Some people have genuine leadership qualities and like to keep everything organized keeping a certain goal in mind. If you too are such a person, then project management might just be the career for you. In the dynamic world of Information Technology, project management is one of the most complicated fields to work in. There are five phases of a project lifecycle – initiation, planning, execution, control, and completion; and it is a project manager who leads a project from start to end. Involving no dullness, the job of a project manager is quite challenging and one needs to act as a team leader, supervisor, and co-worker simultaneously.
An IT project manager supports the business directives associated with particular initiatives and assigns the company resources based on those goals. Not all of the project participants are part of a single team, so the IT project manager is responsible for delivering the projects smoothly with minimum bottlenecks in work, on time, and on budget. Companies face huge losses if they do not have a skilled and experienced project manager to handle complex projects. This is why they have higher standard expectations when hiring a project manager. One of the credentials that are highly regarded in this field is the Project Management Professional or PMP certification.
IT project managers are highly paid professionals across the world. If you are wondering how important their role is in the industry, then you should read this article. You will know about their contribution to IT projects and how you can step into this promising career option.
Why are IT Project Managers Important?
When it comes to IT project management, a lot of things are involved in projects – hardware installations, software development, cloud computing rollout, network updates, implementing IT services, business analytics, and more. Managing all these complex project tasks requires a seasoned IT project manager who oversees them throughout the project lifecycle. Here are the top reasons why the role of an IT project manager is crucial for organizations.
- Companies are embracing digital transformation and we see the growth of big data analytics and cloud technologies across industries. So, IT project managers are in high demand as they facilitate projects involving application development and cloud migration.
- A project manager gives a project purpose and direction after identifying its aim and vision. They ensure that there is smooth communication between stakeholders, the project team, and customers.
- They define the tasks to be taken by each team member to complete the project. They increase employee productivity by listing the top skills of each member and assigning them the work accordingly.
- If there are any changes in client requirements or unexpected risk occurs, project managers amend the project plan to reflect budget, scheduling, and other necessary modifications.
- A project manager’s leadership skills can boost the employees’ morale, productivity, profitability, and result in a greater sense of ownership and professionalism.
- They deal with the two major constraints of any project – delivering on budget and on time. They not only control the monetary costs but people resources as well, including equipment costs.
- With proper risk assessment, project managers create a plan of what steps need to be taken in case of any potential risks. This way there are minimal chances of project failure.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, project managers have a lot more tasks to handle which could be quite challenging. So, project managers are essential to help every part of the business run smoothly.
How to Become a Seasoned Project Manager?
No one can start their career as a project manager. Entry-level professionals need to gain years of relevant experience before they can switch to a managerial role. Moreover, without any proven skills, the chances of getting a project manager role are low. This is where a PMP certification can help. Offered by the prestigious certifying body called Project Management Institute (PMI), the PMP certification is your one-stop solution to demonstrate your skills in this domain. Recognized by companies worldwide, the PMP certification showcases your ability to speak the global language of project managers and bring all kinds of complex projects to successful completion.
As a project manager increases the likelihood of a project’s success and profitability, companies have a rigorous selection process to find the right candidate. Among your peers, a PMP certification will help you gain more preference and employers will believe that you have proven project management skills. There are certain eligibility requirements one needs to fulfill in order to become eligible for the PMP certification exam. Once you crack the exam, PMI will award you the PMP certification. You can either decide to do self-study or take up an online training program to prepare for the PMP certification exam.
As more and more of our daily work becomes project-based, more people are finding themselves in the business of managing projects. It is predicted that employers will need to fill over 88 million posts in project management-related job roles, and the sector is expected to grow by a whopping 33%. This is a huge number that can definitely work in your favor if you possess the right project management skills that are so much in demand. So, why not start planning for a career as an IT project manager today!
