I'm sure you can do some night classes at a community college for the Project Managment course. I thought about taking it too. Looks good on the resume and plus it would be handy to have.

 

Good Grief!

 

Thanks fellas..good info.

I heard MS Project was huge. I'll prolly take a course in it to get me started, and of course the more I work with it, the more I'll learn.

As far as being able to juggle tasks and not lose track of what I need to do is almost second nature to me ... for example, I am on the phone with a customer right now having a static IP issue.....multi-tasking is something I have learned to be good at.

 

Good luck buddy! Your taking a step in the right direction!

 

What's up James-

I am a Project Manager, of sorts- but not certified "yet" by PMI.
I will have my PMC from my University in August, and hope to have the PMI- PMP (Project Management Professional) Certification before Christmas, 2007. My plate is rather full, because I'm working on my Master's as well. One person in my department has it, and another took the "Prep" course for the PMP. They bought the book, and took the course. It took the one person about 4 months of study (in addition to the 10-week course), and one failed test before he got his PMP.

You can get a Project Management Certificate from just about any accredited college; it carries some weight, but not as much as the PMP, or the Master-PMP Certifications. I'm taking a Project Management Course now (Project: Human Resources and Communications). Last semester I took: Project: Risk and Time Management, and prior to that I took Project: Scope & Risk Management.

There are 9 aspects of Project Management covered in the PMBOK(R) Project Management Body of Knowledge. If it's in any way job-related, most companies have tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance, so it would potentially cost you nothing but time.

The only thing about a PMP, is that if you have a college degree, you only need 2,750 hours of project management experience in order to attain permission from PMI to take the PMP exam. But, if you don't have a degree, then you must be able to show over 5,000 hours of project management experience to be allowed to test for your PMP Certification... PMP is where the real money kicks in...

Never fear though- a great many project managers aren't PMP certified. They got into the field, and have the experience, but don't have the skin on the wall. They make good money too.

PMP(R), with 2- years experience though, could potentially net you a starting salary between $75,000 - $105,000/year (In a city, and with a major corporation).

Find out more at: http://www.pmi.org/info/default.asp

Note: My Professor was PMP Certified, and was a contractor workign at some company, making $75,000/year. In the middle of the semester, he took 1-2 weeks off, and came back.. HE said he'd left that job and started in TI's (Texas Instruments) PM department, and they STARTED him at $125,000/year. Why he saw fit to share this info with 20+ people he didn't know, I don't know. I would assume he was doing it to show us all that if you're good, Project Management Certification (PMP, not PMC) can improve the quality of your life.

For some of us anyway... I'm sure there are some on this site who make far more than $125,000/year...

 

I remember when TUFF FORD was an insurance sales adjuster (or something like that). He bailed and became a fireman.

That has stuck in my mind since that day, and I want to acheive that goal as well.

 

$125,000 a year! wow I would be thrilled to make half of that!

 

Now you want to be a fireman? Make up your mind Jamz.



BREW

 

goober

 

I've been a Project Manager for 7 years now, and it's a really great job once you get comfortable doing it. Everyday is a new challenge because you never know what type of project will come down. If you're looking for some good PM training check out www.iil.com and check out www.bicsi.org if your want to specialize in communications. I've had training with both.

 

Good info 2&1. Thanks.

 

If you want the bucks, Hersh's post is gospel. The PMP is the shiznit. It carries the most weight and is a PITA to get. Plus you must maintain it.

Anywho, lotsa luck. As a former network engineer/architect and security consultant I must say I despise 90% of all PMs. They just get in the way and rarely do their job of keeping the client off my back. Plus they set unrealistic expectations without your knowledge, blah blah blah. Finding a good PM is difficult. When I did work well with one I hung onto them like grim death. Be a good PM, Jamzy. You don't want to be on a project with me if your not.

 

Yep, I always pay attention to Hersh's posts.






It's a scary thought ... working for you.

 

Not for, with... it would be a riot. Yeah, working for prolly would not. Now get back to work!

 

I was hoping you'd catch that.




If we worked together, we'd never get chit done.