Do I want a career in Project Management?
This is a very interesting topic. I had never thought about being an IT project manager before taking project management course. Perhaps most of us may not think that we are anywhere closer to this position. However, we are living and working in the information times and changing is constant. Who knows what will happen to our future careers? I believe there a large probability that we are going to be involved in project management as an accountant, or a team member or maybe a project manager. Personally I would like to try many different new things. So I would certainly like to be open to an opportunity working in project management.
After studying Module 1 of Project Management, I realized that IT project management plays a very important role in the whole process of a project. The success of a project largely depends on the project management, which includes integration management, scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resources management, communications management, risk management and procurement management. Thus, a project manager should have all of these management skills to fulfill his or her duties. This means that a solid knowledge of management and practical skills are needed for project management.
Further research of qualifications from the job of project manager at www.monster.ca reveals the following specific requirements in common:
Education
All the positions I searched required a diploma, degree or formal training certificate, or professional certification in computer science or related discipline. So post secondary education is mandatory for project manager.
Work experience
Most project manager positions need minimum 5 to 10 years of related work experience. Project management is not about theory; it is a combination of knowledge and practical skills.
Communication skills
Project manager needs to possess the ability to speak and write clearly and concisely in a variety of settings, listen effectively and get message across effectively.
Time management skills
Project manager should the ability to prioritize work, multi-task and keep up with the schedule.
Strong analytical, interpretive, and problem solving skills
These are basic skills for project manager because part of project managers’ duties is to help team member to identify and solve problems encountered.
Technical skills
Possession of appropriate technical knowledge and skills can help to ensure project quality and team high-level performance.
Negotiating skill
Negotiating skill plays an important role in project management, outsourcing and procurement.
Creative thinking
Project manager should have the ability to think creatively in order to meet busniness solutions for clients.
Leadership
Project manager should have the ability to motivate the team to work together in the most efficient manner and mitigate team conflict.
Managing change
Project manager should have the ability to embrace new technologies, meet emerging market demands, respond effectively to changing conditions, apply continuous improvement techniques and create new business opportunities.
From the above qualifications searched, we can conclude that educational background and work experience are the foundations. Without basic knowledge in IT and related fields, it would be impossible to perform other skills properly. For example, if a project manager doesn’t have sufficient knowledge on IT, how could this person perform other skills like communication, problem solving, negotiation and creative thinking? Working experience is extremely important for a project manager. The project itself is a practical experience of putting ideas into reality and it is usually expensive and critical for an organization. A failure of a key project may cause a failure of an organization. Without successful project management experience, a project manager may put an organization at high risk. So get sufficient knowledge on IT and get involved in project management is the start point for those who are interested in project management career.
The following is a list of job titles searched in getting information on qualifications of project management:
Project Scheduler
Assistant project manager
Project manager
Project management consultant
Business analyst
Senior program manager
Change realization manager
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3 comments:
After reading your first paragraph, I have a weird conclusion: how can we get the same paradigm on becoming project managers.
I might become project managers one day even after I got CGA.
Project manager is the good choice when we are tired of numbers.
It is never too late to learn.
When I read through the sentence “Who knows what will happen to our future careers? I believe there a large probability that we are going to be involved in project management”, I think it is so true. Your words remind me I actually experienced the project management when I was working for this radio station. I was assigned a task by my boss to computerize the process of program log generation in five months. The purpose was to simplify the work process for operator, so operator could just click on the computer and broadcast the pre-taped programs and commercials instead of finding cassette tapes and putting them into machine. That job involved accounting, creative, program and IT departments. I had to take this job because I was the one using that customized accounting software for broadcasting industry which covers the function of generating program log. So, I think we have to be prepared; there is a big chance we will involve in project management even though we don’t like it.
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