Managing a Project Professionally and Getting Paid for it

Project management is one of the most required skills for virtually any business. No matter how small or large a project is, the project management process is what helps make it a success, or a failure. Individuals striving to provide these skills to companies should know what is expected of them and how to manage the projects successfully. Both in down economic times and in times when companies are hiring many people, some of the most important people they are looking for are skilled, proven individuals. They need a project management professional who will be able to take their potentially profitable ideas or plans and put them into action.

Why Failure Devastates

One of the best ways to see the project management process is to look at a situation that has been handled poorly. For example, a business puts in place a big project. The project will potentially make the company a sizable amount of money. Yet, it is poorly managed. There are individuals working far more hours than they should, and the cost of the project has doubled in size. Worse off, the company has no idea that the project is struggling financially and, in the end, has to cancel the entire thing. All money spent is lost. On top of this, the employees who worked on the project were disgruntled. They had to resort back to their previous jobs within the company, jobs already being worked by others. Many, frustrated with the lack of professionalism within the company leave, including top professionals who otherwise would have made the company profitable. With good project management, the company could have spotted the potential problems long before it invested heavily in the project and may have retained their top staff at the same time.



Those with project management skills must be able to show their ability to manage the project successfully. The value of a project manager is exceptional.

The project manager

• Reduces the stress in any environment
• Is able to ensure that all who are stakeholders in the company are aware of the progress, failures, and changes in the project
• Aids in managing the scope of the goal: where is the goal, what needs to be done to achieve it, and who will tackle it
• Delivers resources, provides information, and identifies potential risks within the project. This allows the employers to make changes in the project to keep the project on track.

To be successful project management professionals, individuals must have key skills. They must have a drive for accuracy, timeliness, and dependability. They must be responsible and take their jobs seriously. They must know the industry inside and out and be able to lead others through it. They must be able to spot problems before they happen and to deal with emergencies even in high stress instances. Overall, they must be able to take action when the time requires them to do so.

Getting Paid For It

For those who understand the project management process, project management skills are in demand. Businesses may have reduced budgets and cut staffing, but many are still dependent on their successful project managers to ensure that the tasks required are done professionally, quickly, and affordably. To find these jobs, you first need to have the appropriate skills to manage any project.

There are several different opportunities for the project management professional. These professionals need to be trained and experienced. For those who have extensive experience, working as a freelancer is an option. This allows individuals to provide resources and information based on their skills. Consultants, for example, are able to deliver valuable information on a per project basis to the companies. They are some of the most sought after professionals in the industry today.

Look closer at the project management skills you are able to provide. Do they provide you with the resources for you next job? For example, if you have managed projects in the financial sector, applying for jobs within this sector is far easier than looking for positions in the industrial sector. While finding job postings for project management professionals is definitely one of the musts for those looking for these positions, it can also be helpful to seek out employment through companies within the niche you have experience in, such as seeking out financial companies to work with directly.

To get paid for providing project management skills, you will need to show just how valuable you are. Paint a picture for the employer. What is it that you can avoid from going very wrong? What skills and tasks can you bring to the company that they are currently lacking? Most importantly, how can you ensure that you will help keep their project from becoming a risk, a costly mistake, or a wash? By demonstrating your skills and by using your experience in management of such projects, you are sure to find the professional position you are looking for. Ultimately, you need to prove to potential employers that you have the skill required to make their projects successful. A good way to show them this is simply to provide them with the reasons why you will do so.

For many in the industry, it takes working as an assistant and years of experience to qualify for some of the top project management professional jobs. Yet, once you do, you will find this to be one of the most rewarding jobs available.