What is project management?
Project management involves the skillful organization of a systematic approach towards ensuring that projects are delivered on time, and within budget.
It’s a career path that is highly sought after given the tremendous benefit it bestows on individuals who have chosen to toe the line. Choosing a career path in project management is not a road paved with leisure and passive indulgence, you must put in the hard work and sometimes you must roll up your sleeves to achieve the desired result.
As the frontiers of innovation and the tech-driven economy keep expanding, the demand for project managers has been on the rise. Job roles for this career path are widely required in several industries and if furnished with the experience expected of a job role, you’ll be assigned a project to handle with emphasis laid on result-oriented objectives.
Here are some industries with high demand for project management.
Oil and gas
The oil and gas industry is a conglomerate of resource-driven petroleum hubs providing energy and other related products to millions of people in different parts of the world. So, for an industry that is threaded through the eyes of heavy machinery and chemical-laden equipment, it is expected that project managers in this field have an in-depth knowledge of the functionality of these systems so they can provide adequate and accurate results.
Project managers in this sector are expected to possess high-level skills and proper training so they can provide the right mentorship to interns and new entry workers. They are also required to inspect new projects and provide work permits for most project execution. Pursuing a career path of this nature will demand skill, experience, keen eyes for details, and a result-oriented mindset. If you’ve got a penchant for this crude-driven world, then go check your books and send that resume!
Manufacturing and construction
The manufacturing and construction industry is a pieced fabric of various production firms working in sync to provide resources to a teeming populace. From the aeronautical space to the plastic manufacturers, there’s a high need for precision and steady hands. Individuals looking for a career path in this field will need to be skilled and efficient in the disposal of their duties. This sector is a minefield, one laden with numerous opportunities waiting to be tapped.
Information and publishing
This is a literary space for book-loving creatives. Here, contents and documents permeate the atmosphere paving a way for individuals with intellectual crave for inked materials to pursue a career path. Project managers in this field are connoisseurs of knowledge, vast in several fields, and equipped with a hands-on tool for efficient job delivery. To pursue a career path in project management in this field, you must be certified professionally and academically.
Finance and insurance
It’s a world of numbers in this field, every detail is strung on digits and figures. Mathematical precision and calculative efficiency drive this sector and provide feedback for further numerical executions. Project managers in the finance and insurance sector are expected to be good with numbers, logical reasoning, and evaluative intuitions.
In this field, a lot of projects are hinged on huge financial transactions and so managers are meant to be transparent, dogged, and resourceful. Most times, a team of young and curious minds are attached to these individuals hoping to draw from their cistern of knowledge. Having an eye for a career path in this field comes with its requirements, and this differs from organization to organization.
Management and professional services
Firms and organizations providing consulting services and other workspace interventions fall into this category. Project managers in this field are equipped with the required information for maximum work output. Management and professional services as the name imply are wrapped around an intricate framework of service-oriented initiatives, driving a series of solution-bound deliveries. There are several management courses to help an individual hone the skills expected of this job role and if the right steps are taken, you should be on your way to climbing the career ladder of this sector.
Working in these sectors requires a certain level of skill, one tailored to fit your industry of choice. Let us look at some of these skills.
Required skills for project managers
For efficiency and optimal output in a managerial position, there are skills you ought to possess to help you become more productive and resourceful. Skills such as
- Leadership skills
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Team management
- Risk management
- Problem-solving
- Budget management
- Motivational
- Technical skills: These vary across different industries.
The skills required for project managers are numerous, but we will only consider the listed ones for the sake of this article. Armed with these skills, a project manager is furnished with all that he needs for the execution of a project. The responsibilities of a project manager define the assumed roles and places emphasis on the service to be delivered.
They help to initiate, plan, execute and monitor projects that have been assigned and then do a series of follow up to ensure the project delivery is done within the specified time allotted. Most of these managers work with a team that is closely knitted to the objectives of the intending project hence are expected to be cladded with project-specific skills.
Someone seeking to pursue a career in project management must have a good perspective of the intending sector, then steps must be taken to acquire the necessary qualifications and certifications. It’s a result-driven workspace and people who seek to thrive in this career path must be goal-oriented as well.
Great attention must be given to even the smallest detail as the outcome of the project might be hinged on it. From taking cognizance of the scope and specifications of a project to strategizing and preparing for execution, the demand for technical expertise is also brought to play. Project managers are individuals with a zest for innovation and to be part of this priority-driven hub, you must be willing to walk the talk.
