Become a Project Manager: 4 Steps to Start Your Career 2023

As you will see later, there are a number of different certifications relevant to project managers—each with a particular framework behind it. Your certification signifies that you have a solid grasp of that framework. What’s more, a majority of today’s job postings either require or strongly prefer that project management professionals have a certification, meaning you are more likely to be considered for a role if you’re certified. Some universities have even begun offering project management as a major, with majors such as business administration, accounting, economics, and marketing standing out as top majors for future project managers.

So while it’s not for absolute beginners, it’s definitely one to consider as you build out your project management portfolio. Here’s what you need to know if you want to become a certified project manager. Using a flexible and intuitive project management tool like Teamwork.com to manage your work also means that you can get up and running without needing to spend a ton of time on training or onboarding. That’s because the #1 thing you can do if you want to become a project manager without experience is start getting that experience. So if you’re just here for the TL;DR, we’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about how to become a project manager. Now that you know why project management is so important and you understand what a project manager actually does, you might be wondering how you can become a project manager yourself.

Additional Training for Project Managers

However, there are project management courses and certifications you can take to kick off your project management career and give you more leverage during an interview. Being a project management professional doesn’t necessarily mean you have the title of “project manager.” Project management covers a wide set of skills that can make how to become a project manager you a valuable candidate in a variety of roles. The good news is, you don’t have to have decades of experience or a certification to be a good project manager. The “homegrown” path to becoming a project manager is to gain project management experience on the job, and then move laterally or vertically to take on a project manager role.

While there are lots of certifications you can take if you want to, having a degree is not required. There are many other steps to becoming a project manager that you can take. For example, how do you move things around when you get a last-minute client request? A project manager will proactively figure these things out so that you’re not alone when everything feels like it’s on fire.

Enroll in certification courses.

Working in these roles can help you learn more about this field and bolster your experience before you apply to project manager positions. A project management degree is not always required for jobs and certification in the field. However, it is much easier for bachelor’s degree-holders to earn PMI certification. Finding the right project management tool will help you to put everything you’ve learned in your project manager education into practice.

Before becoming a project manager, you might spend some time in an entry or lower-level project management position, such as project assistant, project coordinator or assistant project manager. These positions help project managers plan and oversee a project’s success with less responsibility and are a great steppingstone. You will strengthen your ability to effectively engage others, think critically, solve https://remotemode.net/ key problems, and lead organizational change and strategy initiatives. A career in project management can be an exciting career path for individuals who enjoy coordinating project details, managing team members, and strategizing high-level organizational efforts. The demand for project managers is growing because businesses need people who are capable of managing complex, knowledge-based projects.

Why Choose a Career in Project Management?

In the face of unexpected challenges, project managers remain calm and composed. That’s how they can find innovative solutions to keep the project moving forward. Their ability to think critically and make informed decisions under pressure is invaluable for coaches who wish to support several clients simultaneously. The project manager is responsible for day-to-day management of the project and must be competent in managing all aspects of a project.

• Lead or senior project managers help execute projects with larger scopes, like scaling processes across teams, developing complex products, or leading projects with longer time frames.
• Find out project manager education requirements, salary ranges, and more as you consider this growing field.
• It’s a way to learn on the job and gain advice from other project managers.
• Whether you are a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or programmer looking to manage teams, this tutorial offers valuable insights on how to start a rewarding project management career this year.

These skills are often called “people skills” or “interpersonal skills” because they help you become a collaborative and effective team member. Explore our guide to understand its role, strategies, and how it shapes successful projects. Professionals in project management need to realize that upskilling and staying current on new practices, tools, and technologies is essential to become a project manager and remain marketable and competitive. Then, a worker can focus on those areas to gain additional project management experience.

Formal education and training

More conservative sources estimate a base salary of about $84,000 to $129,000 per year, with an expected median annual salary of about $114,000, with some companies paying as much as $190,000 or more at the top end. Project management jobs are a good fit for workers with strong organizational and leadership skills. Because many industries—including finance, healthcare, IT and construction—need project management professionals, you can find work in a diverse array of workplaces. Your skills development and training don’t need to stop once you’ve become a certified project manager. Don’t be afraid to explore how opportunities like earning a master’s degree in project management can help accelerate your growth.