Over time, the world of business has developed and changed to meet the needs of organizations and global companies. An ever-increasing need to become more efficient and effective has produced the role of a project manager.
A project manager oversees the planning, organization, and implementation of a wide variety of assignments. Typically, the assignments or tasks involve specific starting and ending goals with a defined outcome, such the building of a bridge or a new product launch. The execution of these assignments is generally done through a project management plan. The project manager creates a course of action which is designed to efficiently guide all aspects of a project from start to finish. Project managers use many methods to operate projects, which requires the skills and the knowledge base to select the best approach. Considerations must be made based on the type of assignment, the organization's needs and culture, the skills of those assigned to the project, as well as, a variety of other factors. Successful project managers lead teams and skillfully allocate resources to complete quality projects within a given time frame and budget.
Essential skills and strengths of project managers include advanced leadership capabilities, strong organizational skills, superior interpersonal and intrapersonal communication abilities, the ability to quickly and efficiently make and delegate decisions, strategic processing skills, and the appropriate technological skills needed for each assignment. These skills culminate on each job opportunity as a project manager leads diverse teams and coordinates resources, timetables, and people to meet the greater goal within a specific project.
Many Business leaders recognize project management as a necessity within the organization and hire individuals specifically trained in this discipline to handle their company's project management needs. A few of the job fields that often hire project managers include health organizations, legal projects, military management, non-profit organizations, retailers, civil engineering, and social media/IT companies.
Professionals holding degrees in Project Management have come to play a vital part in today's workplace. Because of the rise in project management positions and the demand for educated and experienced leaders, many colleges are now offering undergraduate, graduate, as well as conveniently formatted Online Master's in Project Management degrees. Online degree programs are a great opportunity for students to pursue their degree while gaining crucial professional experience. Typically, project management degrees and training include many hands on and experiential learning scenarios which allow students to truly understand the many aspects involved in managing the completion of large scale projects from beginning to end. Project Management is offered as a degree, but many schools also offer this high demand subject as an additional certificate option.
Earning a Project Management degree is a smart move with a variety of opportunities for employment. According to Payscale.com, average salaries within the field of Project Management vary from $46,000 to $110,000 with average pay falling at around $72,000 per year. Overall, project managers display a wide array of skills that can translate into many areas of work, making this a great field to enter with high return on investment potential.