Hello. I'm a fairly young professional who's trying to obtain a position as a Project Manager and would like to know where to start. My qualifications include a BS in Electronics and Computer technology, a MS in Info. Systems Technology, and currently PMP certified.....I'm currently also enrolled in George Washington Universities' Masters of Project Management program (seems like a bit much but my company is paying 100% tuition upfront no matter what the cost of tuition but will start caping the yearly tuition add at $8,000 next year so I can't leave that kind of money on the table), I have a little over 4 years experience in the IT department and currently work as a software release coordinator. Is anyone out there with advice for someone with plenty of Academic qualifications but relatively limited experience as a pure project manager? Muchos Gracias for any input (positive or negative but not malicious) Saving Changes...
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Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Anonymous, you have great credentials; BS, Masters, PMP. But I doubt if you learned in any of your studies much about networking, that is the importance of people networking over the course of your career. Companies don't hire project managers, people do. Take yourself and your credentials to every PMI chapter and other PM venues within 100 miles of where you live and start networking. Sit at the dinner table that has the oldest looking people. They have experience, wisdom, and they know a lot of people. Having said that, it sounds like you work for a great company already. Surely, if they are paying for your GWU Masters of PM they have a place and a career path for you. Even if they do, start and continue your professional networking. It never hurts to know people that you can help and that can help you. Good luck. -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Mark, like Anonymous, I too have been trying to become a professional project manager. I have been attending PMI chapter meetings in my area. There are quite a few out of work PMs at these meetings also looking for jobs and they have more experience than me. It is a bit depressing. Do you have any other suggestions? Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Hi Anonymous(2), for one, go about planning your career with the same discipline that you would use in managing an important, complex project. Set clear and measurable objectives and timeframes - how much, by when. The better your plan is, the better your results are likely to be. So, in your career planning, think about what you like, what you are good at, and what you want to be good at. Also, be mindful of what the market needs. I forgot to mention in my previous reply, as you go about your professional networking, network with as many project management recruiters as you can. They can give you an immediate and accurate advice on what companies are seeking and they might very well be able to place you. Good luck. -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
Mike Cooper PMPPrincipal Project Manager (retired, sort of)| New England Project ServicesWestford, Ma, United States
This may be stating the obvious, but have you made your own company aware of your ambitions? I have been working in project oriented IT organizations for over 20 years, and have always preferred to groom project managers from within rather than hiring them from the outside. The role of project manager is so key to the success of the project, and so much is based on interpersonal skills, that hiring an unknown outsider is my approach of last resort. I'd suggest considering looking for some team leading role where you can apply (and learn) some PM skills, then maybe stepping up to running a small project.
By the way, you can practice applying your PM skills to almost any work you do, even if it seems to be just technical work as an individual contributor.
Ask around, talk with your managaer, seek out people in your organization who are doing the role you want to do and maybe find one or two mentors.
It might help to use PM discipline in your current role, dont wait for the title. Develop project management work products (deliverables) that help you in your current position. Re-invent yourself and your current role to be more focussed on project management. Also, change your resume and take out alot of the hardcore technie stuff, soften it a bit and show a good technical background, but put more emphasis on how you used project management skills in your current position. If your goal is to be a professional PM, then you will need to setup a specific plan on how to get there. Perhaps this job is 15% PM and 85% technical, next job would be 50%/50%, and so on. Work on the PM skills that are available to you now. Communication skills are extremely important; setting expectation, writing skills, using the correct method of communication based on the situation. Each time you use a PM skill in your current job, write it down, know it and then you have another PM tool for the next situation. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Thanks all for your replies the company I worked for is a huge Telecom company and is pretty much set in its ways so it is hard to change the culture or receive significant recognition. The advice I really like is the remove the hardcore tech. skills from my resume which I found since posting on monster is what I had to do. I received a lot of feedback from companies looking for PMs but what they really wanted was a Technical lead which is just not what I'm looking for. There seems to be a certain under appreciation of what a PM does in that so many positions out there want their PMs to have an insane amount of technical skills/experience. Any ways thanks all for the input. Saving Changes...
