I
had an email exchange with one of my students in the Master’s Degree Program
and though it may be of interest to those think of changing careers. This was a
student changing careers and looking forward to a project management future.
Changing careers! I think it keeps life exciting. I started as a medical social worker, then ran the Children's Home for the Cherokee Tribe, went back to school and earned my Masters in Project Management, Worked for a engineering and construction firm and now I am teaching. The skills and experiences I gained were always useful in my next career.
I do not have a technical/ engineering background and I worked for a engineering and construction company. I would not have been good at smaller, highly technical projects but on more complex projects with technical complexity that needed corporation between teams and stakeholders with different agendas, I excelled. I think my social work/ psychology background became an asset. I was also very curious and asked lots of questions.
You have started off right. Ask lots of questions.
Changing careers! I think it keeps life exciting. I started as a medical social worker, then ran the Children's Home for the Cherokee Tribe, went back to school and earned my Masters in Project Management, Worked for a engineering and construction firm and now I am teaching. The skills and experiences I gained were always useful in my next career.
I do not have a technical/ engineering background and I worked for a engineering and construction company. I would not have been good at smaller, highly technical projects but on more complex projects with technical complexity that needed corporation between teams and stakeholders with different agendas, I excelled. I think my social work/ psychology background became an asset. I was also very curious and asked lots of questions.
You have started off right. Ask lots of questions.
1.
Should I start building a portfolio now with small to big projects?
Yes, label everything you do that involves working with people/ team and meets our definition of project (temporary/ with defined scope) a project. Keep a list, because you will forget. Start using your project management learning. If you get assigned a project, develop a project charter, budget, schedule, risk plan etc. Even for small projects use all your tools. get use to using your tools, learn and demonstrate to others how it is done.
Volunteer: For example, the boss might ask: “will someone be responsible for managing the company picnic?" You might respond "I will take that PROJECT. Then develop your project charter for your boss to sign off. Develop the budget, schedule, risk plan, HR plan etc. and show the company how it is done. Volunteer at church or local club, get a reputation as the "project manager".
Keep GOOD RECORDS. Every time you do an activity that is done on projects capture what you did, who you did it for and the time spent. You will need this for when you go after your PMP.
Keep your best work, both class work and work on projects, as examples you can share with potential employers.
2. Are there PM firms that are recommended that may allow for internships?
Most project management jobs are in organizations whose primary function is not project management. I noticed an increase in demand for project managers within the banking industry, within the pharmaceutical industry, etc.
Some organizations are almost your project management organizations. For example when I work for floor which is a engineering and construction company almost all the work was done in projects. There are companies that provide consulting services and training services to organizations attempting to implement project management. These organizations operate like a consulting firm, usually taking in highly skilled and very knowledgeable people farming them out to organizations. These organizations also will provide experience project managers for short duration projects. These type organizations would be ideal for an internship type of experience.
One of the growing trends in industry today is the development of PMO's within the organization. If you can find an organization with an established for developing PMO this is also a great place to get some initial experience.
I do not have connections to organizations that would help me make recommendations to you for internship possibilities. My recommendation is network.
3. What are some ways I can start now to ensure a solid career in this field?
Good question. think about taking a topic within project management that you find interesting and develop some expertise in this particular topic. For example, project start up. What are the different ways to start up project? What are the tools and techniques a project manager needs at the beginning of the project? Develop a deep expertise in one aspect of project management and publishing articles.
Develop a good project management vocabulary and use of vocabulary often. When I hear people discussing what it is we should be doing,, I ask what our scope of work is? My wife often frowns at me and then would explain to people that I was a project manager as if she were apologizing, but I wear it as a badge of honor. Develop a project management vocabulary and use it everywhere.
Always act ethically. Project managers are typically given the tremendous threat responsibility and require the trust of their bosses and organization. Build a reputation that you are a person who could be trusted. Stand up for what's right and the people know that you have a very high standard for your expectations of yourself and your team.
Manage your reputation. Develop four or five principles that you will live by that represent you as a project manager. I am always on time. I do what's necessary to make sure that I deliver time. I developed a reputation in my workplace and unprotected that reputation.
Develop trusting relationship with your clients. always be honest with your client, include your client in critical project decisions, at the end of the project you want your client to say if I have another project I want Anita to be the project manager.
4. I am interesting in becoming a member of PMI, what would I need to do as a student and what should I prepare for now so that I can get my certificate down the road?
You are eligible to become the PMI member now knows you have to do is go on the website plus for membership as a student and you won't have any trouble. If you do let me know.
If you are thinking about the PMP certification, then you will need to be eligible and completing the master's program will take you a long way towards that eligibility. I go back to the first part of this discussion right talk about recording every project activity you do. You will need this list of activities to document your project management experiences to meet the experience qualifications for the PMP.
Let me know if I didn't answer your questions or if there's something else I can do..
Good luck with the program.
Russ
Yes, label everything you do that involves working with people/ team and meets our definition of project (temporary/ with defined scope) a project. Keep a list, because you will forget. Start using your project management learning. If you get assigned a project, develop a project charter, budget, schedule, risk plan etc. Even for small projects use all your tools. get use to using your tools, learn and demonstrate to others how it is done.
Volunteer: For example, the boss might ask: “will someone be responsible for managing the company picnic?" You might respond "I will take that PROJECT. Then develop your project charter for your boss to sign off. Develop the budget, schedule, risk plan, HR plan etc. and show the company how it is done. Volunteer at church or local club, get a reputation as the "project manager".
Keep GOOD RECORDS. Every time you do an activity that is done on projects capture what you did, who you did it for and the time spent. You will need this for when you go after your PMP.
Keep your best work, both class work and work on projects, as examples you can share with potential employers.
2. Are there PM firms that are recommended that may allow for internships?
Most project management jobs are in organizations whose primary function is not project management. I noticed an increase in demand for project managers within the banking industry, within the pharmaceutical industry, etc.
Some organizations are almost your project management organizations. For example when I work for floor which is a engineering and construction company almost all the work was done in projects. There are companies that provide consulting services and training services to organizations attempting to implement project management. These organizations operate like a consulting firm, usually taking in highly skilled and very knowledgeable people farming them out to organizations. These organizations also will provide experience project managers for short duration projects. These type organizations would be ideal for an internship type of experience.
One of the growing trends in industry today is the development of PMO's within the organization. If you can find an organization with an established for developing PMO this is also a great place to get some initial experience.
I do not have connections to organizations that would help me make recommendations to you for internship possibilities. My recommendation is network.
3. What are some ways I can start now to ensure a solid career in this field?
Good question. think about taking a topic within project management that you find interesting and develop some expertise in this particular topic. For example, project start up. What are the different ways to start up project? What are the tools and techniques a project manager needs at the beginning of the project? Develop a deep expertise in one aspect of project management and publishing articles.
Develop a good project management vocabulary and use of vocabulary often. When I hear people discussing what it is we should be doing,, I ask what our scope of work is? My wife often frowns at me and then would explain to people that I was a project manager as if she were apologizing, but I wear it as a badge of honor. Develop a project management vocabulary and use it everywhere.
Always act ethically. Project managers are typically given the tremendous threat responsibility and require the trust of their bosses and organization. Build a reputation that you are a person who could be trusted. Stand up for what's right and the people know that you have a very high standard for your expectations of yourself and your team.
Manage your reputation. Develop four or five principles that you will live by that represent you as a project manager. I am always on time. I do what's necessary to make sure that I deliver time. I developed a reputation in my workplace and unprotected that reputation.
Develop trusting relationship with your clients. always be honest with your client, include your client in critical project decisions, at the end of the project you want your client to say if I have another project I want Anita to be the project manager.
4. I am interesting in becoming a member of PMI, what would I need to do as a student and what should I prepare for now so that I can get my certificate down the road?
You are eligible to become the PMI member now knows you have to do is go on the website plus for membership as a student and you won't have any trouble. If you do let me know.
If you are thinking about the PMP certification, then you will need to be eligible and completing the master's program will take you a long way towards that eligibility. I go back to the first part of this discussion right talk about recording every project activity you do. You will need this list of activities to document your project management experiences to meet the experience qualifications for the PMP.
Let me know if I didn't answer your questions or if there's something else I can do..
Good luck with the program.
Russ
