Why you should choose a career in Project Management

When it comes to careers high in demand, Project Management is always on the top list. This is because a variety of industries need project managers, especially when facing competition, tackling challenges both internal and external.

Project management has become a needed career path in the present agile environment and equally a job that is financially rewarding with lots of opportunities.

So, if you are willing to start a career in project management, this content will give you a clear understanding and expose you to the future prospects ahead.

Roles and responsibilities of Project Manager

• Project managers set a plan and schedule before implementing any given project.
• They oversee and control the project resources and proffer ways to utilize the fund in order to achieve a good result.
• The project manager ensures and controls cost overrun. They are responsible to complete the projects within the project budget.
• Assist in proposal preparation and tender submission procedures
• Operate and promote a high standard of health, safety and environmental compliance
• They make sure to maintain the project quality at the top.
• They ensure that project outcomes should meet or exceed the needs of stakeholders including end customers and users.
• Defining a project’s scope and goals.
• Reporting regularly to senior management.
• Managing client relationships.
• Tracking project performance

Reason for choosing Project Management as a career

• Project Management professionals are high in demand. Due to the emerging need for PM oriented jobs. So, choosing this career will bring you a lot of career opportunities.
• PM professionals are drawing attractive compensations. The reason being their capabilities to take on challenges in complex scenarios. A project manager earns N139,000-N457,000 per month as a starter depending on the organisation.
• If you like to be surrounded by people, and you are good at managing them, then this profile suits you well.
• If you love to travel internationally, then, PM-related profiles give you such an opportunity. You may travel across the globe to take lead in multiple projects.
• Though PMs are supposed to work extensively on a project at hand, they often get the flexibility in place and time to work their own way. Virtual interfaces like video conferencing provide the flexibility to join from remote places. Hence, this profile maintains good work-life balance.
• PM job is not limited to a particular industry or sector. Moreover, this role gives you the privilege to work in a variety of environments & industries. A project manager can find his position in different industries.
• PMs act as risk managers. They help organizations to identify potential risks while carrying out a new project. They oversee all the possibilities of risk occurrences. And plan to combat these risks well in advance using their risk management skills. This way they reduce the chances of project failures to a great extent.
• PM role offers you opportunities to learn something new each day. Project managers retain their vivid set of knowledge. And exchange them with the organization & people to ascertain continuous success. They know – how to capture and manage the knowledge to drive future projects with success. That is why a seasoned project manager is an asset to the organization. If you are a good learner, willing to expose yourself to a variety of learning opportunities, this profile will help you.

Skills required to be a Project Manager in Nigeria

• Effective Communication skill
• Critical thinking skill
• Negotiation Skill
• Research and Analytic Skill
• Time management skill
• Resource management skill
• Organization skill
• Risk management Skills

Education and Certifications needed to become a Project Manager in Nigeria

As mentioned earlier, if you want to be a project manager, the first thing you will be needing is a project management degree. There are two very common types of project management certifications; The Certified Associated in Project Management (CAPM) and the Project Management Professional (PMP), both offered at Project Management Institute (PMI) branches across Nigeria.

The difference between both degrees is that while you will need at least 4,500 hours of working experience and a project management degree (although this prerequisite is said to be optional) to qualify for the PMP, you do not need prior project management experience or the degree to take CAPM courses. Aside from the CAPM and PMP certifications, there are other project management certifications you can acquire, each with its own prerequisite. Some of these certifications are.

• Program Management Professional (PgMP),
• Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP),
• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP),
• PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP), and the
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)

In conclusion, project managers have a high demand and the profession can be very rewarding. For anyone that is aspiring to take top management positions, ready to face new challenges and loves to learn, unlearn and relearn, PM is the best fit for them.