that getting as job just as a Website Project Manager doesn't really exist to a great extent and I have struggled with what to call myself in my resume. I would probably have to gain experience in Marketing/SEO to improve my chances.
  • If I went the event manager route, what are my options? What certifications do I need? How do I prove myself and get that job?
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Kimberly Whitby
PMI Team Member
Online Community Specialist| PMI Newtown Square, Pa, United States
Thank you for sharing your journey so openly. It's clear you've accumulated a wealth of diverse experiences and have a solid understanding of both your strengths and the areas you enjoy. Given your passion for travel, event planning, and creating memorable experiences, it may be worth exploring roles that blend these interests—such as event coordinator, travel experience designer, or operations roles in travel and hospitality tech companies. Leveraging your project management background and PMP certification, you could seek out opportunities that value organizational skills, creativity, and hands-on involvement, even if they are outside the traditional career path you’ve followed so far. Consider reaching out to professionals in these fields for informational interviews, and perhaps take on small projects or freelance work to build relevant experience and confidence as you pivot. Remember, your diverse background is a unique asset, and it's never too late to carve a new path aligned with your passions.
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Alaa Alnafori
Community Champion
Imam Abdulrahman bin Fasil university
Thank you for sharing your journey so openly
Your throughline is experience design + structured delivery. Stop chasing narrow titles and aim for roles that sit in the middle: Experience Delivery Manager, Product Ops, Digital Experience Manager. These fit your PMP, PM/dev/UAT background with minimal pivot.
If you choose events/travel, you don’t need many certifications—proof matters more. Build case studies from volunteer work, travel planning, budgeting, and execution. Start with contract or agency roles.
Key move: pick one path for the next year, rewrite your resume around experiences delivered and value created, not job titles.

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