Ithuta JV

Source: Article by Jacqueline Dasso Haddad, PMP - Senior Product Manager, Microsoft

My fellow community members, I have a confession to make. For the last several years I have shied away from a project manager title for fear that I would be pigeonholed. We have all been there, limited in what people think we actually do based on a title. Now let’s look at this past year. The economy tanked, many of us lost a good portion of our savings and unemployment continues to hover around 10 percent. So what is a project manager to do today as many companies have held off on hiring and starting many projects for that matter? The answer is use this time to hone our skills, discover new roles that really require a project manager to be successful and learn how to market (or “re-market”) our skills for a changing economy. Whether you are a seasoned project manager, a self proclaimed PM or finding yourself wanting to enter the profession, read on. Although I never claim to have all the answers, I hope this article will offer a different perspective as well as a bit of hope.

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From my perspective, the era of the project manager is back. Gone are the days of the project manager being perceived as an unnecessary burden that just got “in the way” of getting real work done because of their utilization of the processes and procedures that govern the profession. Now more than ever, when a company decides to embark on a project, business leaders are demanding a clear ROI, explicit expectations about the longevity of a project and, more importantly, results. An article was published about the changing role of the Project Management Office and future of PMOs in the new economy.
Before we dive into more detail, let’s cover a few statistics. I found a wealth of knowledge on several sites forecasting the state of the labor market and where professions are headed in the future. When I tried to find information on a “project manager”, the profession was bundled in with Computer and Information System Manager. One line summarized the job growth for computer programming, system design and yes, project managers as being “Faster than average employment growth is expected, and job prospects should be excellent.”

The “Natural Project Manager”
Now we address an opportunity for “natural” project managers. Many people over the years have developed into “self proclaimed project managers.” No formal training per se, just lucky enough to have worked in the profession and know that it fits their professional DNA. If you are one of those individuals, great! Now is the time to further your baseline skills and gain the full project or program management credential. There are many training centers and resource materials available at a minimal cost that will prepare you for the PMP exam: the latest Project Management Book of Knowledge or the PMBOK Study Guide.
The certification costs approximately $150. If you are currently unemployed, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) provides government funding for individuals looking to re-enter the workforce. If an individual is unemployed and wants to pursue the option to become certified in project management, they will most likely qualify for federal funding under this initiative. I suggest checking into your specific state programs that will subsidize training and certification for individuals aspiring to gain full credentials (as well as any time limitations on when federal funding will be available to complete training).
A certification itself does not guarantee a candidate a job. However, it does help with getting past the initial resume screening, which has become increasingly automated. In today’s world, resumes (and in particular key words are such as “PMP”) are used as a filtering mechanism for a company to refine the candidate pool to a more manageable subset. Many months ago (when I thought I knew everything), I wrote an article on the value of PMP certification. The debate around PMP certification (or any certification for that matter) continues. Does a certification actually make a more effective employee? In my humble opinion, the response remains “it depends.” Some individuals will not need a certification (or degree) to prove they are an effective employee. There remains no alternative for solid work experience. But especially in the current economic environment with so many people looking for work, certification remains a quantifiable method to validate an individual’s core skill sets, especially when the candidate is unknown to a company. In other words, it can help you get your foot in the door

The Opportunity for Seasoned Project Managers
As the economy is on the mend (so we hear...and hope), a new movement in the project management profession is emerging. “Green” projects are the new rage, especially with the potential value they can add to a company’s bottom line (as well as being environmentally and socially responsible). If you find yourself a seasoned project manager with no “green” experience, focus on the correlations between your existing expertise and how it is applicable to managing green projects.
In particular, expertise with defining a clear business case and ROI during the initiate phase is crucial. With “green” projects, the goal is project sustainability--or driving projects which have a longevity of operational efficiencies and a clear ROI. You may also want to familiarize yourself with “green” standards as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (specifically, ISO 14000, 14001, 14004, 14010, 14011 and 14012; more information on green standards is located here). The key takeaway is that you may be a PM who has worked in the IT industry for years, but you still have the core skill set for leading other projects in different industries. So don’t sell yourself short!

Looking for a Change
In addition to looking at new industries to support as a project manager, there are also many other jobs/roles that are a great fit for a person with strong project management skills. Or you may find yourself a “classic PM” looking for a change. If so, look for other careers that capitalize on foundational project management skills. PMs traditionally shine in the areas of planning, time/cost management and delivery excellence.If you are looking for a different career, personal assistants, event planners and event marketing careers require a person with PM skills at their core. Have you noticed the similarities with marketing plans and project charters? They both cover objectives, tactics, stakeholders, budgets, etc. Both professions aspire to deliver results within a specific time period as well.
The Occupational Handbook mentioned previously lists the following occupations as having strong correlations with the computer and project management profession:

* Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations and sales managers
* Computer network, systems and database administrators
* Computer scientists
* Computer software engineers and computer programmers
* Computer support specialists
* Computer systems analysts
* Engineering and natural sciences managers
* Financial managers
* Top executives

Now is the time for you to convince the hiring manager that being a project manager is not only about managing IT-based projects. Times have changed--and along with that change the era of the project manager is back. Many businesses are becoming savvy with investments and require individuals who know how to deliver initiatives on time and on budget. One thing I am confident about is that we have the skill set to take on the new economy. Let’s start by doing that one Gantt chart at a time…