Project Manager Careers Information
Project managers work in every industry and are charged with overseeing the million moving parts required to complete any large project. They may be employed by a company or be self-employed and, depending on the size of the project, might be in charge of an entire project or with only a part.
Project Manager Careers & Degrees
- Jones International University: Online
Colorado Technical University - Undergraduate: Undergraduate - Online
American Intercontinental University: Online
A project manager may oversee the construction of a building, the manufacture of a new product, or the installation of an IT network. Yet no matter the project, a project manager must balance the need for a quick and efficient process that is low in cost with the need for safety (in the case of construction) and a quality end result.
Project managers are keen budgeters of resources, time, and money. Before the first shovelful of dirt is moved or part ordered, they must develop a plan of action. This means planning each phase of the project by breaking it down into the smallest logical steps. Often, a computer program will be used to determine schedules and line item budgets.
Once the project is underway, project managers make sure materials and personnel are available just as they are needed so there is neither a waste of resources nor downtime for workers. They must also answer any questions and make the numerous small decisions that will keep the project on track. Thus, project managers must be excellent communicators and have a good rapport with everyone involved in the project.
Project Manager Careers Path
Since project managers work in a variety of industries, there is no one degree required. Many, however, have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the particular field in which they work, such as construction or IT. Some universities offer Master’s degrees in project management, with courses in risk management, planning, and ethics.
Certification is also often available, again, depending on field, and can be earned as proof of skill. Almost all project managers start in lower positions and gradually earn more responsibility as they successfully complete projects.
Project Manager Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Excellent organizational skills, excellent written and oral communication skills, decisive, diplomatic, people person, problem-solver, can work well in a variety of settings, willing to work long or odd hours, good under pressure.
Project Manager Careers: Salary Expectations
Income for project managers is highly contingent on the industry, number and size of projects completed during the year, and the geographic location of the projects. Across the board, the average income, including salary and bonuses, is $96,000 a year. In general, as a project manager gains more experience, he or she will work on larger projects with more responsibility and thereby earn more money.
Project Manager Careers: Job Outlook
The job outlook for project managers in the coming years is good. Increasing populations will demand more housing, work space, and industrial development; manufacturers must keep expenses down in order to compete; and businesses will require ever more sophisticated information networks.Therefore, project managers will be needed to facilitate these complex projects.
But since their work often depends on the availability of funding to create new products or structures, project managers, especially those who are self-employed, may find their work tied more closely to the economy than other occupations. In other words, they may have less work during times of recession.
Nonetheless, aspiring project managers and those currently working who have more education and/or experience are the most likely to find positions at larger companies or maintain steady work.
Slightly off the Footpath
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at bls.gov/opub/ooq/2006/summer/art03.pdf (visited November 9, 2011).
