How to Become a Project Manager

Are your interpersonal skills on point? Do you have top-notch organisation skills? As a well-rounded candidate, you may find that a role in the project management realm suits you. 

This fast-paced sector is the perfect area to expand your professional journey. But what does it take to succeed? Here’s everything that you need to know to get started.

Before we go any further, let’s talk about what a project management professional does. As the name suggests, a project manager oversees projects from start to finish. 

Generally, that includes strategising, problem-solving, critical thinking, and risk management. On a day-to-day basis, your project management tasks may include:

Should you go down the project management career path, you will need a wide variety of skills to get things right. You can pick many of these up on the job. However, successful project managers tend to have years of experience combined with the right training. Before you dive into this industry, take the time to learn what the demands of it are.  

Ahead of taking the project management career path, it’s good to get an understanding of how much you can earn in this role. In Ireland, the average salary for a project manager is €53,255, according to Payscale. 

Of course, there are countless variables that you should consider here. How many years of experience do you have, what training do you have under your belt, and what is your level position? Project management jobs can differ a great deal, and that is reflected in the salary too. Your project manager’s salary will depend on all of these factors as well as the company. 

If you are considering becoming a project manager, it’s important to know what qualifications you need. You can take a look at the wide variety of project management courses offered online before you start your journey. 

The truth of the matter is that people can come to this job position from a wide selection of places. For example, you may already be working in the company on an internship. In some cases, there will be on-the-job training opportunities that allow you to up-skill and reach the level of project manager.

There are many different training and degree options out there. Some of the most common qualifications for project managers include the BCS Foundation Certificate in Agile, a Project Management Institute (PMI) qualification, a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, a PGDip Project Management, or an IASSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Choosing the right project management certification will depend on your current level of education and needs. 

If you are interested in getting into the world of project management, the first step is understanding what employers expect. You might find that it is worth looking at a project management role online and seeing what criteria the hiring manager has listed. You can also take a look at the training options that you can find online. Figure out whether they will fit into your schedule. When you’re looking for project management courses, Ireland has a range of institutes and colleges from which to choose.

It should come as no surprise that you need a specific skill set to become a project manager. If you want to be a successful project manager, you are going to need a diverse set of skills. Making sure that you have a selection of soft and hard skills is the key. 

Hard skills are those that apply directly to the role, such as agile skills. On the other hand, soft skills help you to communicate and collaborate with others. Let’s take a look at the type of competencies you need if you want to become a project manager in the near future:

The above skills are ideal if you’re looking for an entry-level job. However, as you progress through your career, you may find that you pick up more skills along the way. When it comes to project management roles, you will constantly need to stay ahead of the game. 

That means looking for training and development opportunities wherever possible. Enrolling on project management courses can equip you with many of the skills you’ll need to succeed in this career field.

Your project management education is half the job. If you want to become a successful project manager, you need to make sure that you have some years of experience in your arsenal.

If you are in your first job role, it may pay to learn from the staff members above you. It’s not just about learning how to use project management software. You also need to know how to manage a team and take a project from its infancy right the way through to completion. 

You may find that it’s helpful to start in a junior or entry-level position. That way, you can work your way up the career ladder. As you do so, keep your eye out for the training opportunities and project management courses that are available to you at every level.