47 NAT

Anyone on here work or has worked in this field or alongside a PM or similar role? I need to pick your brains


Is it something worth considering as a career? What about hours, the role itself, size of the projects, pay, any common problems,etc, etc. I'm currently in the Events game and I'm looking to get out of it into something more of a challenge.

Any advice or constructive comments greatly appreciated

Bar-Humbug!

YHM

Bar-Humbug!

YHAPM

47 NAT

Thanks for your PM's they've been really helpful

47 NAT

bttt for the lunch time crew...

DCI Gene Hunt

I am... I'm paid loads to go "hmmmmm, that's an option" or "does this have enough slippage?"....

I would recommend it to anyone

scoob_babe

Projects vary from size to size even within one organisation. There is no definitive size, pay, hours.
Common problems - budgets, resources, time constraints...again, how long is a piece of string.
To be taken seriously, you will probably need the PRINCE2 practitioner qualification since most PM roles will want this as a standard. If you work for a consultancy company, then this will be needed to prove to clients that you are capable of following prescribed standards.

SJ_Skyline

What about hours:
- Until the job is done, signed off by the customer and paid for. It's not a 9 to 5 job - if you think this then you are confusing "team leader" with "project manager"

the role itself:
- Varies from organisation to organisation depending on the culture of the company. Within my company, PMs earn their way with a pint and a half of blood. They are responsible for all aspects of the project: customer engagement, chasing customers for payment, ensuring delivery and reporting internally and externally. Within other organisations, PMs are little more than team leaders.

size of the projects:
- Tens of thousands to hundreds of millions. The question is, can you organise a small team on a small project and scale it up to a team of over 100 based in different countries working on multiple projects within your programme? And if it goes wrong: as complex, expensive programmes sometimes do - are you ready for the firestorm that's coming your way?

pay:
- Depends on how good you are, what you can negotiate and what your track record in delivery is. As above - the glorified team leader role expect 25k upwards, for a senior programme manager working a large, complex programme then salaries of 6 figures are not uncommon.

common problems:
- Where to start... Competition from other suppliers, inaccurate estimates that your bid was based on, ability of your team, complexity of the project, project budget (and management's view of how profitable it should be), customer expectation, your own management's expectation... et. al.

My advice to any project manager:
Read the contract!!! Know what you are supposed to deliver!

Varboy

I'm not going to reiterate what others have said, but I will say it's an nightmare job that offers huge satisfaction when you are successful.

My biggest annoyances about the job are:

1.) Being placed on projects when some dimwit has already set it up (badly).
2.) Being placed on projects with unrealistic objectives and timelines.
3.) Dealing with external clients with unrealistic expectations and the attitude that they are paying you to do it, therefore you have overcome every single hurdle without sacrificing timelines, budget or project scope.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I deal with them, good ones are a godsend, bad ones are like babysitting a five year old who want's to "help" !

bonerp

dont agree with the hours comment but that depends who you work for. I do 8 til 4 but during implementation its no uncommon to work longer and at weekend.

If you are sensible, practical and have common sense, anyone can do it. Up to you how much detail you get involved in. You cn use experts and take a helicopter view - ensures you know whats going on across the project rather than one particular area.

I just left a full time role after redundancy (thank you :-) ) and earned around £38k plus benefits. Now gone contracting and earning in excess of £100k per year - does have its risks and generally everything ou had as an employee is now my responsibility. I love it tho, and just received my first pay day ;-)

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

Prince 2 is the way to go together with some risk mamagement courses and if its IT projects you are inclined towards ITIL Service Delivery is probably worth a look too.

Entry salary typically around the £40K mark. Its really about balancing timescales, with quality and costs. Pressure levels and demands on you vary from organisation to organisation with criticality (and value) of the project.

Managed projects valued from £1M to £16M for Defence. Left project management behind after 5 years as I wasn't good at it. I was bogged down with paperwork, I have a preference for being hands on leading a technical team.

Another important factor often overlooked in my opinion is organisations with poor programme managers make life much more difficult for the project managers.

PaulC72

I would also explore other avenues not just leave it to project management as alot of construction areas are very well paid these days, being an estimator I should know it all depends on what sense of achievement you are after, mine is delivery the project all costed to the prject team to build which I like enjoy alot.

47 NAT

Thanks a lot for your replies

It's given me something to think about although, I'm looking to do something sooner, instead of later. I've been looking around on various websites and have spoken to a few agencies (there arrogant & dis-heartening at times!) and most projects are multi-million pound, running big teams. I just don't think I'm ready for that challenge just yet, especially in a field I have little or no knowledge about


I've also looked at improving on my current role with another company. I have spoken to a few Companies and agencies and they seemed a bit put out that a guy wants to do Event Management

Its crazy to hear that people will quite happily take on a graduate with no experience in any field than someone that has quite a few years of "on hands" experience with a technical/commercial/sales background


Taking a Sales role isn't an option as I don't agree with the rewards of doing well is to get given even bigger targets and less money!

Maybe its my C.V. layout or even my age (just turned 40) that is putting them off ...but no way am I hanging my boots up yet

Once again, thanks all for your input and any further comments and advice will be greatly appreciated

Bakerman

Oh yes to that, vast majority are nothing more than admin clerks producing worthless documents. Every so often a good one comes along and the good ones are good. If there is a good project team then I would argue no need for a PM.

I work in IT so maybe it is just grossly overpaid IT PMs who I have come across. For me though the money is not worth the extra hours and boredom of the role and much prefer the hands on approach, you basically have to find your balance between work/home and for me home comes well ahead.

SJ_Skyline

What it sounds like you want is move your experience of coordinating events into a larger arena: At its most simple, project management is an exercise in coordination and logistics so spin your CV, tailor it to each role you go for.

Have you considered setting up your own events company? With your existing experience you should have a fairly good idea of the market.

If you are going for roles with other organisations, take your age off your CV. In the UK you can't be asked (or discriminated by) your age - it's just as illegal as asking your religeon, politics and sexual orientation.

I agree with your view on sales roles - you will only ever be measured by one metric.

With regards graddies, they are cheap, pliable, eager to please and if they don't like it, there are plenty more along next year That said, some of them really are stars - the leaders of tomorrow so it's worth spending the time and effort bringing them on board as long as you can curb the enthusiasm and teach them to walk first and run later.

Best of luck

47 NAT

Thanks people