The project management profession is growing with endless opportunities due to the rapid development of technology and the high demand of companies for this kind of job. It is a dynamic field that offers great opportunities for people with an organised mindset who have the passion and desire to embrace changes and achieve goals. It was rated by Fortune Magazine as the number one career choice at the beginning of the 21st century. After almost 20 years, the number of positions requiring project management expertise has significantly increased.
Project management is a career that overlaps with various sectors and fields. Nowadays, the importance of project management is becoming known by fewer project-oriented companies.
Project management practices are now being applied in different types of industries that are expected to have a high demand and a significant number of project management open vacancies in the few coming years, as per a report published by PMI1, such as health care sector, management and professional services, oil and gas and other sectors.
Also, according to the latest report by "PMI2, the global economy will require almost 25 million new project management professionals by 2030, with 2.3 million annual job openings.
When choosing a career, look for various job titles that fit your skills, passion, and vision. The number of job opportunities that are suitable for you will increase once you look at your skills with a different mindset.
If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career path, the project management profession is the best choice, and it can be a fulfilling career path. Moreover, with the essential skills and the right qualifications, you can achieve victory and become a successful project manager in your field.
Regardless of which industry you choose, every project is unique in every industry, and its outputs are unique as well. Having a project management profession can be considered a top-ranking career for many reasons and pros. Some of those are:
A particular day for a project manager can differ from another day in terms of work, activities, requirements, risks, and decisions. There is no place for routine or similarity in the project management profession.
The project management profession is in progressively high demand, as per PMI3; the demand for project management professionals will rise by 33% by 2027.
A project management profession provides the opportunity to face new challenges that can cultivate project management skills.
Project management is a rewarding profession; project managers can enjoy competitive salaries. A project manager’s salary in the U.S. is $88000 annually. It depends on the years of experience, the organisation, location and, most importantly, the project management certification.
Organisations across the globe look for PMP certification; being a certified project manager can earn you a high salary. According to a report published by PMI4 and the annual PMI global survey on project management, 52% of professionals are PMP certified, with around 1.4 million PMP certification holders worldwide. In addition, the PMI5 reports that PMP-certified individuals make an average increase in salary of 16% more than non-certified and 32% more for those who are in the U.S.
Working in project management can open countless opportunities in various industries, as well as the opportunity to work with diverse groups of people inside and outside the organisation, including the chance to work with a team.
Working in the project management profession can help you develop your skills, including interpersonal skills, problem-solving, communication, leadership, time management skills, organisational skills, active listening, and emotional intelligence.
In project management, there is a good career progression opportunity. Project managers with experience and necessary skills can take over leadership positions. They can also move forward as senior project manager and project management directors or set up their own businesses as a consultant in project management. The project management career path is in continuous progress.
Recently, after the pandemic, many organisations have transitioned to remote or hybrid work modes, providing essential flexibility and saving time and money.
As with every career, project management has its disadvantages and cons. We can count some of them as the following:
As soon as you start work in the field of project management, you will hold a prominent level of responsibility on your shoulders, which sometimes leads to stress and exhaustion. The success or failure of any project is the project manager's responsibility, who is responsible for completing the project on time and within budget. Also, the team is under their responsibility. They should keep them motivated and must be ready anytime to manage conflict and solve problems.
In addition, they are also responsible for communicating with stakeholders and keeping them engaged throughout the project. Besides responsibility, there may be a great deal of workload, so that it is possible for a project manager to work at any time and any day.
The work in the project management profession might not always be stable and peaceful. The project manager deals hourly with uncertainty where sometimes it is difficult to predict some events or challenges throughout the project's life.
Despite the advantages of working remotely, the remote project management profession can face many disadvantages, such as no specific hours to work, less collaboration and interactions between virtual team members, and sometimes lack of motivation, which can lower their performance.
So, choosing a career in project management could be one of your clever and wisest decisions. Moreover, finding a project management profession that is suitable for your qualifications and skills and continuous project management education and learning will assist your decision.
The invaluable and precious step toward this career path is having a project management certification such as IPM (Institute of Project Management) certification, IPMA certification, PMI certification or PRINCE2 certification. Therefore, do not stay confused and make the right decision in the project management world.
Reference Literature:
1,3PMI. 2017. "Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027."
2PMI. 2021. "Talent Gap: Ten-Year Employment Trends, Costs, and Global Implications."
4PMI. 2023. "Pulse of the Profession Power Skills: Redefining Project Success | 14th Edition."
5PMI. 2021. "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey - Twelfth Edition."
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