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The Covid-19 pandemic has caused massive disruptions globally. According to several studies, governments will spend more than $10 trillion on reconstruction projects in the next 10 years. This means there will be millions of projects — more than ever — put into production within the decade, and each will require a project manager.

Project management jobs are already aplenty. Do a quick search on LinkedIn and thousands of roles will pop into your feed. To the point, we did a search while writing this article and found more than half a million openings in the United States alone. These are just a few indicators that the project economy is here to stay.

If you're curious about this career, now is a great time to start learning about the field, what it takes to land a project management role, and if it is the right path for you.

Let's start with the basics.

The role "project manager" is exactly what it sounds like: a person responsible for the day-to-day management of a given project. Think of this position as the chef d'orchestre, football coach, or a CEO of a temporary team who works to create, manage, and track a project from start to finish. Almost every industry — from tech to retail to publishing — requires people with this skillset.  As a project manager, you could be employed by a startup or a big corporation. You could work full-time, freelance, or even be a consultant.

A big advantage of this career is that the skills required are transferable. Project managers often have the flexibility to easily move between industries. One of us (Antonio) spent 10 years in consulting, moved to banking, got bored, and ended up working in pharma. The other (Yasmina) stayed in the telecom industry, but managed a wide range of projects — from software to mobile delivery.

Knowing all this, you might be thinking, "But is this something I can actually do?"

The answer is, yes. You may not have all the skills right now, but with dedication, perseverance, and passion, anyone can learn to be an outstanding project manager. Based on our experience, we'll answer some questions you may have, whether you are a fresh graduate or someone in the early stages of their career.

1) What does a project manager really do?

In the broadest sense, project managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the completion of a project, while ensuring that it delivers the expected results on time, on budget, and within scope.

The exact duties of a project manager will depend on their industry, organization, and the types of projects that the manager is tasked with overseeing. But broadly, all project managers share responsibilities across what's commonly referred to as the "project life cycle." It consists of four phases:

  • Initiating: As project manager you begin a project by defining its purpose, the business case, its benefits, and its high-level scope (i.e., requirements for what the project will deliver). This includes identifying the key stakeholders, or the individuals or groups who will be impacted by the project, including both employees and customers. All of this goes into creating what is called a project charter, a technical name for a detailed proposal.
  • Planning: Once the project sponsor (usually your boss or someone from senior management) approves the project charter, you typically work with a team of experts (assigned by your company) to define the scope of the project and create the larger plan of action. You come up with key deliverables, deadlines, major risks or obstacles you may face, and you set a budget, among other details.
  • Executing and monitoring: As a project manager, you need to ensure that your team members are motivated and complete the work identified in the project plan. Be careful not to confuse this role with being a people manager. Project management does require some people management skills, but only as it relates to creating a high-performing team and helping that team successfully complete the project at hand. Your team members may be made up of people from various departments who report out to others.
  • Closing: Your role as project manager is to complete the project as planned and deliver the promised results. Looking back at the business case, thanking the team, providing individual feedback, and capturing lessons learned are all a part of this important last phase.

2) What basic skills do I need to apply for a project manager position?

You'll need to have a mix of hard skills, soft skills, technical know-how, and an understanding of the business landscape you'll be operating in.

Hard skills

You need a good understanding of basic project management concepts, methods, and tools that will help you make a reliable project plan, identify the stakeholders of your project, or manage the project risks.

More and more universities now offer project management courses, but you can also learn the basics by enrolling in online courses, listening to podcasts on the subject, and watching related webinars to keep up-to-date on any new developments.

You can also learn a great deal from people who are doing the job you want. If you're curious about the role, reach out to project managers in your organization or those in your social circle for informational interviews. You can ask:

  • How did you train as a project manager?
  • How do you keep your knowledge up to date? Are there specific courses you would recommend?
  • What are the most important things to pay attention to as a first-time project manager?
  • Do you have any other advice for me?

Once you have a few years of experience, we recommend that you undergo a project management certification. Two good options are those offered by Project Management Professional (PMP)® from the Project Management Institute and Axelos, PRINCE2® Foundation Project Management Certification. Having a professional and well-known accreditation will open doors to more project management assignments and propel your career forward.

Soft skills

In this role, you will need to learn to communicate well, to actively listen to your colleagues and stakeholders, and to motivate your team. These are skills that we often pick up at school, for example by collaborating with peers on a presentation, leading a field trip, organizing an event, or participating in debates. Still, they can easily dull without practice, and so must be continuously honed.

Here is an overview of some of the most relevant ones and tips on how to practice them:

  • Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive your emotions and those of others. Make a regular appointment with yourself to examine some of the following questions: What motivates me to make progress? When negative thoughts arise, and how do I deal with them? Seek out the help of a coach or request 360° feedback to get powerful insights for your development.
  • Critical thinking is rational, logical thinking. It helps you identify the root causes for any given problem. To hone this skill, pay attention to any assumptions you may be making when executing a project. Make sure you are drawing conclusions based on evidence (and not based on biased experiences).
  • Decision-making is critical, too, as it can help you reason and select the best course of action. The best way to get better at this skill is to be thoughtful (and not impulsive) before deciding on which direction to take. Use questions like: Should the decision be made by me or by the team? If the latter, should the decision require a unanimous vote or a majority vote?
  • Influence is the ability to inspire or persuade other people. As a project manager you will need to know how to motivate people without necessarily having authority over them. Take time to meet one-to-one with your teammates and understand their individual goals. Use what you learn to tie their contributions back to a purpose that will inspire them.

Remember that you won't acquire these people skills overnight. It's important that you're patient and persistent.

Technical know-how

You will also need to have a minimum understanding of the technical aspects involved in the project. For example, if you're implementing a new HR application, you must take the time to comprehend some of the technical aspects of the software, like the phases of the development, the configuration tools, or how it is tested and integrated.

You don't need to become an expert; a certain level of understanding will give you credibility with the team and the stakeholders. It will also help you justify a course of action when talking with your sponsor. If you're interested in a project that's centered on a topic or industry you are less familiar with, you can take an introductory course, read literature on the topic, or talk to subject matter experts to learn more. For example, you might say: "I'm new to the field. I don't intend to become a technical expert like you, but I'd like to get a general understanding of X so that I can be effective in my new role and helpful to my team. Would you mind meeting me to share some insights?'

This should not be a one-off exercise. Make sure that you have a plan on how to keep your technical knowledge up to date depending on what projects you work on.

A basic understanding of the business landscape

Last, but not least, being able to connect the project outcomes to concrete business challenges and the strategic goals of your organization is essential for project buy-in and success. Most of the stakeholders, including senior management, will be more supportive of the project when that connection is made because they will clearly see that the project contributes to an organizational priority.

For example, if your organization works in the social development field, and you're asked to manage a project to increase access to education in Mauritania, you should have knowledge of the different educational systems  — which are the most successful, why, and which alternatives will best fit the specific needs the project wants to address.

Doing this work will help you better define your project and how its purpose fits with your organization's priorities. In addition, when you are able to make these connections and explain them to your team members, you bring much more purpose (and motivation) to their work.

3) What kind of opportunities are available in project management?

Project manager roles take different job titles: project manager, delivery manager, scrum manager, agile coach, product manager. The titles can vary, depending on the country or region you're in, but what's important is that you understand the requirements, responsibilities, and the impact of your role so you can make informed decisions.

According to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the largest and fastest project management oriented employment growth will be in software development — a projected increase of 14% between 2019 and 2030. Much of this growth will come from the development of mobile applications, IT security, and a rise in health care technology.

The current leading industries are manufacturing and construction, information and publishing, finance, and insurance. When it comes to growth by region, four-fifths of the project management employment growth will occur in China and South Asia alone.

There isn't a unique playbook here. Career success doesn't only translate into climbing your organization's hierarchy. You could also consider exploring other development paths, like we have done, such as participating in strategic, frontline projects or leading a global project team. These experiences can be both enriching and rewarding.

4) How do I figure out which companies have the best opportunities?

You can find project management opportunities in all sorts of industries. But which one is good for you? Here are some questions you can as suring your interview to guide your decision:

  • Do you provide training/certifications to help your project managers build new skills?
  • Are project managers fully dedicated to projects, or does the role involve additional responsibilities?
  • What type of projects will I be working/managing: strategic, technology, customers, internal?
  • What is the usual scale of your projects — local, regional, global?
  • What is the usual size of the teams and what are the budgets?
  • Who are the project sponsors I would be reporting into?
  • How do you evaluate project managers' performance?
  • What does a project manager's career path look like at this organization?
  • If I am successful, will I be offered the opportunity to manage larger projects or multiple projects at the same time?

5) Do I have to specialize in one area or can I manage different kinds of projects?

This is a question we get asked often. Our answer is: initially "yes," but in the long term "no."

As a fresh graduate or early career professional, we recommend choosing a project in your area of expertise to maximize your success rate and increase your self-confidence. When you gain more experience as a project manager, you'll have the following choices: stick to the same kind of projects, remain in the same industry but in a different technical field, or move from one domain to another.

When you apply for a new job, your experiences on the ground, your technical expertise, a project certification will determine your success. The best way to grow and develop a career in project management is through continuous learning.

Becoming a successful project manager is not only about your experiences on the ground, your technical expertise, or a project management certification. It is about the opportunity to amplify your learning and to build strong relationships with your stakeholders. By embracing a career in project management, you'll make your own small contribution to shaping a better future for humankind—which is more important now than ever before.

Good luck with all your projects and your career as a project manager!