Project Coordinator

joemc3

I am looking into transferring into a Project Coordinator role. I am currently pretty happy in IT, but in the next year I want to actually affect change. I designed a new warehouse down to the foot and have supervised 5 others, but not in IT.

I was hoping that a change management or project type cert could help the transition. For sake of the argument let's leave PMP out of the discussion. I would prefer to have this type of job within IT, but could do another industry as well.

There are many options out there for instance, Agile, Scrum, Prince 2, ITIL and the list goes on. What could facilitate my move toward that goal?

As always thank you for your help and thoughts.

UncleB

ITIL is IT specific (it stands for IT Information Library after all) so that works against your plans.
Prince2 if a methodology which works across any sector, but is really only used in europe (well the UK primarily) and while it teaches you the framework of a project, it does not give the nuts and bolts skills needed.
Agile and Scrum also are IT related (mostly software development I understand, but I don't know them in depth).

If you are not in a mind to do PMP (I would recommend it if you meet the rather unreasonable pre-requisites) then I would recommend this - I'm studying it now and it gives a lot more useful skills than the other project certs I looked at.

If you only have a little project experience under your belt then the CompTIA Project+ cert would be a good, well received cert for a junior PM role.

When you said you have supervised 5 others, do you mean 5 projects or 5 staff?

thanks
Iain

joemc3

I have supervised 5 others, but only have done projects related to warehousing. It doesn't really relate to a professional role. Some of the thought processes do. The issue with the PMP are the requirements. I will end up there eventually, but can't know. Project + is part of WGU curriculum. I will obtain that, I was wondering if anyone else ended up in a similar role without management experience and how they transitioned. I have heard that Employers don't take Project + serious.

datacomboss

Most done recognize Project+, but as a hiring manager I would consider it a start. There are many legacy PMs out there that don't have their PMP. Many organization require it within 6 months of hiring you if you can demo project management skills in an an interview. Only half of the PMs (including senior PMs) have PMP in our org.

UncleB

I know what you mean about experience required - it is very hard to get picked for interview unless you already have years of experience.

I did get an offer for an IT Project manager last year and the interview went well (I got the offer there and then) but in asking questions at the end it turned out I would be required to co-run 200 projects at the same time, although some were not very big.

I politely said no and got the hell out of there - the admin alone would consume you, never mind making any actual progress with the projects. Oh and the client getting the work delivered would be in Germany, the developers would be in India and I would work from the UK so I would have to co-ordinate everything on the phone in different time zones.

Some challenges you just have to walk away from. Sorry, I got off topic a bit there.

thanks
Iain

joemc3

Uncle B that is incredible. If I was seasoned I would ask questions and maybe take the job. If I was new and they offered that position I would jump all over. I love trying to make chaos work.

chickenlicken09

does a project co-ord role have overlap with a change mgmt role? or totally different.

UncleB

eddo1 wrote: »

does a project co-ord role have overlap with a change mgmt role? or totally different.

They are quite different although there are times when they overlap.

In a nutshell a project is a discreet piece of work such as rolling out new computers to the company, replacing a SAN, upgrading the servers from Windows 2003 to 2012, implementing a SAP Enterprise Resource Planning System or just changing to a new network provider over a few sites. All sizes and technologies are fair game (even non-tech stuff such as an office relocation or refurbishment).

You are in charge of taking the initial project brief from those initiating it (ie they arrange the funding and direction), developing the plan fully, analysing risks, actions, issued and delays as you go (the RAID log you may hear about), making sure the budget, timescales, resource levels and interactions with involved parties all work as they should (and kick their ass if they are not), keep regular reports on the go and generally be a parent to the project until it comes of age and is signed off as fit for purpose.

Then you need to do the Lessons Learned report at the end to help the next, unfortunate wretch who has to do this the next time.

Change management is the beating heart of the status quo in the system - if you want to make any changes to a system that could have any impact of consequence (you don't get to decide this bit) then it has to be approved by the Change Board - a secretive clan of evil managers that make you jump through hoops to make sure you provide all the evidence and research to show that your plan to add a new widget to a server isn't going to take the email system down for a week. We then make you wait to make sure the business know when the change will happen (just to annoy you) and make sure the change goes in as you described without any undocumented flair or flourishes that make it harder to support in future.

The evil scheme it to minimise the risk to the business, give them fair warning in case you actually got your research wrong and it takes ages to fix and to make sure the changes are recorded to be used against you (sorry, to be recorded for reference when making future changes).

OK, a slightly dramatic flair but most techies don't understand the risk of them failing to do their due diligence and be controlled in their actions, so the CAB makes them play by the house rules to reduce risk to the business.

You can see how some projects will involve changes being required, so they have to be documented fully, justified and rationalised before being submitted in good time to be approved. Understanding how change control works is essential to project management, but not the other way round.

Working purely in change control is a recipe for becoming a soulless jobsworth in most peoples view I find. I did it once for 2 years and was so glad to get out.

thanks
Iain