No one wants to remain stagnant on the job. Project managers are an incredibly ambitious group. While people see employment as a means to get paid, for many project managers, growth is essential.
Career development is what differentiates you from the typical project manager. With employers on the lookout for talented people to add their workforce, it pays to be skillful at what you do.
But how do you pull that off this year? The following are surefire tips to help you grow your career this year.
Get a Mentor
You cannot downplay the role a mentor plays in your growth as a project manager. Mentorship is vital in the field of project management. More experienced mentors will help guide and support your journey to becoming a successful project manager.
A great mentor can reveal your strengths and point out areas where you can improve significantly.
They can also share their knowledge gotten through years of experience. This gives you perspectives on handling impromptu challenges, gives you insights into selecting the best team, and lots more.
Get Certified
Another way you can build your career this year is to get certified. And these days, one certification isn’t just enough. Your credentials are what set you ahead of others. Thus, it is essential you are deliberate about improving them.
Enroll in PMP, PgMP, Agile Scrum, Six Sigma, PRINCE2 professional courses and get certified. You can also take advantage of several project management online classes. These programs are bound to sharpen your resume and improve your skillset.
Embrace Change
Change is a constant theme. As a project manager, you must be willing to embrace and not remain stuck up on your methodologies. A project may take a different turn, and your methods may not be applicable in coming up with a solution.
Sometimes, accepting and accommodating changing needs is necessary to find answers.
Communicate better
Project managers, by their position, collaborate and meet many people. It is particularly vital that to grow your career this year, you must hone your communication skills. Understand that your mode of communication will be different for every person. Understand your immediate environment and communicate accordingly. Regardless, your professionalism must remain constant.
Don’t Be Afraid of a Challenge
“As a project manager, don’t be afraid to be bold. Be the go-to person for the hardest projects. When other project managers run away, step up and volunteer to take on the toughest assignments. This will help you gain visibility within your company and enable you to drive results.”
– David Laing, Director of Innovation, LaserJet & Enterprise Solutions Business, HP.
Learn to embrace projects that may appear challenging and work with your team to foster a solution. Also, take responsibility for your projects and not blame someone else when the project gets delayed.
Successfully executing all of your duties as a project manager and focusing on growth can seem daunting. But with these helpful tips, you can put yourself on the track to grow and get better.
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