There are plenty of leading roles in a business setting that a competent person can fit into. For example, there are highly authoritative positions such as CEO, CTO, and CFO, and there are different kinds of managerial positions as well. One such title is that of a project manager.
The scope of project management has only been realized in recent years, and with that, we have seen growth in project management courses and training programs. These training programs teach you every skill you need to know as a project manager. In addition, a very well-contained program will also assess your leadership skills and test how well you handle risks in a work setting.
If project management is a career aspiration for you, let’s see why the role has gained such popularity, what steps one must take to become a project manager, and where someone with a project management degree starts their career.
You could join a Project Management Bootcamp if you aspire to be a project manager and lead a project.
Table of Contents
Why choose Project Management?
Many project managers that began their careers in independent startups didn’t start with a course in project management. So often, people in other professions who want to get into project management wonder if it is really necessary to get training for project management.
The role of a project manager is challenging, no matter how small the business. So without proper training, you would be left underprepared and underskilled. Joining a project management Bootcamp will familiarize you with all the different areas of a business you will have to work with. You will be making executive decisions for the company, handling big and small projects, interacting with various types of clients, and handling a team. So if any company wants to give you all that responsibility, then they will need an official proof of skills from you.
Getting a project management degree will be that proof of skill any employer might be looking for.
How to become a Project Manager?
A good start for a successful project manager career is acquiring the proper knowledge and learning the right skills. You will have the upper hand if you have spent some time working in the industry. So to put it into perspective:
- Get industry knowledge
- Take a project management course
- Apply for project manager positions
- Constantly upskill yourself
A person with professional experience will be better able to apply the knowledge these courses teach to his professional life. Also, being a project manager will require you to upskill yourself constantly. Businesses are innovating every day, and as a project manager, you will have to keep up with many new technologies in projects.
The career journey of Project Management
Never make the mistake of taking up a degree or course just because you heard about it and how much scope it has. No career has scope unless you are passionate about it. So instead of approaching the career subject backward with how much scope project management has, you should think about whether you see yourself in the position of a project manager.
If you do, let’s give you a visual as to where your journey starts and what you can do after getting your project management degree.
Project Coordinator
With a new Project Management degree and no leadership experience, your first role will be more collaborative. You will work closely with a senior project manager to help him plan and oversee projects. While working as a project coordinator, you will get to polish up your communication skills and organizational skills.
Depending on the industry, there might be similar entry-level positions that require the skills of project management.
Project Leader
Once you’re experienced enough, you can step into the shoes of a project leader. Your responsibilities as a project leader will include overseeing a team of professionals working on a project, laying out the basics of the projects to everyone involved, taking the initiative wherever necessary, and ensuring that nothing is going over budget.
In some organizations, a project leader is the project manager. In that case, there might be a senior project manager position or directly the head of projects for you to answer.
Project Manager
The role of a project manager or senior project manager is complex. At this point, a project manager is not just handling a team and a project; they’re developing solutions, ideating and innovating new creative products, and working on multiple projects simultaneously. And on top of that, new learners in the field will look up to you for guidance so you will also have to be available for them.
This position will challenge you to use the skills you learned in your project management certification course.
Head of Projects
The ultimate goal for anyone pursuing a project management degree is to become the Head of Projects. This leadership position in some organizations is known as Director Of Project Management. A business needs to be vast enough to require a Head/Director of Projects, so you probably won’t find direct guidance from and about this position in your initial years if you’re working for smaller companies.
The Head of Projects is responsible for handling the project management team and ensuring all project plans fit into the bigger picture for the organization. In addition, they make executive decisions that will affect the company’s future.
Conclusion
If a business is to be successful, it needs to be handled by competent professionals. Having a Project Manager on a team gives the organization the stability it requires to function correctly. Many small businesses are realizing this and are hiring project managers to handle multiple projects they’re undertaking.
This is the right time to join a project management Bootcamp and learn everything that you can. Once you have your project management certification, you can fit into any of these leadership roles that allow you to work on innovative projects and put your skills to the test.
So don’t be underprepared and underskilled; you understand now what the future holds for a person with a project management degree. Don’t let hesitation get the better of you.
