project management

The Project Management Career Plan
Simply stated, project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project. And, a project management career is in demand, as more organizations use teams and project-based methods to get work done.

Project managers are responsible for balancing the time, money, and scope of a project. They define the project's goal, create a plan, monitor progress, and close out the project when it's done. They keep resources and schedules on track, motivating and directing team members to achieve the goal of project completion, preferably on time and under budget. The direction provided by project managers often determines a project's success.

The Project Management Career Process
A bachelor's degree is usually required for a project management career, although employers often prefer a graduate degree, especially an MBA with a specialty in your particular industry.

In your project management training, you'll learn about the five project management process groups: initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, monitoring and controlling processes, and closing processes. You'll gain insight into nine knowledge areas centering on management expertise: project integration management, project scope management, project time management, project cost management, project quality management, project Human Resources management, project Communications management, project risk management and project procurement management.

Project management training includes planning, ethics, risk management, team building, and mathematics skills such as statistical analysis, decision science, and cost-benefit analysis. You'll build communication skills in order to compose plans and reports and make clear presentations. Plus, your project management training will introduce you to computer software packages that will assist you in creating detailed plans and network diagrams rooted in management science.

The Project Management Career Payoff
According to a 2006 survey commissioned by the Project Management Institute, full-time project managers in the United States reported median annual earnings of $96,000.

To set yourself apart in this emerging occupation, consider pursuing a professional credential. The Project Management Institute offers three: Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and Program Management Professional (PgMP)(SM).

The PMP demonstrates a solid foundation of knowledge to competently practice project management. The CAPM is designed for project team members, entry-level project managers, and qualified college students in order to recognize their value to project team performance. And the new PgMP credential is designed for the professional who leads the coordinated management of multiple projects and ensures the ultimate success of a program.

Now that you know your three P's, you're on your way to a profitable project management career.

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