The Career Path of a Project Manager

Whatever stage of your life and whatever your occupation, you will likely be mindful of how you wish to advance through your chosen career path. But what is the typical career path of a Project Manager?

Like most careers, there is no definitive way to get from A to B in Project Management. As opportunities present themselves, whether as a recent graduate, an Assistant Project Manager or an Account Manager looking for a career move, your path may be very different from the norm. However, it is worth bearing in mind typical career progressions so you are able to manage your own expectations and work towards gaining the useful skills and experience.

1. Project Support
As a fresh graduate with little working experience, your first taste of project management may come in a supporting role, such as a Project Administrator or Project Coordinator. As the title suggests, it is your responsibility to carry out administrative tasks such as team meeting arrangements, minute taking and filing. You will work under the Project Manager to carry out any supporting tasks deemed necessary, beginning to learn basics including document formatting, process, and spreadsheet management. In your coordinator role, you may need to maintain risk logs, produce project summary reports and advise team members of best practice.

2. Assistant Project Managerr
This entry level role is best suited to those with previous working experience which may have included aspects of project management, or graduates who are specifically qualified in the field. This is a fully-fledged project management role, but you will be tackling only small-scale projects and piecework before you gain enough experience to progress.

3. Project Managerr
At this stage, you will begin to take on more complex projects, although this complexity will only grow as your skills and knowledge expand. You may be dealing with a range of different projects and clients within an agency environment, or a single long-term or ongoing project within a specific organisation. Project management is a career path that can open doors into a whole range of different industries – part of its undeniable appeal as a profession.

4. It’s up to you!
Once you have reached this stage of your career, you will likely have managed a number of high profile projects, building up an impressive portfolio and CV. You may also have developed a specialism within a particular area – for example, you may be expert in managing technical projects, or you may have a proven track record within the environmental sector.

Whatever your experience to date, it is now up to you to take your career to the next level, which is a very personal decision.
Some considerations may include:
• Senior Project Management – a role that will see you taking on highly complex projects whilst offering advice and guidance to Project Managers in your team
• Project Consultancy – a freelance role whereby you are contracted for your expertise on a per-project basis
• Head of Projects – a management role otherwise known as Project Director, typically with a split responsibility to manage deliverables and be responsible for a team

There is no clearly defined career path for you as a Project Manager – only a rough guide of how your career may progress. To help you move through the ranks, you should consider volunteering yourself for extra responsibilities, gain qualifications such as the APMP, and keep a watchful eye on new opportunities and new ways of learningas they arise.