Become a project manager by building skills and experience, earning a certification, or working your way up on a team.
If you have a knack for organizing people and tasks to complete a job, consider becoming a project manager. These professionals are often natural leaders who know how to break big projects into smaller tasks, establish deadlines, and support others who help them meet their goals. They work for public and private organizations in various industries, which should allow you to find a job in a field that suits your personal and professional needs.
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Project managers help plan and implement projects from start to finish in order to help an organization meet its goals. In this role, some tasks include:
Helping define the project
Setting desired outcomes
Organizing teams
Tracking progress
Managing resources
Project managers also train team members and liaise between clients, teams, and upper management.
The duties and responsibilities of a project manager include:
Creating timelines
Selecting team members
Tracking deliverables
Supporting the team
Your duties can vary depending on who you're working for and the nature of the assigned projects. For example, one company may put you in charge of hiring the team, while another may already have a team in place for you. In addition to these responsibilities, you may do the following as a project manager:
Adjust timelines as needed.
Allocate resources.
Close the project with the client.
Communicate with team members, clients, and management.
Establish performance criteria.
Evaluate performance accuracy.
Keep track of deadlines.
Manage the budget.
Notify clients and management about delays.
Provide necessary information to team members.
Train team members.
A good project manager makes the rest of the team’s jobs easier. They do this by using strong leadership skills, high emotional intelligence, and an understanding of how each person’s role contributes to the larger team.
As a project manager, you need a combination of workplace and technical skills, including effective communication, time management, and data analysis skills. Many project managers use their workplace skills when interacting with stakeholders throughout a project. They also rely on their technical skills when handling specific tasks like budget review. Essential project management skills include:
Budgeting: Projects typically come with budgets, and project managers often manage them. Not only do you keep track of how much money the team is spending, but you also may need to reallocate resources to stay within the budget and meet deadlines.
Communication: Expressing your ideas clearly when speaking or writing to team members, clients, and supervisors is essential. When issues arise during a project, project managers listen to the needs and concerns of stakeholders.
Critical thinking: As a project manager, you must consider factual information to evaluate options and make decisions. This includes gathering information objectively and avoiding assumptions.
Data analysis: Project managers usually monitor how well the team meets performance metrics. These metrics may include the number of errors made, the percentage of tasks completed, the cost performance index, and more.
Decision-making: You will listen to stakeholders' concerns and consider their ideas. You’ll manage input and make decisions that keep the project on track.
Leadership: As a project manager, you will lead teams, so supporting and motivating team members to meet deadlines and achieve project goals is essential.
Problem-solving: Project managers may expect delays in their projects, but they also should have what it takes to solve problems when they arise. This includes defining the problem, exploring solutions, and eliminating what created the problem.
Time management: You will monitor the team's ability to meet deadlines. Your ability to create a usable timeline and anticipate challenges supports your team's success.
Various ways exist to pursue a role in project management. Starting with a high school diploma, you can gain on-the-job experience leading to a project manager role. Alternatively, you can earn a project management certificate to gain the necessary skills or certification to complement your experience leading projects. You can also pursue a formal associate, bachelor's, or master's degree in business administration, project management, or a related field.
Whether you decide to earn a degree or certification depends on where you eventually want to work. For example, if you want to work in the construction field, you may find it helpful to have a degree in construction or engineering. The knowledge of construction methods, materials, and scheduling learned in coursework can transfer directly to your work in the field.
In some cases, relevant experience in organizing, planning, and managing can be more useful than a degree. Leadership skills tend to be universal and applicable to multiple industries. You can build these skills with volunteer work and entry-level jobs where you have opportunities to lead teams. For example, if you want a career as a marketing project manager, you could build your resume with experience as a marketing assistant or coordinator before switching to project management.
It's possible to find project managers in just about any organization. However, you may find greater demand in certain sectors. Typically, companies with teams organize work into projects, like construction firms and advertising agencies, and rely on project managers to oversee projects and meet deadlines. Some common industries and projects that project managers may work in include:
Construction: Constructing new buildings, renovating existing structures
Finance and insurance: Implementing new technologies, transforming business operations
Information technology: Developing software, installing systems, building databases
Marketing: Developing campaigns and building a social media following
Website design: Creating a website, developing content for web pages
The average annual salary for project managers in the US is $104,920, although it varies by industry [1]. Project managers working in the energy sector with oil and gas extraction tend to earn the most, with an average salary of $144,750. Individuals who work in specialized design services earn an average salary of $118,240.
Salaries also vary by location, with project managers in the San Jose, California, metro area topping the list at an average of $150,720 compared to those in northern Texas, earning an average of $79,920 annually [1].
Analysts project that the number of available project manager jobs may reach 88 million worldwide by 2027 [2]. This growth will likely be most significant in industries that already employ the greatest number of project managers, including health care, information services and publishing, and utilities.
When applying for project manager positions, research the available jobs in your desired area. As you scan the job listings, look for the specific requirements to qualify for the position. These requirements should include education (including the type of degree), experience, or certifications.
Although getting a job as a project manager without a degree is possible, you may find it helpful to have a degree in a related field. Each company sets its requirements for the position, and some companies accept field experience instead of a degree. If you pursue a degree, you can find bachelor's and master's degrees in project management. Another option is to earn a degree related to the industry you want to work in, such as engineering, marketing, or business administration. This degree, combined with management experience, can be helpful when you begin applying for positions.
Another option is to enroll in certification courses related to project management. Earning a certificate demonstrates to employers that you have the knowledge and skills to succeed as a project manager. Certification courses cover conflict management, team empowerment, risk assessment, continuity, and more.
You may be able to earn some certifications if you have at least a high school diploma or GED. You need a bachelor's degree or some experience as a project manager for other certifications. You also may need to pass a formal exam to demonstrate that you've learned the competencies covered in the coursework.
For example, the Project Management Professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) requires 35 hours of project management education or training plus 36 months of experience leading projects if you have a bachelor's degree or 60 months leading projects if you don't [3]. You also need to pass a 180-question multiple-choice exam.
You can build your resume before applying for project manager jobs or pursuing a degree or certification. One option is to work in positions that allow you to use and refine your leadership skills. Look for team and decision-oriented jobs that have opportunities to motivate your co-workers. You can also gain experience through volunteer work and internships. This experience may be directly related to a specific industry, like finance or general leadership roles.
A career path for a project manager can start with an entry-level position as a department assistant or project scheduler. From there, you can pursue a project coordinator or assistant project manager role. You may consider higher-level positions, including senior project manager and executive roles, after gaining appropriate experience.
You may find online job sites helpful in knowing which companies are hiring project managers and where they are located. The PMI maintains a database of jobs related to project management. You also can reach out directly to companies or your current employer to find out if they have project management jobs available. When reviewing listings, pay attention to the job description and education and experience requirements.
If you’re ready to expand your project manager skills, you may find it beneficial to take courses related to your work. Learn the foundations of Agile project management and more through a Google Project Management Professional Certificate. Explore new techniques for leading people through the University of Michigan's Leading People and Teams Specialization, or consider earning a degree like a Master of Business Administration all at your own pace.
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Get on the fast track to a career in project management. In this certificate program, you’ll learn in-demand skills, and get AI training from Google experts. Learn at your own pace, no degree or experience required.
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US Bureau of Labor Services. "Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131082.htm." Accessed February 6, 2025.
Project Management Institute. "Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027, https://www.pmi.org/learning/careers/job-growth." Accessed February 6, 2025.
Project Management Institute. "Project Management Professional, "https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp." Accessed February 6, 2025.
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