Student Version

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Project Management Career Paths

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Where We Are Now

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Project Management Career Issues

Temporary Assignments

Career Paths

Pursuing a Career

Professional Training and Certification

Gaining Visibility

Mentors

Success in Key Projects

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Career Paths
There is no set career path for becoming a project manager. Advancement generally occurs incrementally. Project management responsibilities expand as you move up the organizations hierarchy.

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Temporary Assignments
Project management assignments tend to be temporary.

Permanent job tenure is rarely granted to project managers.

A promising career can be derailed by one unsuccessful project.

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Pursuing a Career
Find out what specific project job opportunities exist in your company.
Talk to people in project management positions and find out how they got to where they are and what advice they can give you.

Share your aspirations with your immediate superior or someone who can champion you ambitions, make training available, or assign you to PM work.

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Professional Training and Certification

Training Resources:
On-the-job training In-house training programs Professional workshops University degree programs Professional organization membership

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PMI Certification Requirements

CAPM
Full Name: Project Role: Eligibility Requirements: Certified Associate in Project Management Contributes to project team High school diploma/global equivalent AND 1,500 hours experience OR 23 hours pm education

PMP
Project Management Professional Leads and directs project teams High school diploma/global equivalent 5 years project management experience 35 hours project management education OR Bachelors degree/global equivalent 3 years project management experience 35 hours project management education 4 hours; 200 multiple choice questions
TABLE 18.1
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Exam Information:

3 hours; 150 multiple-choice questions

Gaining Visibility
Get actively involved in local community opportunities to manage projects. Develop contacts by volunteering for task forces and projects that allow access to higher-ups and other departments.

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Mentors
Mentors are typically superiors who take a special interest in you and your career.

They require loyalty and superior performance.

Take advantage of formal mentoring programs in which experienced project managers are assigned to promising young managers. Attending conferences, trade fairs, and workshops provides good opportunities to network and develop social connections that might precipitate project assignments.
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Success in Key Projects

Pick projects more for the quality of the people working on them than for the scope of the projects.

Keep a diary of your observations and review and refine lessons learned.
Avoid run-of-the-mill projects or assignments.

Seek high-profile projects that have some risks and tangible payoffs.
Consider moving to a different company or even a different industry that might provide more project management opportunities.

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Key Terms
CAPM Mentor PMP

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