Project management is for the brave

Picture by Wilfred Ivan, RealisticImages.com

Project management is a very popular topic today. Many individuals are considering it a career while others have the career and don’t realize it. Some just want to use the principles and aren’t very concerned with the title.

For most of us becoming a project manager is a journey, not the destination. No matter how many projects you’ve done, the next project is always a new challenge. If you’re considering project management as a career, here are a few tips from someone who has been there and wondered that.

Project management is not for the perfectionist

For those who must have perfect over good enough – project management may not be your best choice. Most projects start out with great intentions and high energy, then end quietly. The results are usually useful and as  a project manager, you’ve probably already moved on to the next project. Often, the project deliverables change and the final result may look quite different that what was envisioned in the beginning. If you’re the kind of person that can’t “go with the flow” and change directions quickly, think twice about becoming a project manager.

Project managers often don’t control the people

In many projects, the project manager has access to a staff of folks to produce the deliverables. The PM doesn’t have control of their time or work assignments. So, the project may have a deadline that needs to be met, even if your project team has been moved to a bigger crisis elsewhere in the company. This is your opportunity to think creatively – about the deliverables, about who can do what, and how long a task really takes. If this type of constant planning doesn’t excite you, project management might not be your calling.

Cleaning up messes

Project managers are often assigned projects that are ongoing. The reasons for this vary, including people leaving the company, the need for a different PM skill set, or the project was put on hold and the original PM was reassigned. Taking on a project after it’s started can be very difficult. You need to figure out where the project is within the project phases, who is doing the work, what’s already been done, and what needs to be done by when.  It can take weeks of catching up to feel like you’ve got it under control. For many, this is very stressful. It can also be exhilarating if taking charge and seeing results is something you love.

See the results

One of the reasons I enjoy managing projects is because they end. A project has deliverables and results with a final finish date. In many companies, the jobs are a constant cycle of reporting, data analysis, and more reporting. There’s no real unique deliverable that you can point to and say, “We did that!”  For some, the endless cycle is reassuring – there’s always work to do. For me, it was just boring. Once I learned the analysis and report, I was ready for something else. Project management means lots of change. If you like a changing environment, you’ll love managing projects.

For those who are considering embarking on a project management career, please find a few project managers and ask them some basic questions. Every PM’s job is different and every company is different. Before placing all your career eggs in the project management basket, make sure it’s the right career for you.

What would you like aspiring project managers to know about the profession? Let us know in the comments.

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