I welcome all answers & advice. I plan on becoming certified In PMP. Thanks in advance
Answers
It is a very fast paced and changing industry especially with the introduction on the AGILE methodology. Interpersonal and communication skills will be your biggest asset. I work in the DoD as a Project Manager and my manager says what we do is "take other peoples dirty laundry clean them and making them more efficient and then returning it to them." If you have any further question about working as a PMP please reach out to me.
Angel,
Project or Program Management is where it’s happening!. Challenging and highly rewarding with a myriad of possibilities in career opportunities and the size range and domain types (hardware, s/w, etc.) of projects. Some of the skill sets required are as follows: Schedule is paramount so anything that will bolster your knowledge of all things schedule management; critical path methodology, entry/exit criteria including related technical performance measures, risk mitigation strategies, and schedule risk analysis to name a few. Lean/Six Sigma training, and development methodologies based on concepts such as Agile philosophies, which look “to promote rapid incremental product deliveries, provide flexibility to respond to changing requirements, and advocate close customer collaboration” are other highly worthwhile topics. If USG contracts are in mix, a sound knowledge of Earned Value Management (EVM) /EVM Systems (EVMS) would be in order.
You are aware of the Project Management Institute which has already been noted as a resource. [ https://www.pmi.org/ ]
You should also investigate the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Integrated Program Management Division (IPMD) for additional background on the subject. [http://www.ndia.org/divisions/ipmd ] as well as the DoD’s Integrated Program Management ( [ IPM), Division, reporting directly to Acquisition, Analytics and Policy (AAP) within the Acquisition Enablers organization. It serves as the Department of Defense (DoD) focal point for all policy, guidance, and competency relating to EVM/IPM.
[ https://www.acq.osd.mil/evm/#/home ]
I hope you find this information useful!
Best,
-Chuck
Always thankful for our Freedom Fighters!
Hi Angel,
Thank you for your service. I have been a PMP for almost 20 years. I like project management a lot. In my experience communication and people management are key skills that help here. Communication is important to keep everyone informed especially when things are not going according to the plan. What I mean by people management is not necessarily managing people directly but understanding the personalities of the people who are working on your project as well as the stakeholders so you can motivate and work well with everyone.
One other suggestion is to to to PMI.org and see if there is a locale PMI chapter in your area. You may be able to network with project managers who live locally as well as attend chapter meetings (mostly virtually now) to learn more about project management.
Good luck!
What field of project management are you looking into? The PMP certification is an excellent start- I can only offer my perspective from a business project management and transformation role inside of IBM- We are very Agile, it tends to be rather fast paced with results measured weekly thru stand ups. I find it very enjoyable as there is a tangible accomplishment that keeps you focused on your project goals.
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