Tips for a new Project Manager

New Practitioners

Whitney Smith United States

Hello! I Have been informally working as a project manager for several years and for various organizations but I do not have any formal training. I would like to pursue a certification but feel I need to learn the basics first but have no idea where to start. I've explored Coursera and am looking at a PMI membership but would love to get some tips and guidance of where to start. Point me in the right direction of any books, tools, resources, courses, etc. the would help and thank you in advance!

Posted: Mar 25, 2026 11:48 AM

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Michael King

Community Champion

Senior IS Project Manager| Baycare Health Systems Clearwater, Fl, United States

Whitney - I recommend that you attend a meeting of your local PMI Chapter. Many chapters offer certification training and ALL chapters will be able to provide guidance. It is also a great place to meet with other Project Management Professionals within your area. Good luck!

Posted: Mar 26, 2026 9:39 AM

Syed Ashir Riaz

Community Champion

AI-Powered Social Media Strategist

Great step, Whitney.

A good starting point is the PMBOK® Guide by the Project Management Institute to understand core concepts. You can also explore beginner-friendly courses on Coursera.

Alongside learning, try applying concepts in your current work, practical experience will make everything easier to understand.

Starting with the CAPM certification can also be a good entry point before the PMP.

Posted: Mar 27, 2026 2:27 AM

Akin Fadare

Community Champion

Ontario, Canada

Whitney Smith you’ve shown strong initiative by actively seeking support to pursue your certification.
If I were in your position, I’d start by accessing the PMBOK Guide online at no cost and pairing that with YouTube channels focused on teaching project management concepts rather than just exam prep. That combination tends to build real understanding, not just memorization.

It could also be worth joining a book club or study group, especially while working full-time or part-time as a project coordinator. That practical exposure, alongside structured learning, makes a big difference.
With this approach, you can work toward certification without needing formal schooling or paying for expensive programs.

Hope this helps, and best of luck.

Posted: Mar 28, 2026 11:10 AM

Bruce Buryo

Community Champion

Hi Whitney, Since you already have hands on experience, I would suggest starting directly with PMI resources. A PMI membership is a great step because it gives you access to the PMBOK Guide, webinars, and your local chapter. The chapter community is especially useful because you learn from other practitioners and real experiences.

My advice would be to focus on understanding PMI terminology and frameworks first, then align your existing experience to those standards. You may find you already know more than you think, you just need the formal structure around it.

Posted: Mar 29, 2026 10:48 AM

Lissette Indhira Pimentel Sosa

Community Champion

Program Manager| HARPER SRL Santo Domingo / Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic

I’d keep it simple and build on your experience.
Start with the fundamentals, scope, schedule, risk, and stakeholders. PMI resources are a good base, but don’t overcomplicate it.

Then focus on practical things: how projects run (Agile basics), tools like Jira or Monday, and especially communication.

If you want certification, CAPM is a good starting point. Just make sure you apply what you learn in real work, that’s what really helps.

Posted: Mar 30, 2026 7:57 PM

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