By: The Capella University Editorial Team with Bradly E. Roh, PhD, DBA and Interim Dean and Vice President for the School of Business, Technology and Health Care Administration
Reading Time: 10 minutes
Project management rewards applied leadership over domain expertise, which is why professionals reach the role from nearly every industry and background.
Getting there typically requires formal education and professional certification, and most candidates also build documented experience leading teams or initiatives before making the transition.
Explore the steps below to find the path that fits your background and goals.
Project managers guide a project from initial planning through final delivery. Their primary goal is to deliver projects that meet business objectives while staying on schedule and within budget.
It’s a role that requires excellent communication and time management to ensure that the scope, timelines, budgets and stakeholder expectations are all aligned, helping teams stay focused throughout the project lifecycle.
Depending on the organization, project managers may lead small internal initiatives or oversee large, complex projects involving multiple teams and departments.
Their core responsibilities typically include:
These duties can look different depending on the industry and the size of the organization, but the underlying goal stays the same: turn a plan into a finished result.
Project managers can work across many different settings, including colleges, universities and professional schools, commercial banking and other professional, scientific and technical services.
No two project management careers start the exact same way – your background, industry and long-term goals will shape your transition. These steps provide you with the clarity you need to get started.
Your first step into project management is understanding how an initiative progresses from planning to completion. This is known as the project lifecycle, and it includes five main phases: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling and closure.
You can use this framework across industries and project sizes, making changes based on specific project needs.
Next, you need to understand key terms used to plan and execute projects:
Along with these three terms, there’s also quality management, which is about ensuring that the results meet expectations.
It’s also worth learning the two dominant project management methodologies used today: waterfall and Agile.
Waterfall follows a linear, step-by-step sequence where each phase wraps up before the next begins, which works well for projects with fixed requirements, like construction. Agile breaks work into short, iterative cycles called sprints, letting teams adjust as they go. It’s a common approach in software development and other fast-moving fields.
Learning these concepts first gives you a shared vocabulary and a mental model you’ll use on every project you touch. You can study these concepts and frameworks through a project management education, whether that’s a formal degree, certification program or individual course.
While you don’t strictly need a degree to enter project management, earning one can help prepare you for opportunities in the field. A bachelor’s degree in business or a related field is a common starting point for project managers, pairing broad business knowledge with project management coursework and skills.
For working professionals, flexible options like a BS in Business, Project Management could allow you to earn a degree without pausing your career. This career-focused program includes a capstone project, giving you the opportunity to practice what you learn in real-world settings.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree could help you build your project management skills. An online MBA in Project Management can help you build your skills and teach you how to lead complex projects, covering both technical expertise and business leadership.
A master’s degree in project management in your specific field can also help you transition into project management roles. For example, if you have an IT background, then an MS in IT, Project Management can be a good route to move into project management.
Apart from a degree, you can also prepare for this field through certificate programs and individual courses, especially if you hold a related degree. While these options aren’t as comprehensive as a degree, they can help validate your skills in this industry.
Whichever educational pathway you choose, your success relies on developing a mix of technical skills, workplace skills and software proficiency. Together, these skills make a project manager effective: technical skills provide the framework, workplace skills build team alignment and software keeps daily execution on track.
Technical skills
These core skills show up in almost every project, regardless of industry.
Project managers complement their technical skills with strong workplace skills to lead teams and manage relationships.
Project management software
Project managers use different tools to make it easier to plan and monitor projects.
Neither Strategic Education, Inc., Capella University, nor any of their affiliates promotes, endorses or has any business relationship with the third-party products, brands or organizations mentioned in this article.
Many of these tools now have AI features to automate repetitive tasks, flag risks or suggest priorities. Developing your proficiency in working with AI-assisted project management software can make it easier for you to adapt to different systems and workflows.
Industry certifications validate your skills and show that you understand and meet established project management standards. They can be especially important early in your career or when you’re moving from another field.
If you’re just starting out, the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Google Project Management Certificate are both accessible entry points.
Once you’ve built up several years of experience leading projects, the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from PMI is one of the most widely recognized credentials in the field.
Also consider certifications tied to a specific industry or methodology. IT project managers working with Agile teams, for instance, can pursue the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) from Scrum Alliance to demonstrate their expertise in Scrum practices.
In project management, experience can be more important than your credentials on paper, because it shows how you apply your skills in actual work settings and the kind of results you can deliver.
Participate in workplace initiative
In your current role, you can contribute to initiatives like:
These opportunities help you practice core project management responsibilities, while giving you the chance to learn from experienced project managers in your organization.
Capella’s MBA in Project Management program offers a practical head start through experiential learning, allowing you to bring a project from your workplace straight into the classroom.
Look for internships, part-time work or project-specific roles
If you’re a recent graduate, internships, part-time jobs or short-term projects can help you gain hands-on experience and contribute to real-world work.
Flexible online learning options can help you complete your education while gaining work experience. For example, Capella offers both the BS in Business and MBA in project management programs in the FlexPath learning format, so you can set the pace of your education while working.
Volunteer for nonprofit projects
Volunteer opportunities can provide valuable project management experience, especially if you’re new to the field.
Coordinating a fundraiser, organizing a community event or managing a nonprofit’s website redesign are all examples that can add to your project management skills. While these projects may not be part of your paid employment, they still demonstrate many of the key project management competencies.
Once you’ve built a foundation of knowledge and hands-on experience, it’s time to start applying for project management roles.
Look for project support roles
Many project managers don’t lead organizational initiatives from the start; instead, they begin their careers in positions that work closely with project managers, such as:
As you build experience, you can move into a broader range of project management titles. Common mid-level roles include project manager, IT project manager, technical project manager, program manager, Scrum master and business analyst. With several years of leadership experience, some professionals pursue senior positions such as senior project manager, portfolio manager and PMO director.
These roles are examples to give you a general idea of what a career in project management can look like. However, every organization has its own requirements related to experience, certifications and other qualifications.
Leverage transferable skills in your resume
When applying for roles, highlight your transferable skills gained in previous positions. For example, skills like good communication, organization and problem-solving can be developed in many roles across industries, and they translate well to managing projects.
No matter how you build your skills, whether that’s during an internship or working in retail, clearly highlight them in your resume and cover letter.
It’s also important to list any successful projects you’ve led or participated in. Focus on the project’s main goals and outcomes in your resume and then go deeper into the project’s objectives, team size and challenges you navigated in the cover letter.
Project management tools and work processes evolve all the time, so continuous learning and development are crucial for long-term success.
Build your professional network
Networking is important for new and experienced project managers. By being active in your industry, you can add to your expertise, find career mentors, stay updated and potentially find new opportunities. You can build your network by:
Invest in professional development
Growing your skills is an ongoing part of being a project manager. Options for professional development include:
Learn new methodologies and workflows
Project management methodologies continue to evolve, and staying familiar with more than one gives you flexibility. Learning multiple methodologies allows you to adapt your management style to match varying project requirements, team structures, tools and organizational goals.
Stay current with AI and new technologies
AI and automation are changing how project managers plan, monitor and report on initiatives. For instance, many AI-assisted project management tools can automatically flag scheduling conflicts.
While AI can streamline administrative work, project managers still play a critical role in strategic decision-making, problem-solving, leadership and stakeholder communication. So, both beginners and experienced project managers must learn how to effectively work with AI systems.
Build leadership experience
Look for opportunities to take on more responsibility and showcase your leadership skills. This could be mentoring a junior, managing a larger project budget or leading a cross-functional team.
Over time, this can help you prepare to pursue more senior roles. The exact education, certification and experience requirements for these positions will vary for each organzation.
There’s no single formula for becoming a project manager, but there is a common starting point: taking the initiative to learn and lead.
Learning the fundamentals, developing your leadership skills, gaining experience and earning the relevant credentials can strengthen your qualifications as you pursue project management roles.
Online degrees in project management, at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, are a great way to build foundational knowledge and practical skills in this field.
With career-focused curricula taught by experienced faculty and real-world projects, you can prepare for your career without putting your current work duties and life priorities on hold.
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