This document discusses how to build a career in project management. It recommends considering your skills, interests, and goals to decide if project management is a good fit. If so, the document outlines skills to develop like project management techniques, business acumen, and soft skills. It also provides a roadmap to grow from entry-level project roles to more senior positions over time. The document stresses the importance of networking through professional organizations, volunteering, and maintaining a strong reputation built on reliability and trust.

1. 1
How (and why) to build a career in
Project Management
PMDays PMI Romania Chapter
September 2014
Thomas Walenta, PMP, PMI Fellow
thwalenta@online.de
http://de.linkedin.com/in/thwalenta/

2. Be a Leader
2
What do I want get from my professional life?
Money
tgoe gt ferto fmro mm ym pyr opfreosfseisosnioanl laifle l?ife?
Be part of something
Recognition
Happy Clients
Influence
Establish order
Develop capabilities
Help others
Respect
Create something new
Enable a team
Love

3. 6
The decision to pursue a career in Project Management
The skills and capabilities to develop
A roadmap to build and maintain
The networks to grow
Your Reputation built on reliability and trust
Volunteering
Go public

4. 7
The decision to pursue a career in Project Management
Where am I?
What am I good at? What do I know? What have I done?
Is there anything I know today that is relevant in 10, 20, 30 years?
What allows me to change jobs while growing in a role?
Can I make a difference in the new profession?
What are signs for a successful Project Manager?
Do I want to get rich?
Do I want to achieve something?
Do I want to be recognized? Do I want a family life?

5. 8
The skills and capabilities to develop
Governance
PMP
I: Self awareness / Attitude / 360
We: Leadership / Power
Project Management **
Soft / Social Skills ***
Business Acumen *
PMBoK > PMP
Prince2, Agile, etc
Tools
You: Social Skills, Communication
Strategy
Culture > Network > Power
Finance
Market / Products&Customers
MBA

6. 16
A roadmap to build and maintain
PM Professional
Program Mgr
PM Director
C-Suite
PMP
CAPM
PgMP
Start – Learn&Grow – Volunteer – Plateau of Excellence – Giveback
Professional Life
PM Associate
PMO Lead
PM Consultant /
Coach / Trainer
Support Deliver Create Benefits Design Future
Birth – Childhood – Growth – Midlife - Slowdown – Retreat – Death

7. Business Acumen Project Management
17
PMI Chapter & Global
Mentor(s)
Stakeholders
(Clients/Contractors)
Outside World
The networks to grow
Colleagues
(Team)
Mentor(s)
Stakeholders
(Clients)
Company
Industry
Profession
Friends&Family
Partner
Neighbors&Tribes
Life
Soft / Social Skills

8. 18
The networks to grow
Face2face: e.g. 200 potential lunch meetings per year
Phone/Skype: sychronous exchange to individuals
LinkedIn/XING/Facebook: asynchronous
Local Groups: Chapter, business clubs
Global Groups: PMI Congress
Think about a 'CRM' system beyond contacts
Listen, be accessible, ask for help
Give!

9. 19
Reputation built on reliability and trust
Be ethical: fair, responsible, respectful and honest
(check: PMI Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct)
The Net does not forget
Say what you do and do what you say
Trust is 'the willingness to suffer'...
Document successes
Ask for references
Act professionally. Even on facebook
Consider 'servant leadership'
Be a giver
.. and a base for leadership

10. Reputation at risk!
20
Volunteering
Get involved:
You give: time, commitment, work and skills
You get: network, recognition, sandbox, experience Direct business? NO!
PMI local: Chapter (Projects, Board, PMIEF)
PMI regional/global: GOC / Board Committees
Other professional volunteering: IPMA groups, APMR, IPM Day
Social volunteering local: Neighborhood, Community
Social volunteering global: United Nations
Maturity levels:
 New
 Learning
 Experienced
 Strategic
PMI Symposium
Teaching: local University, remote classes

11. 21
Go public
Social Media: Blogs, LinkedIn Discussions, Slideshare
Publications: Chapter Newsletter, Online Magazines
Speaking: start in projects, Chapter meetings, family/friends
Speaking: learn about presenting, speaking, acting, your body
Speaking: apply for conferences (Chapter, PMI, other)
Talk with the
Speakers
at this
Conference!
Publications: Write a book/chapter

12. 22
Your life is your project – take a bath in life
Consider & Decide
Sketch Roadmap
Learn
Network
Volunteer
Satisfaction Go Public
Reputation
Trust