Why You Should Consider Pursuing a Career in Project Management
Feeling a bit unsure about your chosen career path? Don’t worry — you’re not alone. While many people have a clear idea of what they want to do professionally upon entering college, after a few years they may realize their interests have changed. Or, some will work in a certain field for years, only to find they’re not as fulfilled or financially comfortable as they initially expected.
Whatever the reason for your uncertainty, there’s no need to panic; it may just be time to consider a new career path. The prospect of a career shift, or a return to the classroom, can be exciting, and there are plenty of great opportunities out there if you know where to look.
These days, one career path worth considering is project management. To help you get better acquainted with this path, here’s a bird’s eye view of project management and why it’s a good choice for anyone seeking a fulfilling job with a great salary.
What is Project Management?
Project management refers to the planning, monitoring, execution, and completion of a task, duty, or event that is intended to further a company’s objectives. Someone who works in project management should possess strong communication and leadership skills. They should also be organized, timely, able to assess and manage risk, and have a knack for problem-solving under pressure.
The Benefits of a Career in Project Management
Here are just a few of the many advantages of pursuing a career or earning a master’s degree in project management:
You Can Work in a Variety of Industries
Project management isn’t exclusive to one field. In fact, it’s a common career path in a variety of industries, including healthcare, engineering, finance, IT, manufacturing, software development, and more. If you hadn’t already noticed, these are some of the most in-demand and competitive fields for job seekers today, and many of them are lucrative, too.
You Can Earn a Good Living
Project managers are needed in many of the highest-paying industries, which means pursuing a career in project management can help you earn a great salary. According to the Project Management Institute, the median annual salary for a project manager in the U.S. is $116,000. That’s nearly 2.5 times the median annual salary of all American workers, which is $47,520.
There’s Tremendous Projected Job Growth
The field of project management is expected to grow at a faster rate than most other professions in the next five years. Between 2017 and 2027, this labor force is expected to grow by 33%, which amounts to nearly 22 million jobs, according to the Anderson Economic Group. That means many new high-paying jobs will be available to anyone with the proper qualifications.
It Can Be Fulfilling
Money is likely to be a high priority for any job seeker, but so is personal satisfaction — and ignoring that aspect of your career might leave you unhappy regardless of earning potential. With so much career opportunity and versatility, project management allows for the kind of creativity, problem-solving, leadership, and recognition that makes any career path fulfilling.
Limitless Opportunities Await You as a Project Manager
If you’re looking to apply a widely-applicable skill set that will allow you to work and excel in many different fields, project management might be just the career for you. With a whole host of different industries seeking project managers for various short- and long-term undertakings, the opportunities in this field are truly limitless.
