How To Become A Project Manager: The 2023 Guide

And since it’s such a versatile career, you can leverage these transferable skills to enhance your resume, no matter where your career takes you. Learn about skills, salary, requirements, and reasons to consider a versatile career in project management. The Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is one of the world’s leading project management certifications.

According to Lightcast, employers posted more than 600,000 job openings for project managers and IT project managers in the U.S. between May 2021 and April 2022. The prior year, just 399,607 jobs were posted, a difference that demonstrates a rapidly expanding need for IT project managers. What can help you fall in the higher salary tier for project management? Besides your field, advanced education and certifications can get you that income you desire. Regardless of your current career, position, or past education, you can become a project manager if you decide it’s the career that you want to pursue.

Interested in learning more about project management?

For many accidental project managers, it will include a mix of self-guided education and on-the-job mentorship. By far, the PMP is the most commonly referenced and sought-after project management certification. Based on the methodology outlined in the Project Management Body of cloud certification for project managers Knowledge (PMBOK), earning this certification will show employers that you have the skills required to manage the demands of most projects. It’s widely seen as the gold standard for project management certificates, particularly in the United States, Canada, and the Middle East.

That way, you can support and guide your team towards project success. T’s one of the most popular and well-recognized qualifications in the field — and it can have a major impact on your salary. According to the PMI, project managers (and other project management professionals such as PM consultants, PM specialists, and program managers) with PMP certifications report 23% higher salaries on average. In fact, the career path to becoming a project manager without a degree is all about developing your hands-on project management experience.

TL;DR: The steps to becoming a project manager

If this describes you, pursuing formal education and training in project management is likely the most efficient path to starting your career. Typically, this will entail earning the appropriate certifications and, potentially, an advanced degree. Let’s take a closer look at what project managers do, why you should consider a career in project management, and how you can get started. However, there are project management courses and certifications you can take to kick off your project management career and give you more leverage during an interview. Project managers in the U.S. earn a median annual salary of $115,000, according to a 2022 jobs report by PMI. In a 2021 talent gap report, PMI projected that the global economy would have to add 25 million project management professionals to meet demand by 2030.

PMI’s other certifications also have unique educational and professional requirements, so make sure to check the institute’s website for the most up-to-date information. Also check out our guides on how to get PMP certification and CAPM certification requirements. As such, competent managers who can oversee projects throughout their life cycles are at a premium in the modern workplace. Unlike the PMP, it doesn’t have the same prerequisites, so it might be more suited to someone looking for a PM grounding at the beginning of their project management career. It also comes in both Foundation and Practitioner flavors for every stage of your project management journey. It allows you to automate your work, quickly assign tasks to groups of teams, and easily view projects in Gantt charts, as well as being able to manage all of your project resources from one place.

How to Become a Project Manager in 2023

IT project managers should have a bachelor’s degree as well as skill certifications and a strong history of work experience. A project management certification is a crucial advantage in demonstrating one’s competency and marketability. However, once a professional becomes a certified project manager, they must maintain that certification.

• But even though  a project manager’s responsibilities aren’t typically people-focused first, it’s still important to have some communication and organizational soft skills.
• You can either go the “traditional” route — i.e. set out to become a project manager, get a qualification, and take a role as a project manager.
• Certifications like PMP, CSM, and PRINCE2 further validate a PM’s expertise.
• It also comes in both Foundation and Practitioner flavors for every stage of your project management journey.
• It’s widely seen as the gold standard for project management certificates, particularly in the United States, Canada, and the Middle East.
• This project management certification course is affiliated with PMI-PMP® and IASSC-Lean Six Sigma.
• After becoming a project manager, continue to learn, gather feedback, and refine your approach.

Moreover, the ecosystem is ever-evolving, with new tools emerging regularly. Successful project managers stay updated on these tools and are adept at integrating them into their workflows to enhance efficiency and collaboration. Start in an entry-level role within software development, such as a developer, a tester, or an analyst. This hands-on experience will give you a deep understanding of the day-to-day challenges, tools, and operations.