You would have successfully completed plenty of projects and think that you can make a magnificent career in project management. Have you ever sat back and evaluated what does it take to become a successful project manager.
We all know that typical responsibilities of a project manager include the following:
- Planning
- Executing
- Winding Up the Project
- Managing Team and Expectations
Apart from these, a project manager should be ready to wear multiple hats depending on the complexity, resource constraint and project size. For instance project managers might have to gather business requirements and in some cases might have to work part time on multiple smaller projects or full time on larger projects. Project managers should be able to effectively handle the team in order to achieve project objectives.
Considering Project Management as Career?
Preparing for PMP Certification? Take this test to know where you stand!
It is indeed one of the hottest career options available. As agencies and organizations focus on achieving higher productivity, there is an all-time need for competent project managers. Businesses across the globe are now looking forward to achieve greater customer satisfaction with minimum resources. Gone are the days of customer satisfaction. Here are the days in which customer delight matters the most.
What is in it for you?
Value and marketability are the other two most important aspects that one needs to consider while making a career choice. Being a project manager in the West can fetch you the following benefits:
- Excellent compensation and benefits (top dollars)
- Raise your industry standards and achieve anticipated results
- You will be working in a profession that offers seemingly vast opportunities for advancement and growth
- Plenty of opportunities to achieve continuous professional development.
What Can I Earn?
Salary levels may vary based on industry, experience level and by the formal education or certifications held by an individual. Following is the annualized median salary for project management professionals in the U.S.
| Experience | Annual Salary |
| Three years or less | $65,000 |
| 5 – 12 years | $85,000 |
| Over 20 years | $100,000 |
Career Options Available in Project Management
Opportunities knock when it comes to project managers. Scope is limitless and includes a wide array of industry sectors who seek skilled project managers. Right from information management to systems manufacturing, from risk management to product development and from financial services to educational training talented project managers are the most sought after.
Have You Considered LinkedIn Groups and Twitter?
One of the free and effective ways for networking with professionals who are like minded is participating in the LinkedIn groups. You will get a minimum of 3000 results when you search the LinkedIn directory for project management.
Be it advanced or novice users of Twitter, it is definitely easy to invest ten minutes every day on Twitter. It is just not possible to run a Twitter search for project management and find no result that excites you.
What Skill Sets Do Global Organizations Seek?
It is a well-known fact that project managers shoulder huge responsibilities and, therefore, need a blend of expertise that combines organizational, managerial and leadership traits.
Organizational skills imply an organized and detail-oriented approach to deal with overseas team and clients. Being the top professional, project manager must also be able to handle stress, tight timelines and money.
Analyzing the project requirements and client implementations and chalking out the path to get there is one of the aspects considered by organizations in the international market.
With the increasing stress in the ongoing project, it is essential for the project manager to keep the focus solely on the project goal without getting deviated.
Job Outlook
Project management is that soft skill which is held high in the IT radar for over a decade now.
Project managers mostly have degree in business administration. However, certification as a project manager can help project managers in improving their chances for grabbing the best jobs in the market to a great extent.
Top certifications for project managers in the U.S. include the following:
| Certification | Project Management Professional P® |
| Requirements | Candidates must obtain an eligibility ID from PMI by submitting an application which discloses that they have the following requirements:
|
| No. of Exams | One |
| Cost/Exam | For PMI members - $405 USD For non-PMI members - $555 USD |
| Certification | Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) |
| Requirements | Candidates must obtain an eligibility ID from PMI by submitting an application which discloses that they have the following requirements:
|
| No. of Exams | One |
| Cost/Exam | For PMI members - $225 USD For non-PMI members - $300 USD |
- CompTIA Project + Certification
| Certification | CompTIA Project + Certification |
| Requirements |
|
| No. of Exams | One |
| Cost/Exam | $253 USD |
- Master Project Manager (MPM)
| Certification | Master Project Manager (MPM) |
| Requirements | Candidates must have completed and AAPM-approved training course.
|
| Exam Type | Online |
| Application Fee | $300 USD |
- Certified Project Manager (CPM)
| Certification | Certified Project Manager (CPM) |
| Requirements | Candidates must have completed and AAPM-approved training course.
|
| Exam Type | Online |
| Application Fee | $300 USD |
With increasing competition and complexity in the industry sectors, the need for project managers has also drastically increased. Business sectors looking forward to maximize their efficiencies without increasing the cost always welcome efficient project managers. Competent project managers can be the back bone of an organization.
Project management is one such profession which offers great diversity, excitement, challenges as well as an excellent earning potential.
References
- http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/project_management_certifications-it_training-pmp-capm-comptia,2-305-2.html
- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/gg634723.aspx
- http://www.villanovau.com/leadership-skills-project-management/
- http://www.esi-intl.com/~/media/files/public-site/US/POVs/ESIViewpoint_Top-10-PM-Trends-2013
