Project/Business Manager

Job Title and Overview

A project manager (PM) is someone who uses strategic planning to direct a team towards achieving a desired goal. A business manager (BM) occupies a similar role, analyzing goals for businesses as a whole rather than just specific projects. The PM industry is rapidly growing and by 2030, the U.S. economy will need 25 million new PMs.

Education, Experience, and Pathways

• Can become a manager with a high school diploma.
• High school graduates typically start in titles such as project coordinator, junior project manager, or administrative associate.
• A bachelor's degree is helpful to gain technical knowledge in specific project management fields as well as overall business knowledge.
• College graduates better able to specialize early, starting in positions such as business consultant, civil engineer, or software developer.
• Experience in the industry in which you are in is more important than education.

Essential Job Skills 

• Communication: Managers effectively motivate and actively listen to colleagues.
• Organization and Time management: Managers delegate tasks and direct teams toward a time-sensitive goal.
• Critical thinking: Managers think dynamically about issues, creating and adapting solutions throughout the process to produce high-quality outcomes. 

Workplace Environment and Salary

• Managers operate in a fast-paced, relational environment.
• Hours are very reliable and dependent on where a team is in the project.
• Managers have unique ability to set their team's culture.
• Project Management Specialists Median Salary in Durham: $94,500.
• Business Operations Specialists Median Salary in Durham: $74,670.
• More likely to start in a role similar to administrative support work, whose median salary is $37,900

Additional Certificates and Credentials

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) from the Project Management Institute (PMI).
• No required experience.
• Project Management Professional certificate from the PMI.
• Need 36 months of experience with a bachelor's degree, 60 months without.
• Specific industries offer more specialized certificates.
• For example, construction project managers may gain the PMI Construction Professional certificate or Certified Construction Manger certificate. 

Skills for Directorial and Executive Leadership

• Become an executive leader through experience, networking, gaining certificates.
• Balancing short-term goals with long-term vision.
• Interact with clients and stakeholders to prevent findings and gain business. 

Available Resources