Should you consider making a career in project management?

I am enthusiastic about project management in general, and helping others new to the industry in particular, as a project management certification holder.

But, let’s face it, let’s be honest. We’re all crazy.

Project Managers are not for everyone.

There is a special type of gluttony that comes with the territory when it comes to punishment (some consider it a clinical condition). The decision to pursue a career as a project manager should not be made lightly.

As I learned more about the work of a project manager when I first started out, there was a certain resonance I felt. Everything I had appreciated about my past jobs seemed to be a part of this wacky concept known as project management.

Do You Fit In?

Those gleaming, showy project management jobs may look appealing, but do you really want to undertake this sort of work? Is your personality suited to this kind of work?

Do you like working with people?

I don’t mean anything like social work (though I might have something there), but rather the ability to communicate technical concepts to business folks and get geeks enthused about what upper management wants. As the Project Shrink puts it, “Projects are about persons.” ‘The value of communication in project management has become a cliché, but it is true nonetheless.’ I suggest you to accomplish it successfully and bravely as a project management certification holder.

Are you passionate about this stuff?

It’s a lot of fun for me to create something that has never existed before. Even if it isn’t a concrete, physical result, it is extremely satisfying for me to be able to reflect on what we accomplished as a group. ‘I am passionate about process improvement and transformation.’ That’s one of the reasons I selected project management over other project management occupations (project manager, business analyst, project controller, programme manager, and so on).

Do You Like Challenge?

One of the best things about project management is that at least once a week someone begins screaming, “My hair is on fire!” ‘My hair is on fire!’ ‘My hair is on fire!’ ‘My hair is on fire!’ ‘My hair is on fire! But seriously, I can’t even detect the scent of burnt hair anymore.

Do you like thinking about a project from every possible angle?

Because you’ll need to do that in order to be productive.’ ‘They all have to be satisfied,’ says the client, the team, the sponsor, and external stakeholders. Every 10 minutes or so, you should be able to change your shoes.’ Because the nature of projects is to change needs and methodologies as they progress, you’ll always find yourself in circumstances where you’re the hostage negotiator, trying to keep everyone alive and pleased.

Do you thrive on change?

Isn’t it a dream, a theoretical construct that only exists in the pages of your project management textbook, that a project plan is finished and then very nothing changes from there?

This isn’t to say that you should throw your hands in the air and let anarchy reign, but it does imply that good change management should be a key strength.’ Uncertainty and change are inevitable, and how you cope with (and anticipate) them determines your success.

Want to learn more about project management career prospects? Enrol in a project manager of business analyst course today!