You want to get ahead in your career. How can you build the project management skills you need?

To advance in your career and build essential project management skills, focus on both formal education and practical experience. Pursue certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) to gain foundational knowledge and credibility. Seek out opportunities within your current role, demonstrating your ability to plan, execute, and manage resources effectively. Actively seek feedback from mentors and peers to identify areas for improvement and refine your approach. Stay informed about industry best practices & emerging trends through continuous learning & networking. Combining education, experience, & ongoing development, you can develop the skills needed advance your career.

The best way to assess your current skills is to go step by step. First, see the job skill requirements, then get informed about them through various educational methods, and lastly, reflect on what skills you currently have and the ones you miss/need. After that personal assessment, you can make a strategy based on where you want to go. Different companies require different project management methodologies such as PRINCE 2, Agile, Scrum, and others. Use platforms such as Coursera and Udemy to better understand project management and these methods.

From my experience, I believe it is essential to keep competencies up to date and be flexible to new working conditions and challenges. Personally, after 4 years from my graduation at university I applied for a full time MBA abroad because I wanted to increase my international exposure and gain new insights especially from the class. In the following years I changed job and again I went back studying for my Project Management Certificate because that was what I needed at that time. Also, today after more than 20 years of professional experience I am attending a part time master on sustainability because I desire to have a deeper knowledge of this very actual topic. In sum, investing in self training is the best investment you can ever make.

Your skills always need support and you have to speak out to tell other about your skills, your strategies and your areas of expertise in which you can do work. Project management is not simply an activity its a roadmap, a proper guidelines and you can do it with proper communication and collaboration so you can start work either on your any skill or other areas of expertise.

Gather feedback from a number of different sources - your boss, peers, team members, stakeholders, mentors, senior managers etc. Keep an open mind and try to be receptive to different perspectives. Analyze the feedback to uncover recurring patterns. This will help in identifying and prioritizing areas of improvement. Create an improvement action plan by setting up SMART goals. Implement what you learn from courses, workshops or webinars into your day-to-day project management activities. Track your progress, recalibrate where needed and celebrate your accomplishments.

As a junior project manager aiming to advance your career, focus on gaining practical experience by taking on diverse project roles and responsibilities, and seek feedback to continually improve. Enhance your knowledge through professional courses and certifications, such as PMP. Actively participate in project management communities for learning and mentorship opportunities. Keep abreast of industry trends and best practices by reading relevant articles and case studies. Additionally, focus on soft skills like communication, leadership, and problem-solving. Remember, a combination of hands-on experience, continuous learning, and skill development is key to success in the project management field.