I am curious how you came to this work...did you study project management and then become a PM or did you find yourself doing this work and then pursued it as a profession? I'd love to hear your story!
Teresa Saving Changes...
No doubt, like most folks my first exposure to leading projects was accidental, but after a few lessons from the school of hard knocks I realized:
1) I enjoy leading projects
2) I need to get a foundation of knowledge in how to do it well
So, I enrolled back in the late 90's in GWU's PM certificate program, and the rest is history!
Kiron Saving Changes...
Dinah YoungProject Manager / Software Asset Manager| Prince William CountySpringfield, Va, United States
I actually started my career wanting nothing to do with any kind of management. As I went on, I found myself in several situations where someone needed to step up. That someone was always me. Then I realized that I was pretty good at it.
Then I started moving myself into situations where I could get more and more exposure. I take on not only more management responsibilities, but also began leading and mentoring.
I hit a brick wall a few years ago, so I went ahead and got my PMP. I have since taken many classes and webinars in the many aspect of project management. I am starting to work towards a PMI-RMP because I feel that this is one of my strengths and I want others to realize it too. Saving Changes...
Hope FleuterSenior IT Project Manager| Kyyba, IncFort Collins, Co, United States
Hi Dr. Lawrence!
I have been in IT for several years, my entire career actually. As I progressed through learning new things and taking on new challenges and roles, I found myself managing projects more and more, although I didn't realize that was what I was doing until a mentor of mine pointed it out.
This mentor told me about PMI, PMBOK and the PMP certification. I read up on it and thought, well I may as well try it. I am performing much of the work that PMBOK refers to already.
I signed up for a six week long class, took the class and failed miserably! I then realized I needed to gain more real world, working experience of real project management practices.
I read, I studied and I applied what I was learning to my every day work.
A couple years later I took the test again and I passed and the rest is as they say, history!!! Saving Changes...
Julia Taylor-YoungOrganizational Development Lead| Illinois Municipal Retirement FundLansing, Mi, United States
Teresa,
Great question! I had no prior PM experience when the EVP of the organization ask my manager if I could lead a major IT project and once that project was over, they offered me a job of being the org's first PM. For me, I had to study project management in order to really fulfill my duties. First, I got my project management certificate which prepared me to become a certified project manager but I didn't do that until many years later in 2012. What I love most about project management is the people side of projects. Saving Changes...
Krishna PakkiProject Services Manager| Rio TintoGilbert, Az, United States
I choose to do my masters in construction management (of course, it involved a trade-offs between various disciplines and factors though). Right from my first job i am in PMT roles in different industries. fortunate enough to work on very interesting major projects so far. Saving Changes...
Courtni HoldegraverProject Specialist| Enterprise Holdings, Inc.St Louis, Mo, United States
I stumbled into it and after I realized I was/am good at it I pursued a full-time PM position and earned my PMP. Saving Changes...
Rick PascoeIT Project Manager| Toshiba America Inc.Costa Mesa, Ca, United States
I started as a technical resource in IT infrastructure (MCSE etc.) and planned on migrating up through the technical/functional management chain only to find myself running more and more projects. After a couple years I realized I was managing projects full-time so decided to learn more about how others ran theirs and how PMI recommended they be run. I took the PMP for my own benefit but once my work found out, I was asked to be their senior IT PM. Haven't looked back since. Saving Changes...
I was managing different sort of projects for a long time and about a year ago a friend of mine gave me an introduction to PMBOK and certifications offered by PMI for effectively managing projects. I got interested and studied PMBOK for sometime and than decided to go for PMP. Saving Changes...
I started as a website administrator, overseeing the evolving development of our online e-commerce platform. Our new IT Director recognized my organizational and communication skills and suggested Project Management and had me shadow several major projects. He had so much confidence that he recently promoted me to PM. I especially enjoy the collaboration with my team and the feeling of accomplishment at the end of each project. I am now trying to learn as much as I can to give me a solid foundation to grow as well as earn my PMP. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Each person in this world is performing project management from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. When I understand it and somebody give me the opportunity to be on charge for creating and managing all needed to achieve and objective then I was a "formal" project manager inside a company. In fact, at this time I was the supervisor of a group and then I was the CIO. That was 1986 and I was on charge of multiple initiatives. Saving Changes...
