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Switching Careers to PM

I know nobody has posted anything on here for a while, so I thought I would be the first for 2010!

I was pleased to come across this site and to see Project Managers from all areas coming together to discuss and help new people onto the Project Management ladder.

Many of the comments on here have really inspired me and the articles Josh has posted have been very useful to me.

I am currently studying to become a project manager – the course is: CAPM and MCTS. It is a home study course and I am doing it in my spare time.

I used to be an Air-Conditioning engineer but it wasn’t the right path for me. I am now working for myself doing property maintenance etc.

I am really keen and desperate to get my first step onto the ladder. But I am struggling to find anywhere or anyone to take me on. Obviously, I would need to start at the bottom but right now that is hard because of the current recession.

I would like to be in the construction side of project management as I have a great deal of experience in this area.

Any tips or advice you guys could give me, or anyone you could put me in touch with would mean the world to me. I haven’t had much luck this year so far and I would really like that to change.

Any response would be hugely appreciated.

Kind regards

Scott Norris (Surrey – UK)

The self proclaimed heritics amoung us want us to accept that PM is not a profession. While at the same time those self proclaimed heritics sell PM training, conduct PM processe seminars for money (lots of money), and consult (for money) on how to improve PM process for global clients. Go figure.

Stick with what works for you – behave in a manner that reflects “PM as a profession, act professionally, treat your team and customer in a proffesional manner, and ask ‘what would a true professional do in this situation?’”

There is a small hand book for a former employeer (CH2M Hill) on how be act professionally while performing the companies business. That was the start for me of seeing my role as a Program Manager as more than a job and as a profession.

Thanks!