10 Ways to Succeed as a Project Manager

10 Ways to Succeed as a Project Manager10 Ways to Succeed as a Project Manager Project management exists in all industries and is open to anyone with the right attitude. However, it can be difficult to enter the field and advance your career. Here are 10 top tips to progress in the project management world. Ideal for those who have just entered the field or are more experienced professionals.Whether you are job hunting or looking to be promoted, it is important you know which industry you want to work in. This is because there can be variations in the experience and qualifications required for each industry. For example, you will likely need to be PRINCE2 qualified for public sector roles in the UK. Similarly, IT or engineering roles will probably require an industry relevant degree.Understanding the current jobs market is crucial. Whilst browsing for roles, consider what skills, experience, and qualifications employers are looking for. See if you need to make cha nges to your current skillset to increase your chances of landing an interview . Knowing what is expected by employers will make it easier for you to develop a plan of action.For project-based roles, employers will be keen to see experience on your CV . This can be difficult if you are just starting out, but the trick is to capitalize on experience gained in other areas of life. Have you been part of group projects at university, completed an internship, volunteered or organized an event? These are all examples of projects that you can describe in detail on your CV/resume .Project managers need strong soft skills . They must be positive and assertive leaders with top-notlagech organization, communication, and problem-solving skills. Outside the office, you must also display these qualities during interviews and networking events both nerve-wracking situations. Soft skills can be improved through attending courses, so look around for something to suit you. You will have notic ed certain qualifications mentioned in job descriptions . Employers in all industries often ask for the well-known PRINCE2 certification. The IT and creative industries often require certification in agile methods, such as Scrum or AgilePM . In any case, getting certified proves your knowledge and puts you in a good position for gaining employment or progressing your career.As leaders, project managers are never short of opinions. So, when developing or starting a project management career, it is important to put yourself out there. Social media allows you to share your opinions, network and maybe find new opportunities. Twitter is perfect for this it provides a place to share short opinions or snippets of knowledge with a worldwide audience. It also has groups to join and get involved with. For those of you with a few years of project experience behind you, start a blog and write something more detailed. You never know who might be reading it.LinkedIn has over 240 million user s and 87% of employers use it to vet potential candidates. It is, therefore, vital you get involved with this useful online tool. Having a LinkedIn profile is a bit like having an online CV you can show your career off to the world It also enables you to connect with employers, colleagues, and others in your industry. Particularly important is the fact LinkedIn allows users to post articles , pictures or infographics and share opinions in forums. It gives you a platform to share your knowledge and promote yourself as an excellent employee.Attending face-to-face networking events , company socials or career fairs helps you to make connections. However, they can be awkward occasions. Why not contact a few participants before the event? That way, you avoid awkward introductions and can focus on key people. Similarly, ensure others take notice of you by contributing to conversations, rather than remaining passive.For job hunters, it is important to start small. One of the best ways t o become a project manager is to get a more junior role first, such as a project support officer or administrator. This role will see you working alongside a project manager and their team, supporting them with administrative tasks. The valuable experience this provides will help you land a role as a project manager more easily.If you are a project manager experiencing career stagnation, remember that one of the great things about this career is the level of progression. Many project managers choose to go into program management. Gaining the MSP qualification is useful when choosing this path. Others choose the consultant or training route. Some move into a PMO role and oversee the work of the project managers or support staff. There are always options to do something different.Simon Buehring is the founder and Managing Director of Knowledge Train, an accredited PRINCE2 training organization based in London, UK. For over 25 years, Simon has worked as a project manager for a w ide range of organizations, both in the UK and internationally, including the BBC, HSBC and IBM.Find out more about developing your project management career with this handy ebook . Its packed with tips from professionals who have been there themselves, this ebook serves as an excellent guide for juniors and veterans alike

This Is How You Help Someone Grieving at Work While Still Maintaining Professional Boundaries

This Is How You Help Someone Grieving at Work While Still Maintaining Professional BoundariesThis Is How You Help Someone Grieving at Work While Still Maintaining Professional BoundariesYour co-worker or direct report has lost a loved one. This person could have been a parent, spouse, child, sibling, or other relative or close friend.Your gruppe member has a tough road ahead regaining her equilibrium and productivity. A tough road lies ahead for you, too, but of a different sort. Most likely, youll be asking yourself how to thoughtfully yet practically deal with such a delicate situation. (If youre the one coping with loss, this deutsche post ag on game-planning loss at work is for you.)I welches at work when I learned my dad had died. Im bedrngnis alone. Studies show we spend about 10 years of our life at work, which means so many life milestones are reached in the company of colleagues. Those include the grieving process. In the years since my dad passed away, Ive been a co-worker and manager to several team members affected by profound loss.Many sensitive managers helped me through my own experience grieving in the workplace. But Ive also worked in settings where even with 60 employees the lack of a set bereavement policy created an environment with no roadmap on how to best proceed in this situation.My biggest learning curve occurred when I was managing a mid-sized team and one of our core members lost a parent. I jumped in to do everything I could to help the team cope and lessen the stress of the person who was out of the office. Despite searching extensively for resources on handling such a delicate situation, I found nothing that spoke to the experience of those left in the office. The following is meant to help others navigate unterstellung tough transitions.Situation 1 Youre the BossAfter it HappensBe understanding. Many companies have an HR policy around loss, but if at all possible, be flexible. Each person responds in his or her own way to grief. T reat these situations individually instead of lumping them together.While Theyre OutGo through their workload. Distribute what you can and decide what can wait until they return. Cancel or reschedule any necessary meetings during their absence. Review their to-do list with another team member.Jessica Randazza, a marketing director, says her job as manager is not to make loss go away or manage the grief, but rather to create an environment in which work can progress as your employees moves through their grief. This will set the tone for how a team will respond to helping a fellow co-worker in need- if there is support at the highest level, chances are your team will follow suit.On the personal side, try to go beyond the fruit basket. Its fine to send flowers or food on behalf of the whole team, if appropriate. But consider also making a meaningful donation in their loved ones memory or having everyone sign a card with short, personal notes.When They ReturnDeciding when to resume work ing following a death is a personal choice. Aimee Barr, a New York City-based psychotherapist says, Research has shown that structure and keeping busy can often help, but it is crucial to remember grief is a very personal process and can last anywhere from weeks, months, or years. Be mindful of that as a manager when your team member comes back to work Just because theyre back doesnt mean theyre not still processing. If appropriate, check with HR for permission to send an email to your team the day before the employee returns reminding them that this person was away due to a loss.Situation 2 Youre Human ResourcesAfter it HappensHopefully guidelines are already in place. Depending on the size of your company, sometimes it takes something like this happening to realize you actually need a policy. Regardless, every situation is different. Your role is to work with the manager and co-workers to the capacity that is needed. For example, help everyone decide on the best person to email th e company and clients, and on the text of the message. Focus this note on those who need to know while respecting the boundaries of your coworker by not sharing too many details. Keep it short Anne experienced a loss in her immediate family and will be out of the office for the rest of this week. Ill update everyone with more details in a few days.While Theyre OutWork with the manager and a co-worker to designate a person to check in with the bereaved employee on how theyre doing and inquire about when they might return to work. Other co-workers might reach out as well, but its good practice to assign one person to handle the difficult conversations.When They ReturnSet up a few check-ins with both the team member and manager to review the transition back to work. Barr suggests, As a guideline, it is important to remember grief often causes you to be easily distracted and emotional, and it may be very hard to stay focused at work. Be mindful that everyone returns to his or her pre-lo ss productivity differently.Situation 3 Youre the Co-workerAfter it HappensWhat do you say? How do you respond to what they say in return? If your co-worker learns about a loss while at work, they likely did so from an emergency phone call, email, or text, and their world has turned upside down. If you are a close co-worker or happen to see this transpire, help them to pack their bag and leave work immediately. You can be extremely helpful by simply saying something like, Dont worry about telling your boss, Ill take care of it for you, or, if theyre too shaken up to drive, by offering them a ride or arranging for a cab.While Theyre OutStrategize with your manager on handling the workload over the coming days. If you dont sit on the same immediate team, be supportive in your own ways. This can include working with your manager on sending a card or flowers or even merely just sending an email to your co-worker letting them know they are in your thoughts.When They ReturnThose of us who have experienced loss know about the many emotional landmines at work, including birthdays and holidays. Be sensitive to days when your co-worker is having a tough time (unbeknownst to you, it may be a big trigger day for them), and let them set the tone.Three weeks after the death of a parent, Lauren Marfoe returned to her job as a public relations digital strategist. She wanted work to be the one place where she didnt have to feel obligated to talk about her experience and hoped her colleagues would not force her to do so. In the months that passed, she slowly became comfortable opening up to co-workers, but was grateful to not have felt pressured to dive in it right away.Following her husbands sudden death earlier this year, Sheryl Sandberg wrote, Real empathy is sometimes not insisting that it will be okay but acknowledging that it is not. When your coworker returns to work, allow them to express whats going on and let them set the tone for how to talk about it. Do not offer pr aise for their strength (its most likely a show to get through the day) or unsolicited advice.Grief is an individualized experience. Try to show your colleague empathy at all times. By doing so, youll be helping to create as comfortable an atmosphere as possible during an extremely painful time.More From Modern LossShould I Stay or Should I Go?Leaning In, My WayCleaning a Home after Loss with Avoidance and HumorThis article was originally published on Modern Loss. It has been republished here with permission.Photo of sad woman courtesy of Shutterstock.

Why Theres High Demand for IT in the Atlanta Job Market

Why Theres High Demand for IT in the Atlanta Job Market Why Theres High Demand for IT in the Atlanta Job Market In the first six months of 2018, Atlanta is set to be the second-most-active market in the U.S. for tech hiring.Just read the news, says David Sheehan, branch manager at Technology in Atlanta, Stories about corporate hacks and exploits are everywhere, and those are just the ones we hear about. Getting hacked is bad for business, and companies are stocking up on top tech professionals to be as secure as possible.The need to beef up cybersecurity and demand for other tech skill sets is causing the Atlanta job market to heat up with IT opportunities. Of 2,600 CIOs polled in the Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report, 26 percent plan to hire full-time technology workers in the first half of 2018 - up 12 points from a year ago - and 56 percent expect to hire IT personnel to maintain current staff levels if any employees depart.This growth is good news for candida tes, but it could present a hiring challenge for employers hoping to bring in the best and brightest the area has to offer. Below are tips for hiring managers and job seekers navigating the red-hot Atlanta job market this year.Find the departureing salaries for more than 75 IT jobsDOWNLOAD THE SALARY GUIDEHiring challenges and top areas of growthAtlanta is a tough playing field for employers because of competition over top candidates. More than half (60 percent) of CIOs in Atlanta believe its already challenging to find skilled IT professionals. Here are the skills they need most right nowCybersecurity - Protecting information is a huge deal for many companies, and instilling confidence in customers about the security of their data is a top priority.Wireless network management and development - With the skyrocketing number of devices connecting to networks, its important for companies to make their networks efficient and safe.Database management - Companies that not only know how to utilize their data but to optimize and safeguard it have the advantage.And thats not all. Employers within the healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, travel, finance and logistics fields are creating opportunities for database administration and analysis talent, as well as for help desk professionals, says Sheehan. Also, business intelligence, security, cloud computing and big data will continue to be important areas of growth in Atlanta for strategic business initiatives. He says robotics automation is another field that is taking off.When asked to name their top priorities, the CIOs surveyed listed the following goalsUpgrading existing systems to improve business efficiency (29 percent)Innovating and investing in new technologies to help grow business and stay ahead of the competition (21 percent)Maintaining IT security systems to avoid breaches, safeguard company information and inspire confidence (20 percent)Retaining staff to ensure smooth operations (17 percent)Employers How to get what you wantThanks to Georgia Tech and other schools in the area, Atlanta has a strong pool of local IT talent. However, demand is high and the supply isnt always there. In a competitive hiring environment, Sheehan says, hiring managers should research their market and competitors and take note of what theyre doing. And since job searches can be long and costly, dedicated IT staffing agencies can help companies save both time and money by drawing on their specialized resources and insider knowledge of the industry.Sheehan also emphasizes putting together a compelling compensation package, including competitive salary and bonuses, plus non-monetary perks like a solid benefits package, flexible work schedules and professional development opportunities. The Atlanta job market is currently tipped in the candidates favor, so its important to make your company as attractive as possible to appeal to applicants. This is particularly true for mid-level and senior positions and jo bs that require specialized skills.Also, look beyond technical abilities. Sheehan stresses that people skills are just as important. Developers and engineers are being called on more and more to speak to internal and external customers, he says.Candidates How to maximize opportunitiesYou have a lot of options, but how do you make sure you choose the best one? Sheehan says experience has taught him that salary isnt the only important variable. Choose what youre most passionate about and focus your energy, he says. Do not spread yourself too thin or go down a different path from one you feel strongly about. And in a sector known for changing very quickly, he advises being mindful of which paths have strong potential for growth and longevity.Are you ready to start your search? Look for qualified candidates or job opportunities in Atlanta today.