How to Become a Project Manager [+Tools and Resources]

Embarking on a career as a project manager involves a combination of education, skills development, and practical experience.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to transition into this role, understanding the key steps and requirements is essential.

This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the path to becoming a successful project manager.

Let’s dive in!

TL;DR

A project manager is a professional who plans, coordinates, executes, and closes company projects. From projects ranging from building software to implementing a marketing strategy to building a physical structure, project managers lead the projects from start to finish.
Project management is a career where you can see a clear path on the career ladder as your years of experience and your skills and expertise increase. Here is a typical project management career path starting from the entry-level role:
1. Junior/Assistant Project Manager
2. Project Manager
3. Senior Project Manager
4. Director of Project Management
5. VP of Operations
Although it is not mandatory, most companies put a degree in business, management, or information technology in their job description, and having any of these degrees can give you a competitive edge. However, if you do not have the above degrees, you can take certification courses from reputed sites such as Coursera and Google and add them to your portfolio.
Project managers can utilize various tools to optimize their workflows: Userpilot is ideal for SaaS product teams, offering insights into user behavior for data-driven decisions, Asana excels in project road mapping, while Jira is perfect for team coordination and task tracking, etc.
Looking into tools for project managers? Userpilot is an all-in-one product platform with engagement features and powerful analytics capabilities. Book a demo to see it in action!

What is a project manager?

A project manager is a professional who plans, coordinates, executes, and closes company projects. From projects ranging from building software to implementing a marketing strategy to building a physical structure, project managers lead the projects from start to finish.

Stakeholders communicate the project’s goal to the project manager alongside the budget while the project manager gets the job done.

Project manager’s main responsibilities

The project manager role is dynamic. They take the team involved in the project from start to finish. The success or failure of the project is also largely dependent on the project manager. Here is a detailed list of the main responsibilities and duties of a project manager:

Communicating with stakeholders and getting the vision they have for the project. This includes the intricacies of the project, the expected timeline, and the allocated budget.
Drafting out an outcome-based roadmap, the resources and manpower needed to get the job done.
Organizing the project team, communicating their roles to them, and keeping them motivated.
Analyzing potential risks and loopholes associated with the project and mitigating them early enough.
Monitoring the progress of everyone involved in the project and ensuring everyone stays motivated.
Acting as a quality assurance personnel and ensuring everyone is bringing in their A-game.
Constantly reporting the progress of the project to stakeholders to keep them informed and abreast of the latest developments.
Documenting the process and actions taken about the project.
Managing the project budget and ensuring good utilization of resources to get the best results.

Project manager career path

Project management is a career where you can see a clear path on the career ladder as your years of experience and your skills and expertise increase. Here is a typical project management career path starting from the entry-level role:

Junior/Assistant Project Manager: This is the entry-level role in project management where you get to assist the project manager in coordinating and leading a project. In this role, you get to learn and gain hands-on experience in project management.
Project Manager: From being the assistant project manager, you get promoted to the project manager. By now, you have a few years of experience under your belt and have gained a lot of skills and knowledge to lead a project yourself.
Senior Project Manager: As a senior project manager, you will work on bigger projects or projects with longer timeframes. You will also coordinate a group of project managers under you to get the job done.
Director of Project Management: The Director of Project Management oversees all the company’s projects.
VP of Operations: The Vice President of Operations spearheads every project in the company. They guide the project managers under them on how to successfully manage a project.

How to become a project manager?

Although it is not mandatory, most companies put a degree in business, management, or information technology in their job description, and having any of these degrees can give you a competitive edge. However, if you do not have the above degrees, you can take certification courses from reputed sites such as Coursera and Google and add them to your portfolio.

While taking these courses, you can join project management communities on Slack, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms to network with people and start applying for entry-level roles in your desired companies.

What skills should a project manager have?

Being versatile and multifaceted, the project manager role requires a broad range of soft skills and, when needed, technical skills. Here is a detailed outline of the skills necessary to become a good project manager:

Leadership skills: Leadership is a core part of project management. A good project manager can lead, inspire, and motivate their team to achieve a common goal.
Communication Skills: A project manager needs to know how to communicate effectively with stakeholders and every member of the project execution team.
Time Management: Managing time and keeping to a timeframe is a core part of project management. Getting things done when you said you would start with setting a realistic timeframe and motivating the team to meet that timeframe.
Budgeting: As a project manager, part of your work will involve developing a budget for the resources needed to get the job done.
Risk Management Skills: One of the main hindrances to getting a job done is unforeseen roadblocks. A project manager, therefore, needs risk management skills to assess the risks associated with the project and mitigate them early enough.
Tech-savvy: One of the indispensable skills needed for a project manager is being tech-savvy and able to work with several project management tools such as Trello, Notion, Asana, etc.
Negotiation Skills: A project manager needs to know how to negotiate with stakeholders and other professionals involved in the project, as there can be pushbacks regarding budget, and delivery time, among other things.
Problem-solving skills: No matter how many problems forecasting you do, sometimes some issues are unprecedented. In such a situation, a project manager must be able to come up with solutions and get the problem solved so the project can make progress.
Project Management Methodologies: There are project methodologies that project managers implement in taking a project from start to finish. Examples of these are Scrum, Agile methodology, Waterfall, etc.

Best certifications for project managers

Project management certifications validate your expertise and commitment to the field, increasing your employability and earning potential. While practical experience is invaluable, obtaining a recognized certification can significantly boost your career prospects. So here are a few for your reference:

Project Management Professional (PMP)®: The gold standard of project management certifications, PMP is globally recognized and highly valued by employers across industries. It signifies a deep understanding of project management principles, methodologies, and best practices.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®: While not as comprehensive as the PMP, CAPM is a well-respected entry-level certification that demonstrates your fundamental knowledge of project management concepts. CAPM can help you land your first project management job or transition into a project management career. It’s also a stepping stone towards the PMP.
Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®: Widely Recognized: In an increasingly agile world, the PMI-ACP certification demonstrates your proficiency in agile methodologies like Scrum, Kanban, and Lean. It’s highly valued in organizations that embrace agile practices. If you work in or aspire to work in agile teams, the PMI-ACP is a must-have credential. It validates your ability to manage projects in a flexible and iterative way.
PRINCE2® Foundation/Practitioner: PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a structured project management methodology widely used in the UK and other parts of the world. The Foundation certification covers the basics, while the Practitioner certification demonstrates your ability to apply PRINCE2 to real-world projects. PRINCE2 is particularly popular in the UK and Europe, and it’s often required for project management roles in government and certain industries.

In addition, some industries have their own specialized project management certifications, such as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CompTIA Project+) for IT projects or the Associate in Project Management (IAPM) in Germany. Before deciding which course to take, you should consider whether such certifications are relevant to your field.

Best resources for project managers

There are several resources for project managers ranging from books to podcasts to webinars to blogs for project managers all over the internet. Here is a compilation of the best resources for project managers who are looking to grow in their careers:

Best books for project managers

Project Management Absolute Beginner’s Guide By Greg Horine: From planning a project to executing it and closing it, the book is an absolute guide for anyone looking to get started with project management.
The Lazy Project Manager by Peter Taylor: This book explains how you can be more productive and work smart rather than hard in executing your projects.
Project Management Case Studies By Harold Kerzner: The book contains over 100 case studies on project management from different industries and provides fundamental insights into project management.
Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management By Scott Berkun: In this book, Microsoft project manager veteran Scott Berkun gave tips on how to lead a group of people effectively to get the job done, and it is a must-read for every project manager.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) by Project Management Institute: This comprehensive resource for project managers is a go-to guide for anyone looking for an in-depth book on project management. It covers project management extensively, providing case studies.

Best webinars for project managers

Project Management Institute Webinars: The Project Management Institute produces webinars on a wide range of topics related to project management. If you want to broaden your knowledge in project management, check out the webinar.
Brighttalk by TechTarget Webinars: Brighttalk by TechTarget webinar is another webinar that provides insights on the latest trends in project management.
PMO Advisory Webinars: The PMO Advisory webinar covers not just project management topics but how to navigate your career as a project manager.
HRDQU Webinars: HRDQU produces webinars around leadership in project management and is one you should check out to broaden your scope in leadership.
Alliance Training Project Management Webinars: Facilitated by expert instructors, the webinar is a guide to project management for project managers.

Best blogs for project managers

The Userpilot Blog: If you are a project manager for SaaS projects, the Userpilot blog contains a wealth of knowledge to make your project smooth and seamless.
The Project Management Blog: The project management blog is a comprehensive blog about project management that covers a variety of topics.
The PMStudent Blog: The PMStudent blog covers essential skills every project manager needs to master.
The Girl’s Guide to Project Management Blog: Founded by Elizabeth Harrin, the blog teaches the skills needed in project management.
The Project Management Basics Blog: In the blog are in-depth, comprehensive blog posts on how to be a better project manager.

Best podcasts for project managers

The Project Management Podcast By Cornelius Fichtner: The project management podcast by Cornelius is one of the podcasts every project manager should listen to as it covers the various topics in project management.
PMO Strategies by Laura Barnard: In this podcast, Laura invites project managers, and they discuss on essential things needed to take a project from start to success.
People And Projects Podcast by Andy Kaufman: The People and Projects podcast is a podcast around project management and how to lead a team to complete a project successfully.
Project Management Paradise: The podcast gathers insights from expert project managers worldwide and is a podcast every project manager should check out.
The Project Management Happy Hour Podcast: The project management happy hour podcast revolves around problems encountered in project management today and how to overcome them.

Best tools for project managers

Tools are an essential part of project management, as the right tools can make your work easier and more effective. Here are the best tools for project managers:

Best tool for project management for SaaS product teams (Userpilot): Userpilot is a product adoption tool that shows you insights into how users interact with your product, allowing you to make quality decisions that enhance your SaaS product projects.
Best Tool for Project Roadmapping (Asana): When planning your project and you want to draw roadmaps to keep the project on track, Asana is one of the best tools to draw the roadmap and monitor the progress of your project.
Best tool for team coordination (Jira): Jira is one of the best project management tools for keeping the team coordinated and activities centralized for effective tracking.
Best tool for small project management teams (Basecamp): If your project management team is lean, basecamp is a simple and easy-to-navigate tool for effective management.
Best for Project Overview and Visibility (Workzone): Workzone is the best tool when it comes to gaining project overview and visibility and helping you keep an eye on all the small projects assigned to each member of the team.

Project manager FAQs

What exactly does a project manager do?

A project manager plans, coordinates, and executes a project from start to finish. The success or failure of a project depends mainly on the project manager.

What do you need to be a project manager?

To be a project manager, you need a bachelor’s degree and project management skills such as planning, leadership, organization, and communication skills.

What are the four types of project management?

The four project management methodologies are scrum, waterfall, agile, and lean methodologies.

What are the 7 Cs of project management?

The seven Cs of project management are customers, competitors, capabilities, cost, channels, communication, and coordination.

Conclusion

Becoming a successful project manager requires dedication, continuous learning, and a proactive approach to developing relevant skills.

By following the outlined steps and leveraging the resources available, you can effectively navigate your career path and achieve your professional goals.

We hope this guide has provided you with valuable insights and practical advice to help you on your journey to becoming a proficient and impactful project manager!

Looking into tools for project managers? Userpilot is an all-in-one product platform with engagement features and powerful analytics capabilities. Book a demo to see it in action!