Considering a Career in Project Management?

So you have decided to take that first step and venture into the project management space. Firstly, congratulations on your decision to take on the unfamiliar. It can be quite a daunting prospect to change your career or to venture out into the unknown.

Let’s look at a few pointers that you need to consider when venturing into the project management domain.

1. Make a decision and stick to it

Right, so you have decided that you want to seriously pursue project management. There are no half measures here. Ensure that you are fully committed otherwise you are going to dabble and no-one ever gets anywhere by dabbling.

Consider the following questions:

· Where must I start?

· How will I acquire the correct knowledge?

· How will I get practical experience?

2. Draw up a plan of action

Start off by drawing up a plan of action that will take you from where you are now (current state) to where you want to go (desired state). So, in other words, consider what steps you need to take to become proficient in project management. Look at the questions posed above and map out a course of action (steps) that will take you to that desired state.

Then link the steps to times and dates in order to put them into action otherwise nothing will happen. You can use a very simple table to do this and it will also make the steps more real to you when you put it on paper. After completing this step, and being satisfied that your plan is sound, take action and actually do what you planned. Remember a journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step! So get it done…

3. Acquiring the necessary knowledge

As part of your planning include a step on how you will enhance your knowledge about project management. This will enable you to acquire all the necessary knowledge that you will need to make informed decisions on the way forward.

You can read articles, study books on project management and watch YouTube videos, etc. but the best way to acquire knowledge and understanding about the subject is to attend solid Project Management courses that will teach you the theoretical knowledge and the practical application thereof.

There are many different project methodologies and publications out there but try to stick to the tried and tested best practices that actually work in the real world. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a good reference to start with.

It is really important to understand what project management is all about but also how to implement it successfully. Start off by doing the basics first and then progress from there to more advanced courses as you gain experience in the field. The most obvious choice is to attend a traditional class- based course or doing online training.

4. Acquire practical experience

After attending the necessary courses and upskilling yourself you need to apply what you have learned practically. As part of your plan, decide how to go about securing a position on a project in order to acquire practical experience.

Start off by looking for project opportunities in your work environment that will provide practical experience. Also, look at projects in your local community that you can become a part of. Lastly, apply what you learned in your projects. The bottom line is that you need to get practical experience otherwise companies will not be inclined to hire you.

Conclusion

By having a solid, realistic action plan that is clear on the way forward you can avoid some of the common pitfalls when starting out and finding your way in the Project Management space. Ensure that the timeframes that you set for yourself are realistic so you have enough time to acquire the necessary knowledge as well as the necessary practical experience.

Enjoy the journey and good luck!

Regards

Herman