Project Management Career - Is it Right For Me? (Let's be Real)

UPDATE: The Masterclass has been closed. But you will find all of the same material in the "Creating Project Plans People Actually Follow" course.

Welcome to PM Perspective's first ever episode! Our theme for this month is going to be "How to Get a Project Management Job." In today's episode I talk about the traits a person should have if they expect to have a successful career in project management.

[JordanBartholme]

SUMMARY REVIEW - The 5 Most Important Traits Needed to be a Great Project Manager:
(1) 4:58 - Must have a GENUINE interest in people & CARE about them. ("goodwill currency")
(2) 7:15 - Must GENUINELY enjoy politics. (acknowledgment that every person comes to the table with their own set of objectives)
- (figure out what people want, and if there's a way you can give it to them in the course of completing the project)
(3) 9:04 - Need to be a HEALTHY skeptic. (you need to find evidence to confirm that what people are telling you is true; both with those producing under you and those "calling the shots" over you)
- (have a keen interest in the WHY & HOW, not so much the WHAT & WHEN)
(4) 12:42 - Must be okay with CHANGING CONDITIONS. Consider different scenarios & possibilities-- BE AWARE of changing conditions and requirements and BE OPEN to changing the course of the project along the way.
- ("No plan survives contact with the enemy.")
(5) 15:10 - Must be able to TRUST YOURSELF to make decisions (even in the times when you don't have all the information you want) and must be okay with BEING WRONG sometimes / making mistakes.

[Proximian]

I have 20+ years as a Project Manager and I feel the information you shared on this first video was very well done. Many people simply think that Project Management is about being organized and having the ability to follow a schedule. This is far from the truth and you clearly explain this. Although its not an easy job, for those who truly enjoy all aspects of Project Management, they will enjoy the challenges, the failures, and the victories that comes with it.

This is why Sociology is an underrated discipline. A sociology degree and a PMP certification can make for a good resume.

[earthangelexplore]

I'm on the edge of deciding this as a career. So appreciate this A LOT.

[anpe]

I'm about to get hired as a project manager for the first time, you described me perfectly with this video!! THANK YOU ... I never thought there was a position that puts together a way to use all my talents, your video was very useful!
1. Genuine interest in people (influencer + leader)
2. Enjoy politics (acknowledging and observing everyone's objectives)
3. Be skeptical (gain evidence + question executive orders)
4. Interest in ‘why’ and ‘how’
5. Be okay with change and don’t expect structure: “No plan survives when in contact with the enemy.”
6. Trust yourself (make a decision before you have all the info)

[Adoula]

Thanks for the video. I’ve been a PM for 2 years and I gradually started hating my job more and more. I thought it was just my workplace. As much as I would like to have the traits you mentioned the reality is I don’t and thats probably why I’m struggling in my role.

[mariciawatkins]

I am an entry level PM. I was actually hired with the title "Executive Assistant" and my boss changed my title to PM my first week on the job. From what I can tell based on the tasks that have been assigned to me I am actually a little if both. Part PM/part assistant....in any case it's been very exciting for me so far and this is the first video I have seen of yours but I look forward to watching more of your content and learning how to be a successful and effective PM.

[kalparaj]

You've nailed it. As you've mentioned in one of your comments, there's a lot of talk about the technical aspect (PMP etc.) of project management. Not much about the soft skill angle of it. In IT services, project management has more or less become a default path for career progression. It's important to understand if one has the aptitude for project management. It's great to see somebody coming forward to talk about it. Addressing the elephant in the room. I think it's time, people start talking about the intricacies or the deeper aspects of this career path, so that the future generation can benefit from it and make informed career choices.

I noticed, few of the folks have mentioned in the comments that you took a while (e.g. 6 mins) to get to the meat of the content. I think it's perfectly fine, as it's really important to set the context right, before you jump to the real thing.

The video looks quite professional and I loved the name of your channel :)

[space]

Thank you so much for this video.

After watching I decided that this was not a good matching career path for me, better to know now than later!

Thanks again

[SgtMajKong]

You took 6 min to get to the meat and potatoes of the traits to have in PM but I’m glad you’re covering this topic. Wanted to say thank you for this help. I have been searching for a field to make a career change in for two years and you have helped me to make this decision. Keep delivering this content and I will definitely support you.

[leroywilkinson]

This video solidified my passion for being the most effective Project Manager and sets me up for the next level of my career....thank you for your insight Jason

[denverpoole]

I like this video because if you are studying for a project manager interview (like I am) it gives you the competencies the interviewers are probably going to be asking about! This is a great resource thanks!

[ytweypg]

Doing a lot of research before heading back to school This video just assured me that I’m making the right decision.

[harleymoshers]

Someone else actually pointed out to me that I would make a good project manager. As I started to look into the schooling needed for that and experience I felt a little uneasy and wanted to make sure this was the right direction to head in my career. Watching this video definitely made me feel more confident going into this field. I also tell people my favorite part of my current job is the fact that I get to work with a different group of people every week! The training I do is the same but people are all so different that it’s never the same experience. I love it! Thank you for the reassurance that all the work I’m going to be putting in will take me to where I want to be.

[takamia]

This was very helpful to me. I've been a bartender for 10 years and am trying to make the change. Having the right mindset for what the goal is and how people typically all having our own expectations is totally correct. I'll be watching your channel a bit more.

[james.randorff]

After 18 years in the Navy, learning every year how to do everything I can to take care of my people and get the best out of them within the bounds of the mission, yes, this is something I am ready for and excited about. Thank you for making this video!

[mikeprevitera]

I learned more about project management from this video than I did in first 4 of the 5 years I went to college to get a degree in engineering technology.
Subscribed!

[vickyjackson]

I am so reassured that I should pursue this as a career! I’ve been floating around not really knowing what would work for my abilities, but this sounds like it’s so for me! Thank you

[rebeccamcclain]

Thank you for this! You've told me it's okay to question what I'm doing, when everyone else is telling me not to worry. I honestly don't know which direction I should go. Due to some unexpected life events, I am back in school at a small business college for the first time in over 30 years. I hadn't ever heard of PM until now. I declared it as my major because so many people (including Admin) have told me I would make a great PM with my soft skill set and because it was the major that came closest to complimenting and capitalizing on my life experience as a homemaker. I usually know if something is going to work for me or not, by jumping right in and learning about it as I go. But I can't tell with this one. My classes are fun and fascinating. I enjoy the challenge of PM and being part of a team. I love deadlines and do well under pressure. I enjoy people and I present well. And... I also get lost in all the reading and don't make all the connections I need to be making to really understand the stuff. How much do I really need to know coming in at an entry level position? I have hung in there, with only one class left to complete before getting my certificate because I want to finish what I started. But what is the point of getting a certificate in something I don't really understand? Do I trust that the dots will eventually connect? Or is this evidence of it not being a good match for me?

[adamyorke]

I've been an IT PM for 20 years. I came up the old school way. Developer, programmer analyst, business analyst and then this. You're describing the job in an ideal universe. Project management has changed since I started. Speak to the realities of being a PM in a matrixed organization. Speak to the dichotomy of responsibility vs authority. You're doing a disservice to the people that listen to you.

What and when is never the first couple questions. However, why and how may not be appreciated questions by your clients. Maybe you can get away with those questions on small projects that cost less than $100k. When you are managing 8 figure projects, asking why and how to C level executives is going to get you replaced. You're expected to already know why and how.

You have to be wired a certain way to be a successful PM. That wiring is dependent on the PM's skills and experience, as well as the organization in which they find themselves. Anyone that says different, hasn't done the job for very long, nor has had true authority over a major effort.

There are no shortcuts. Getting a CAPM will position you to be a project coordinator. My hope is that if you get to that point, you'll be assigned to a senior PM that will teach you how to do the job. Getting your PMI is no different without previous PM experience. Likewise getting certified as a scrum master.

Experience and demonstrated success in the role is what gets you more work and more complex/visible/expensive projects. Reading books, watching webinars, getting a degree in project management does not make you a PM. Growing into the role is what gets you there.

Put in the work to get there. All the rest of it is just noise.