February 9, 2007 – How Do I Become a PM? Part 1

Note: This series builds on the conversation I had with Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, of The Project Management Podcast. To hear the interview visit http://www.thepmpodcast.com/ and select Episode 062: How can I become a Project Manager?

Do you have what it takes?
Project management is not for the faint of heart. You may currently be in a techie, analyst or other non-management role and are looking at project management as the next logical step in your career. I remember thinking that it was all about telling people what to do and taking the credit. I was also young and naïve.

The first step in the direction of becoming a PM is to decide if it is really something you want to do. Not everyone is cut out for it. The role of a project manager is much like that of a lightning rod. You take the heat from management protecting your team and allowing them to do their jobs. Then you get the jolt from your project team pushing back against time lines and direction.

To be a good project manager you need to be a great communicator, a good motivator and have thick skin. Nearly 90% of project management is communication, including creating reports, presenting status, getting information from your technical staff and giving direction to the team. Certainly those traits can be learned, but if you have no interest or inclination toward them it will be difficult for you to make it in the management world.

Technical people tend to think that moving to management is the only logical progression for advancement. That isn’t as true as it used to be. With the number of different skills and technical areas of expertise available people can specialize and advance technically while have a very rewarding career. I recently had an applicant for a Telematics position who’s normal consulting fee is about $200 / hour. So if your passion is technical, management probably isn’t the direction you want.

How did I become a PM?
I grew up in the technical ranks from programmer to business analyst and then on to PM. I’ve even done a couple of stints back on the technical side along the way when needed.

There were two types of PMs that influenced my desire to sign up as one. The first group made it look easy. They knew how to plan, direct and manage the business. It was work, but they almost made it look easy. The other kind were those that struggled the whole way. They barely pulled things together and just managed to squeak by in the end, over budget and out of time. The first group encouraged me by proving it was possible. The second group made me think I could do a better job than they did.

I was fortunate enough to work for a large consulting company that valued project management and encouraged me along the way. They trained me, gave me an opportunity and mentored me through it. Timing had a little bit to do with it, too. My first PM assignment came during the Y2K adventure. There were a lot of projects and not enough managers.