But being a project manager isn’t easy. It is a position that carries with it a great deal of pressure and responsibility. In general, it is the job of a project manager to make sure that a particular project is completed both on time and within budget. If anything goes wrong and the project is abandoned, all of the blame falls on the head of the project manager. When and if this happens, the client will not want to hear explanations or excuses. Project managers are people who perform well under pressure and can deal with massive amounts of responsibilities. In short, they are cut from a different cloth.
Why is project management such an attractive field?
One of the reasons students decide to major in project management is because it grants them the opportunity to work in many different fields. For instance, a project manager can work on an engineering or construction project or can help install a new computer network. There is almost no limit to what a talented manager can do. However, it is usually helpful if a project manager has some experience in one particular field. In fact, many of the top project managers have degrees in specialized fields, like engineering or construction. While this is not a requirement, it undoubtedly helps the manager work on the project if he/she has a background in that field.
Another reason that students decide to major in project management is far more obvious -- money. The average graduate who has a degree in project management earns about forty to fifty thousand dollars a year. And, since it is a profession that is currently in high demand, most students do not have to go on a seemingly endless series of job interviews. It is not uncommon for project management graduates to secure employment well before graduation. Not to mention the fact that these students can depend on healthy, consistent bumps in salary in the near future. Since project management is almost entirely based upon your performance in the field, once you have proven that you can handle a project and bring it in both on time and under budget, the world is your oyster. Many experienced project managers earn upwards of one hundred thousand dollars a year, and those in rapidly growing industries like information technology can earn up to twenty percent more.
What are some the top careers in project management?
One of the best things about being a project manager is that you get to choose the field or industry you want to be involved in. Most managers choose to go into industries that they have firsthand experience in. The more popular ones are construction, engineering, production, and design. These fields offer competitive salaries, but other industries are also growing rapidly. As we mentioned, project managers who are involved in information technology earn an average of twenty percent more than other managers.
