Hi there, I'm Luna.
I'm a bit like an AI, except instead of making pictures of people with 16 fingers, I can help you find the perfect course and uni.
Would you like some help in your search?
As a project manager, you’ll plan and manage projects from start to finish. This involves several elements, like planning the budget and managing resources and people. It’s all about setting a plan and making sure it’s kept to, in order to achieve the desired results, which could be anything from completing a construction project to implementing an IT system.
What does a project manager do?
A project manager’s main responsibility is to make sure the project they’re in charge of is planned effectively and delivered on time, on budget and safely. Daily tasks will vary but could include:
- Setting deadlines and schedules
- Tracking performance and progress
- Briefing your team and delegating work tasks
- Working out budgets and adapting them if needed
- Ordering and allocating resources
- Attending client briefings
- Setting goals and objectives that need to be achieved
- Leading and motivating your team
- Identifying and managing risks
- Reporting to management and the client
- Evaluating how successful the project was after completion
It should be noted that most project manager roles will require you to follow a standard, official project management process, such as the APM (Association for Project Management), the PDCF (Project Delivery Capability Framework, PRINCE2 or the PMI (Project Management Institute).
What’s it like to work as a project manager?
Project managers are employed across a wide range of industries, including engineering, construction, financial services, IT, insurance, technology, advertising and law. There are opportunities to work in both the public and private sectors.
As a project manager, you’ll lead a project team in order to meet tight deadlines. As such, you’ll often be working in pressurised, stressful work environments and may have to work long, and sometimes unsociable, hours.
Due to the formal and important nature of the role, there’s often a professional dress code and a formal working environment. This can vary from industry to industry, however. A great deal of your job tasks are likely to be carried out from an office environment but travel to project sites and client meetings is also common.
You’ll probably work for larger organisations as an employee, while it’s more common to work on a freelance basis for smaller companies. Once you’ve got the relevant experience, it’s possible to set up as self-employed or as a consultant.
What skills do you need to be a project manager?
Project managers need a variety of skills, such as:
- Organisational skills
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Motivational skills
- Analytical skills
- Negotiation skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Risk management skills
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Collaboration skills
- Time management skills
How much does a project manager earn?
How much you’re paid as a project manager depends largely on what industry you’re in and how much experience you’ve got. Starting salaries can vary between £20,000 and £35,000, while experienced project managers tend to earn between £40,000 and £80,000.
How to become a project manager
University qualifications
It’s common to get into project management by going to uni before looking for job opportunities. Most undergraduate degrees will be suitable to get into general project management, however, business-related courses and project management degrees will be especially useful. More specific project management roles in industries like IT and engineering will sometimes require a degree in their specific field, as it’s important to know the subject area.
It's possible to do a project management master’s degree. This will help you stand out to employers, however it’s not essential to get a postgraduate qualification to find a job to get into project management. A master’s in project management would be especially helpful if your undergraduate degree is in an unrelated subject area.
Once you’ve graduated and found employment, you’ll probably need to start out in a junior position, such as assistant project manager or junior project manager, before working your way up to become a project manager. Throughout your career you’ll need to take professional qualifications and short courses to help you progress. Employers will often help you with these qualifications or provide on-the-job training. Courses are available in the various project management methodologies, such as PRINCE2 and Agile. You can also look to gain industry certification through the Association of Project Managers (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Project management apprenticeships
A project management apprenticeship is an alternative route to going to uni and gives you the chance to earn a wage while you’re learning to become a project manager. You’ll be able to train in roles like assistant project manager, project manager, project coordinator and project executive. It’s common for large companies to offer these opportunities and they usually take between two and five years to complete, depending on the company you work for and the level you study at.
Read more about being a project manager on our careers profile.
