Career Transitions — Your Questions Answered

25 January 2011

In his fourth Career Central podcast, John Challenger, CEO of recruiting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, discusses job transitions for project managers who are building or advancing their careers. He addresses questions submitted by members of PMI’s Career Central LinkedIn group. Duration | 5:39

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll learn:

• Project managers with technical experience can take their careers in different directions. Employers find value in a candidate’s ability to move across sectors.
• Project managers with functional or domain experience are valuable because they’re experts in a particular area. Emphasize your project management experience while also highlighting your specific skills and know-how.
• For project managers looking to transition industries, strong sectors include healthcare, technology and energy. Candidates should also target international organizations.
• To show organizations the value of your project management skills, talk about your record. Don’t discuss generalities or core tasks; tell anecdotes that demonstrate your experience.
• Project Management Professional (PMP)^® certification will keep you ahead of your competition. Your work experience, education and competency shown by certification help to attract employers.
• If you want to switch sectors, you can show employers that your project management skills will transition. Demonstrate how your skills and area of expertise would be valuable to their needs.

Listen to the full interview.