Hello everyone, are you looking for a guide to become a project manager without much experience in the field? Actually many companies hiring projects coordinate or assistant in helping bigger projects. SO opportunity is always there, even you don’t have much experience.
Let’s find out how you could become a project manager easily?
Actually, you have already skills (IT, Engineering), so you just need to understand some basics of project management to become a project manager without experience.
Who is Project Manager?
A Project from start to finish required proper for the initiation, execution, and completion of the project. So basically, any project that needs execution requires a Project Manager.
Educations
The non-regular pathway in becoming a Project Manager is by pursuing a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree and then landing a job as a Project Manager. However, in most cases, that’s not how people end up having the Project Management job.
The majority of Project Managers usually get experience in one or more jobs, land a Master’s degree in Project Management that eventually leads to a Project Management job.
Quick Facts:
- Without experience, your chance is only 10% – but if you have skill + 40% project management fundamentals then increases up to 50%
- Make sure you have a skill of good planning if you have a target to become a project manager
- You have to work maximum with minimum resources
- You better know about how to use projects management tools and templates
- Salary depends on your skills and fundamentals project management knowledge
- Make sure you are technology adaptive
How to Get Into Project Management without Experience
Follow these steps and become PM easily. Make sure you have already some skills either in an engineering field or IT. Without any skill, you have no or very little chances.
Vital Projects Manager Skills
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Landing a Project Managing Job With No Experience:
Landing a Project Managing job without experience can be a little tricky. The reason being, this job asks for experience, it is obvious why the employers are inclined towards experienced candidates. But, where does that leave the fresh graduates having no experience?
If you think about it, it is almost like being in a paradox. At the one side, you need the job. But when you do try to get the job you need experience for it. Do you see the problem?
Well lucky for you, I have three very smart and convenient solutions for this paradoxical problem. In most cases these work and do land you a Project Management job.
The First Way:
The first way is to indulge in a 4-6 week internship program to make your resume stands out. What this does is, at least portray an illusion of having the experience if not experience. Moreover, you do end up learning a thing or two about the job.
A little experience can make a huge difference and it helps you stand out and be more confident among your other non-experienced peers.
The Second Way:
The second way is different, it doesn’t include having to create an illusion of experience. In other words, find a small company. Perhaps, a startup or a company having 20-40 employees. Look out for a Project Manager Job opportunity in that company and apply for it. The chances are you will get a job very sooner.
The small companies aren’t looking for anything too formal since they’re not too formal themselves either. They’re looking for a partner to be a part of their clan and you’re their best option.
Furthermore, not only you can land the job but you can interact with all the employees. You can also be on very good and friendly terms with the CEO or President of the company and that will always work in your favor. Eventually, after having some experience you can apply for a better paying job in the future if you find one.
The Third Way:
The last but not the least is by opting for large firms and landing entry-level jobs. Suppose a large firm having 1000+ employees have a job opening for entry-level Project Management jobs and that’s your prey.
Sure the income would be less and the job is an entry-level job but that’s your best shot in a large corporate firm. Eventually, after landing the job you can move up the ladder and find a spot that’s better comfortable for your personality. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “To get something, first you need to lose something.”
Tips for Finding the Right Job as a Project Manager with no Experience:
This may come as a surprise to you but using the temp agencies can be very beneficial to find a Project Management job. Temp agencies link employers to employees.
When you go through a temp agency and let them know who you are professional you can depend on them to help you find the right job. Apart from this, you can explicitly tell them to help you find the right job that’s best suited for you.
Besides this, some of the potential employees that want to work as a Project Manager are probably already working on another job. They’re not sure to leave their present job and switch the career to Project Management and that makes sense as well. But, to land a job of their choice they have to be willing to take this risk.
Sure the income would be less but taking time off, deciding what you want as a Project Manager and being in the job you truly want would improve the quality of your life.
Average Salary for a Fresh Project Manager without experience:
A Project Manager on entry-level jobs makes anywhere from 30,000 USD to 50,000 USD on average in a year. Other than that, a Project Manager or a Senior Project Manager can make anywhere from 45,000 USD to 75,000 USD on average in a year.
Almost every country (US, U.K, Saudi Arabia, France), the demand for a project manager is increasing day by day. So the exact salary depends on your completed projects and experience.
Types of Jobs as a Project Manager:
Following are some of the jobs you can land as a Project Manager:
- Senior Project Manager
- Project Manager
- Junior Project Manager
- Project Manager Assistant
- Project Administrator
- Project Analyst
- Project Control Officer
My Advice:
If you have no experience in this field, then just learn basic fundamentals concepts of project planning like (Initiating, Execution, Monitoring & controlling, and closure), methodologies, assessment and risk management strategies.
Structure any IT or engineering projects according to a preliminary project plan to expense budget for showing to the company.
Share your experience with us (ProjectsManagement), still, you have questions then either comment us or connect with me VIA LinkedIn.
Related Sources & References:
https://www.projectmanager.com/training/become-it-project-manager
https://www.lynda.com/learning-paths/Business/become-a-project-manager
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-become-a-project-manager-a-cheat-sheet/