I regularly get questions from aspiring project managers from around the world. Since project management can be new for many people, I’m including a response I sent to a listener to my People and Projects Podcast who had the following questions:
Q. Seeing as how my knowledge in the field is somewhat narrow, my first question is what exactly is project management?
A. There’s a more technical definition, but in short, project management is how a person or team goes from “idea” to “delivery”. It includes the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques included to deliver company or customer requirements.
Q. What industries are project managers often sought in?
A. Every industry has projects, though not all companies in every industry has the role of project manager. But increasingly organizations across industries are recognizing they must deliver projects and seek people who can do more than just talk a good game–they can actually deliver.
Q. Do project managers always oversee teams? If yes, how large? Do project managers ever work on projects alone?
A. Project work is usually done in teams. Sometimes the project manager has direct responsibility for the team members (as in, they report to him or her) and other times they have to lead through influence (not direct reports). Team sizes vary widely, mostly depending on the complexity of the project (from three or less people to many hundreds).
Q. What kind of personality and abilities does it take to become a successful project manager?
A. I know very strong project managers whose personalities vary widely, from highly analytical to very expressive and everything in between. I find that good leaders often make good project managers: a bias for action, a willingness to take responsibility, reasonably good planning and personal management skills, and strong integrity. “Project management” is definitely “people management” so reasonably good people skills (and a desire to always be improving) are very important.
Q. I looked on the pmi.org website and I see that on the application one has to have completed 4500 hours of project management in order to apply. I am not sure if my current job description qualifies me.
A. Check out this page for how to get your PMP for more information about work hours and qualification.
Q. I did see on the pmi site that there are other learning options such as capm which seems like a stepping stone towards becoming a pmp. Would you recommend that as the starting point for someone who is first stepping into the field? Are there jobs being offered for someone with a capm certification?
A. CAPM is a fine certification. Especially if someone can’t qualify for the PMP because of work experience, it’s a reasonable place to start. If getting a job is your priority, my experience is that hiring managers and resume filters are less knowledgeable about the CAPM than they are of the PMP. I’m not saying CAPM isn’t worth the investment of time and money…. I’m just saying the PMP is much more so. Our project management training is helpful for people and organizations looking to develop practical project management skills that can help people deliver in the real world.
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