Project Management As A Career

Greetings Leaders, Project Managers and Future Project Managers….

I had a colleague ask me for some advice the other day. He is a supervisor, acting as a project manager and he doesn’t like it. Most of the projects he manages are fairly small and he spends most of his time chasing paperwork and going to meetings. He was bored and frustrated and wanted to know if all project managers worked like this.

Based on my experiences I smiled and told him no, not all projects are built alike. Projects can be dull, or they can be extremely exciting. There is a HUGE difference between the manager or supervisor who also leads small projects at work, and a full-time project manager on a large project. As a full-time project manager on a large project, you can expect to be running a busy hectic life. Schedules, Budgets (sometimes worth millions of dollars), working with executives and middle management, conflict resolution, drafting proposals and plans. Counseling, Coaching, Team Building. It can be very rewarding as well as exciting.

If you’re thinking about project management as a career, just be aware that not all projects are built alike. A lot of your experiences will be based on your organization’s culture and your role. Take some time to look into what the company is like and what they expect from their project managers. If you currently manage projects but aren’t satisfied, or worse yet, if you’re frustrated, don’t think about leaving project management completely. Check out other opportunities out there and look for something that might fit your personality better.

All the best!
All the time!
JT