Project Management

The job search after your graduation sometimes seems stressful and never-ending, but don’t be too hard on yourself! Everyone experiences this and there are more jobs available to you than you may know! A project manager position can be fitting to almost any major, and requires you to use a lot of the time management skills you began building in college.

A project manager will most likely work for one of many corporations amongst various industries and create a project scope specialized in almost any realm - marketing, information technology, customer service, product engineering, etc. You would work closely with upper management teams to plan and develop project ideas, define needs, deadlines, budgets, and skill sets needed to perform efficiently and meet project expectations. Other tasks include: delegating tasks among team members fitted to perform necessary tasks, resolving conflict, and managing a productive work environment.

Work environments vary depending on the type of project you oversee and the company you work for; however, typically project managers will work in an office building of the corporation working with software, organizing employee schedules, making business calls, and communicating with teams to ensure the project is on track with deadlines. Occasionally you may visit project sites to visually oversee progress and help out as necessary.

Important qualities for someone wanting to pursue project management include: time management, organizational skills, efficient planning, smooth communication, critical thinking, strong leadership, sound decision making, technical expertise, team-building skills, and most importantly, keeping calm under pressure or when something doesn't go as planned.

Salary ranges depending on experience, state of residence, and the type project you manage. On the low end, around $50,000, and on the high end, around $100,000. The job outlook is expected to grow 33% by 2027, which would generate 22 million new jobs. Demand isn’t too high, but there are always opportunities at various companies.

Project management is great because it can be geared towards almost any major and skill set. Generally, a bachelor's degree is required but there is no specific major it is meant for. If you want to further your education but not attend graduate school, a PMP Certificate (Project Management Professional) is a shorter process and can put you ahead of other applicants, but is not required!