As the economic picture has changed, the roles of corporate executives have been combined or expanded to be more productive. Careers in project management involve a person that knows how to get the job done within the guidelines and deadlines, with the resources, tools, and people available to deliver results which can be tracked.
To pursue a career in project management, a strategic planner, team leader, good communicator, and personal motivator is needed. Many of those who enter project management careers have a background in human resources, economics, communications, or business management and finance. All of these skills are needed to be a successful project manager.
The most hirable project managers will have the certifications that reflect a background on project management teams and a proven knowledge of techniques. The PMI or Project Management Institute is the leading association for the project management field, which was established in 1969. They set the standards for the globally recognized certifications, which are commonly the PMP, APMC, or the CAPM certifications. A CAPM does not require previous project management experience, so it is a great way to get into project management careers. The others require a certain number of hours, but all of them require learning and passing exams with an 80 percent or better score.
Certifications are a way to demonstrate your knowledge to potential employers, and many employers require them for their project managers. Depending on what field you are going into, you may be able to use other knowledge such as people management, and successful project completions with results, to land certain positions.
Careers in project management have always been common in the construction field; even building a house or commercial building could be considered a project management position. You have to coordinate people to work together to get an end result in a desired budget and timeframe. That sums up the position of the general contractor on any building job. Cost overruns can happen and the budget can be overspent easily if delays happen which can cause missed deadlines. This is a good example of the importance of project management careers.
You have to be a strategic thinker who can foresee possible future problems in order to avoid them. You have to instill vision of the completed project into each team member’s head and have them all working towards the common goal in order to be successful. Whether it is a sales and marketing campaign, an IT installation and rollout, or building a commercial building, they all demand the same skills and characteristics from their project manager in order to be successfully completed.
Good project management careers can pay in the six figures, so any advantages you bring to the table can help you land a good project manager job. The more education, training, experience, and certifications you have, the better your chances of a successful career in project management.
