How to Become a Project Manager: 6 Steps

Project managers organize teams of people to accomplish a specific goal or project for companies and other organizations. Project management might be a good fit if you’re organized, intrigued by people, and ready to take on a larger role in your career.

How do I become a project manager?

Many paths to becoming a project manager exist. Some may study project management principles in school and apply directly to project management positions after graduating. In contrast, others “accidentally” become project managers after gradually taking on more responsibilities in their current roles or switch from seemingly unrelated fields. Whatever path you hope to take, consider these six steps when exploring how to become a project manager.

1. Understand what project management skills you already have.

If you’ve ever planned, led, budgeted, scheduled, or documented the progress of a project, you’ve done some elements of project management. Did you organize an event at a previous job or find new ways to make your workplace more efficient? Perhaps you coordinated volunteers to clean up a beach. Though you might not have thought of it as project management at the time, your past experiences may have exposed you to the skills you’ll need as a project manager.

If you already have a lot of experience, you may be ready to apply for project manager positions or approach your manager to state your interest in becoming one. If you have a combined three years of experience, you’ll also be eligible to apply to take the exam for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which may create opportunities for you in the project management world.

For more ideas on project management skills you may already have, check out this video from a project manager at Google:

2. Build project management experience.

Many project managers start in non-managerial positions on a team. For example, IT project managers may work as an IT associate or a business analyst supporting the IT team for several years. Their roles may gradually expand as they gain industry expertise, take on managerial tasks, develop organizational skills, and learn to work with team members. 

If you’re trying to build up project management skills, look for opportunities in your current work. Whether you work in a hospital or retail store, tech company, or restaurant, chances are you'll need to plan, execute, and improve upon several items need to be planned, executed, or improved upon. See if you can join in these efforts. If it makes sense to do so, approach your manager with ideas of how you can contribute and let them know you’re interested in developing project management experience.

3. Develop project management skills.

It’ll be a good idea to sharpen the technical and workplace skills involved in project management. Here are some skills commonly requested in project manager job descriptions:

• Risk management

• Budgeting

• Agile project management

• Waterfall project management

• Scrum

• Organization

• Communication

• Leadership

You can develop skills by taking courses specific to a subject, studying for a certification, or practicing them in the workplace. Develop core project management skills with the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate. You can typically learn what you need to be job-ready in six months or less.

Read more: 11 Key Project Management Skills

4. Enhance your project manager resume.

As you gain experience and skills in this field, take the time to enhance your resume. Review project manager job listings, from entry-level to advanced roles, to find out what companies are looking for.

Highlight the qualifications that match the job requirements and feature them prominently on your resume. 

Use action verbs to describe tasks you performed in previous roles, and when possible, emphasize any quantifiable outcomes.

5. Look for entry-level PM manager positions.

Gradually working your way up the ladder from within a team isn’t the only way to become a project manager. Many project managers start in entry-level organizational positions to build key skills. Keep an eye out for these titles in your search:

• Project coordinator

• Operations coordinator

• Associate project manager

• Junior project manager

• Operations associate

• Administrative associate

Read more: Project Manager Career Path: From Entry-Level to VP

6. Consider a project management credential.

A certification or certificate can help you get your foot in the door for project management jobs. Here are a few to consider:

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

• Google Project Management: Professional Certificate

• Project Management Professional (PMP)

• Certified Scrum Master

• Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)

• ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP)

Which project management certification should I get?

If you’re looking for an entry-level position, the CAPM or Google Project Management: Professional Certificate is designed for those with little or no project management experience. The PMP is a popular credential for those with three or more years of project management experience. If you’re on a team that uses Agile or Scrum or are hoping to apply to roles that do, certifications in these areas can be beneficial.

Read more: 7 In-Demand Scrum Master Certifications

Hear from a project manager at Google about how she went from being a business analyst to her current role.

Read more: What Is a Certified Product Manager (and How Do I Become One)?

Getting started in project management with Coursera

You can become a project manager by following a variety of steps. Whether starting from scratch or trying to solidify your skills after a few years of experience, you’ll want to ensure you have your basics covered. If you’re considering a career in project management, look at the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)