Project Manager
A project manager, in essence, is someone who oversees a project to completion. Let's say for example, you are building a small outbuilding at home or have a list of calls and meetings to complete. Most of these “projects” can be done by yourself, but if you have a housing development or are starting on a large business venture, a project manager can come in very handy.
Projects, especially large projects, generally need a project manager. The amount of things to be done can be overwhelming and thus companies “subcontract” out to another person to help. A project manager also ensures that you have another pair of eyes to oversee the project.
What Is a Project Manager?
Project managers basically run the entire project from the ground up. They oversee anything from hiring employees to phone calls and scheduling to dealing with contractors, subcontractors, planning departments, other business owners in general and in the end they report back to the owner of the project.
A good project manager can save valuable time for a business owner and have things run smoothly as well. They have an accountability to ensure all things are done properly. Generally project managers are found in industries such as architecture, computers, telecommunications, and construction. On a smaller scale you may also find project managers in production designs or service-related industries.
The field you are in will determine the type of responsibility you have as a project manager. Architectural project managers will work closely with a construction manager. A coordination of time and schedules for any design changes will be the biggest issue for an architectural manager. Telecommunications and the computer industry work together closely as well, both keeping up with the flow of ever-increasing technology in home computers, software, cell phones and vehicular gadgets, to name a few.
It used to be that education was rarely required to be a project manager. In today's world that has become a rarity and most assuredly you will need formal education. The level of management you desire will determine the education required. It is recommended always to have a variety of business classes to compliment any of the certificates/degrees you will be obtaining.
The most common degrees or certificates will be Associate Program Management Certification and the Program Management Professional Certificate. These are generally two-year programs.
With this education and practical experience one can go far in these industries and make a very good wage. As a last thing to know, always maintain and hone your professional and people skills. Without these, you may end up drastically reducing the chance of a future within any one these industries.
With any employment you will need some people skills, but these are the positions that require extensive skills in this area. It is further recommended to do a class at least once a year in people relations and in most industries of construction-related fields, most states require a continuing education class once a year.
Becoming a Project Manager
In becoming a project manager there are things that one needs to be aware of and these, when all wrapped up, become the qualities one should have to successfully perform an outstanding job. If you lack the majority of the qualities that are discussed here, then you may either be in the wrong field or need additional training or experience.
What Qualities Do You Need?
A positive personality and being well groomed will make the first good impression on anyone, but you will need to go father than that. To be successful you need to have extensive knowledge within the field in which you are working.
It is important to be able to prioritize, be good at multi-tasking, and take a lot of stress and work well under that stress. You need to be able to foresee as much as possible of the unforeseen and act quickly and accordingly to any situation that arises.
Having knowledge of other competitors is also a plus. You will need to implement, set and schedule meetings with employees, owners and others that may be involved. This will help alleviate potential issues, gather input for better performance and keep your employees happier in the long run.
You need to be able to gain the respect of those around you as you are in a leadership position. To gain this respect, be honest, have a vision, be able to communicate effectively, have passion and be compassionate.
Knowledge, skill, and using problem-solving techniques are also a must. The project manager must be able to get everyone to work together as a team and needs to be able to delegate duties.
Project managers must be aware of who is good at what, even what the employees would prefer, and work with that input. This can become a cornerstone of working well. Integrity, empathy, organization skills - the list goes on. Every good quality you would want in someone who was running something for you, you want to be able to give as well.
Not only is practical experience going to be quite important but in 99.9% of the cases, so will education. People can't just walk in blindly and expect to start a project, get it off the ground and make it successful if they don't know what they are doing and if they don't know the industry. A good project manager will have the education to compliment their practical experience. This does include yearly continuing education as it is required. It is also beneficial to attend yearly management seminars to learn new techniques.
If you can be efficient and proficient in all of these then you will be well on your way to that project management job.