What does a career in Project Management involve?

A project manager is responsible for the smooth and effective running of projects across all industries but there are a large number of elements that go into completing this process successfully.

In this blog, we look at how it all works and what it’s like to become a certified project manager.

Hitting targets

A brief is usually formed and approved by an organisation’s key stakeholders with goals and objectives set. It’s then up to the project manager to understand the brief and then plan and implement the processes towards achieving them.

There will be a unique set of KPIs (key performance indicators) for each task, that a project manager will be expected to consider throughout, and these will be used to measure the success or failure of a task. There will also be a constant flow of communication to stakeholders, to monitor project progress. 

Time management is a crucial part of being a project manager. Deadlines will be part of the brief and will dictate when the project needs to be concluded. These also influence how the project is led and which methods are used to complete it.

Leading a team

Project management heavily involves you leading and working in a team. A regular task will be to check in with the relevant team members to ensure that things are running smoothly. Holding appropriate and effective meetings to delegate tasks and keep everyone updated. 

Keeping your team motivated and focused is a key part of a project management role. Identifying an individual's strengths and weaknesses is the foundation for a good project manager and you’ll learn methods of how to do this effectively in all of our foundation project management certifications.

Handling risk and obstacles

As a project manager you’ll be expected to predict and minimise risk and efficiently deal with any obstacles during a task. This usually takes place as part of the initial 
planning process and continues throughout the project until completion. 

Any potential risks or obstacles can mean elements of the project strategy may have to change. As the project manager you’ll need to calmly and effectively communicate this to all relevant stakeholders and team members to ensure that any changes are carried out correctly.

See Learning People student testimonials on our Student Success page.

Hear from real project managers

Felicity James talks about a typical day at her role at Sky TV as a marketing project manager. 

“After checking through my emails, the rest of the day consists of status meetings, client calls, checking budgets, asking for resources and updating timelines.”

Bryony Seal, project manager for a leading digital agency, spoke about her favourite parts of the role. 

“As a project manager, I’m right in the heart of the project - making sure that all the other pieces of the puzzle fit together. It’s brilliant.”

Spencer Hobbs, a project manager for Network Rail, loves that his tasks can be ever-changing.

“There really is no typical day as a project manager, your tasks and time can vary day on day depending on what a project needs.”

Get started today

If you’d like to discuss how you could have a fulfilling and rewarding career in project management, simply get in touch with one of our expert career consultants today.