If you’re looking to step into a role as a Project Manager – or if you’re curious whether it’s something you’d enjoy – there are a few things you can do to break into the industry. Project Managers tend to be a welcoming bunch, so showing your interest in the following ways will likely get you a foot in the door, and a helping hand from those already in the PM community.
Be a Sponge
Soak up as much information on becoming a Project Manager as you can. There are tons of great resources, templates, etc. available online. Learn the craft to make sure, first, it’s something you truly want to do (it’s not all rainbows and unicorns) and, second, you can speak intelligently in interviews and with other Project Managers. Ask those you know to introduce you to any Project Managers they know. Alternatively, reach out to Project Managers on LinkedIn to see if they will give you a couple minutes of their time to answer a few questions. Ask them about their career and learn as much as you can. Some great questions include:
- How did you become a Project Manager?
- What are the greatest lessons you have learned along the way?
- What are your favorite resources?
- What advice would you give an aspiring Project Manager?
That said, unless you are talking to a not so great Project Manager, most folks are really busy, so be extremely respectful of their time. A guaranteed way to fall flat in this is to invite someone to coffee to “pick his or her brain”. Don’t do it. Their time is precious (and certainly worth a lot more than the $2 you will spend on their coffee). Instead, be prepared with a few questions (not an endless list) and talk to them via phone or email.
Get Involved
The Project Management Institute is the global professional organization for Project Managers. It is worth spending the money to join each year (and they offer discounts for students). There are industry-specific communities that are worth getting involved with (for example, in Construction, IT, or Agile – whatever topic or industry you are most interested in), and dozens of PMI chapters all over the world. I highly recommend attending PMI chapter meetings in your area and getting involved as a volunteer. Not only will you learn a ton of new technical and soft skills, but you will also meet a number of Project Managers in your area. I have known Project Managers who started in this profession as a direct result of becoming PMI chapter volunteers.
Get Certified
There are also a number of GREAT Project Management courses and certifications out there. Why take a class? Getting Project Management training shows a potential employer that you are serious about making this a career and, at a minimum, lets them know you can speak the language. Here are a few of my favorite courses:
- Project Management Fundamentals – This is usually a one or two-day course that will give you a good overview on the basics
- Certified ScrumMaster – This is a two-day course that teaches you about Agile and Scrum – an exciting approach to delivering projects more quickly and with high quality. Plus, it’s super fun.
- CAPM/PMP – A note here: PMP is a more advanced certification, and you really need to have some Project Management experience under your belt before taking this course and exam. However, you can get the CAPM credential (also from PMI), which is the precursor to the PMP and a good overview of Project Management concepts.