Q I’ve been a Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification holder for a number of years. However, I want to ensure my career-development plans include additional business skills useful in a senior role. What should I be focusing on?
A Your current experience, skills and certification in project management have provided a solid foundation for your career so far. To take it to the next level, you need to consider the wider business environment in which you operate.
Business management, commercial awareness, financial management, organizational strategy and business change are just some of the business areas that directly relate to project managers. Widening the focus to include organizational and human resources management, marketing, operations, and leadership will give you a well-rounded skill set. That, in turn, boosts your chances for moving up the career ladder.
All this may sound like the blueprint for a master's degree in business administration, but your development doesn't have to take such a formal (and expensive) route. The key to building additional business skills is choosing the learning that best suits you and your industry. Here are some ways to get started:
- Engage your manager and explain your objectives.
- Identify target areas in which you're looking to increase your knowledge.
- Find people in the business willing to mentor you in their area of expertise.
A show of commitment to self-development may also create wider opportunities for you as you come into contact with members of the business team. Your visibility will almost certainly be raised, and that may put you in a better position to practice your enhanced knowledge.
Q I recently signed up on Linkedin to reconnect with people, but how else can it help me in my career development?
A With Facebook seen as a personal channel, Linkedin is widely recognized as the leading professional social networking tool. Used proactively, three areas are particularly valuable:
1. Networking: Keep in touch with those with whom you already have a working relationship—current and past team members, peers, managers and vendors. These are the people who may someday be able to provide you with new career opportunities.
Be sure to also use Linkedin to follow up with the project managers you encounter at meetings, conferences and seminars—especially if you're looking for a window into project management careers in sectors and industries other than your own.
It's worth noting that 80 percent of career opportunities don't come through career or corporate sites, but rather from personal recommendations and referrals. Make those connections work for you by staying visible and proactive.
Want more career advice? Head to Career Central at PMI.org or check out the PMI Career Central group on LinkedIn.
2. Groups: There are more than 3,000 project management-related groups on LinkedIn, covering a variety of specializations, regions and industries. The groups are an opportunity not only to connect to others in your field but also to share knowledge.
Discussion boards and links to resources such as webinars and conferences are excellent ways to seek specific advice from the enormous pool of knowledgeable people within your chosen groups.
You can be a member of up to 50 groups at any one time. That could lead to information overload, but you can opt in or out of email alerts, allowing you to choose your level of involvement in each group.
3. Job searches. LinkedIn has emerged as the recruitment tool of choice for many companies looking to draw quality project professionals. That means even if you're not seeking a job, you could receive new career opportunities at any time based on your profile. If you are actively looking for work, update your LinkedIn profile both in the “status” and “add a current position” fields. These are the main areas that organizations use to search for new talent.
The LinkedIn setup also means you'll see organizations that are recruiting. These targeted ads show up on your page, and you only see opportunities that match your profile. PM
Lindsay Scott is the director of program and project management recruitment at Arras People in London, England. Please send your career questions to [email protected].