How to Get a Job in Project Management
Do you love taking charge of a project?
Are you a stickler for deadlines and delivering things on time and budget?
Are you a team player and enjoy juggling several tasks at the same?
If so, then Project Management could be the career for you.
Project Management is a varied and diverse career that spans almost every industry. If you are planning to get a head start on your career, then here are some helpful tips on how to get a job in Project Management.
What does a Project Manager do?
Essentially a project manager is responsible for keeping projects organised within a company. This will generally involve delegating roles and tasks to other people who are involved in the project, while making sure each part of the project is completed within the agreed timeframes and within budget.
Typical responsibilities include:
- Planning and completing projects (managing the all important budgets and creating project plans).
- Managing expectations (making sure the project goals are aligned with business goals and managing key stakeholder relationships).
- Managing teams of people (communicating with team members regularly and removing any obstacles that may be in their way).
It’s important to point out that Project Managers do not carry out the work themselves – they work with delivery teams within the project who will undertake and deliver on the actual work.
How can I become a Project Manager?
Most Project Managers (or PM’s) start off as juniors. Junior Project Manager positions are often given to internal employees who have demonstrated that they are ready to take on and manage a small project within the company.
However, there are also a number of other routes that you can take to becoming a fully-fledged Project Manager:
- Undertaking some training
There are a number of Project Management courses available in Australia, designed to suit different levels of experience and expertise.
Depending on where you live, you may need to obtain some qualifications. These can even be done through CAPM classes online.
– Australia: Certificate IV in Project Management Practice*
– US: Graduate Certificate in Project Management
– UK: Certification for Associate in Project Management
Studying is a great way to develop skills and the practical knowledge you’ll need for a career as a PM. It’s a great way to show an employer or recruiter that you’ve developed core competencies in important areas such as information management and communication techniques.
*(Don’t forget to look out for a training institution that offers Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). RPL is an assessment process that takes into consideration any previous training or life / work experience for which you can gain credits to put towards your new qualification)
- Harness the power of social media
Twitter and LinkedIn are likely to be the most appropriate and useful social media channels to help you. Keep on top of what’s happening on social media by searching for ‘project management’ or ‘project management jobs’.
Not only will this expose you to useful tips and relevant online articles and blogs – but you’ll also be able to find out about new job openings and which companies are currently hiring for these types of roles.
Participate in relevant LinkedIn Groups – share relevant articles that you have found interesting and engage with people in the group by asking questions. This is a great (and free) way to network with like-minded professionals in the Project Management industry.
- Expand your knowledge online
We’ve already mentioned interesting and useful articles that you will be able to find via social media, but don’t forget to search in Google for dedicated Project Management blogs and websites, such as the Project Management Institute.
Set aside time each week to read up on the latest news – you’ll be amazed at how many tips and handy hints you will learn that you can use in a future role.
