All Change: Getting into Project Management

Nobody stays in one career all their life nowadays. Some go from teaching into law. Nurses enter the police force. Actors become politicians. Project management offers the greatest opportunity for a career change. Demanding and rewarding in equal measure, it draws on transferable skills rather than industry specialisation.

Do you have the skills necessary for a project management career? How can you prove these skills to your new employer? What do you have to do to make your career transition as smooth as possible?

Are you already a project manager?

You don't need the words 'project manager' on your contract in order to have project management responsabilities. The basic role of a project manager is to organise staff and resources to achieve a long-term goal. Have you ever organised a fundraising marathon or the introduction of fair-trade coffee into your department? Were you responsible for setting up the Secret Santa or the office trip to Brighton?

If so, then you have worked as a project manager. The more experience you can demonstrate to future employers, the greater the chance that you will secure a high-level project management position.

Key skills required by project managers

• Communication

You must be able to defend your project as a viable business option, write progress reports and maintain clear communication with project staff and stakeholders at every level. If the project manager fails to communicate, then everybody will have different expectations and understanding of the project’s goals and status.

• Organisation

Are you obsessively self-organised? Do you write lists for everything, even lists of your lists? Do you schedule your Saturday mornings so that not a minute is wasted? If so, project management and you could be a perfect match. Only with solid organisational skills can a project manager keep a tight rein on project planning and progress.

• Analytical Thinking

Things will go wrong on your project. As the project manager, it is up to you to sort them out. Can you come up with the solution that nobody else could quite reach? Are you up for the challenge of dealing with every obstacle and risk before it arises, without even a blip in your project progress report?

What opportunities are there for you?

Moving into a project management role could mean leaving your current industry and developing your project management skills as an independent specialisation. To succeed in this, you need to have demonstrable project management experience and abilities.

Alternatively, you might be seeking a project management role within your current industry. Advanced specialist knowledge of your subject may off-set a lack of project management experience, although awareness of formal project management methods is essential for getting that first job offer.

What should you do?

A professional project management qualification is essential. The best-established qualification in the UK and in Europe is PRINCE2^®, or PRojects IN Controlled Environments v.2. The PRINCE2 qualification is based on project management methodology developed for the Office of Government Commerce and now used by organisations across the public and private sector, from a variety of backgrounds and industries. Both the qualification and the method are recognised and used on a global level.

The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification demonstrates awareness of the PRINCE2 methodology, and it is vital for anybody wishing to work on a project team. The PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification is aimed, by contrast, at actual and aspiring project managers, and trains students to apply, analyse and evaluate the PRINCE2 method in project scenarios and case studies.

Becoming a Registered PRINCE2 Practitioner is an excellent move for anybody seeking a project manager position. You might also consider getting some work experience, either with a voluntary organisation or through a secondment opportunity within your current organisation. Remember: the more experience, qualification and dedication that you show, the more valuable you will on a project manangement team.

PRINCE2^® is a trademark of the Office of Government Commerce. "PMI" is a service and trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc. which is registered in the United States and other nations.