5 STEPS: How to Get That First PM Job!

8 weeks cohort based program, only 10 people

Feb 03, 2024

Read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to The Agie Admiral weekly newsletter where I provide actionable ideas to help you build a high-performing Project Management career.

Agenda:

✍️ BIG NEWS - “Do it together”

🌟Newsletter celebrating 1st year anniversory

💼 5 STEPS: How to Get That First PM Job!

☝️ Person to follow

📆 Passing CAPM/PMP = 50% content + 50% strategy

✍️ BIG NEWS I’m launching my first ever cohort program

I’m opening up just 10 slots for my brand new cohort based signature 8 Week PMP Prep Bootcamp to help you pass PMP by 1st Try.

I’ve talked to hundreds of aspiring project managers just like you who have been wanting this.

Program will follow a blended approach:

→ Duration: 8 weeks

→ 9 x Group Coaching sessions: one session per week and some more 🙂

→ 3 x 1-on-1 Sessions with me with each cohort participant: each person learns differently 🙂, so we need to customize

If you’re interested in learning more, reply back to me at contact@projectcertifications.com

I’m on the mission to help 10.000 People Pass CAPM/PMP by 1st Try.

Regards

Gabor

🌟 One year anniversary of the Agile Admiral - Project Management Newsletter.

Started February 2023. So far 31 issues have been published and 6,327 All-Star Project Managers weekly - LinkedIn and Substack combined.

With 8 guest articles and many contributions - likes, comments and shares.

Launched, “founder membership” which will give you Quarterly 1-on-1 Project Management Mentoring with me.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU

In 2024, I will focus on career path and case study based lessons learned to enhance your day-to-day project management skills.

Book a 1-on-1 Call ——> LinkedIn ——> YouTube

💼 5 STEPS: How to Get That First PM Job!

Guest article by John St. John

YOU’RE CERTIFIED AND DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START

It feels great getting your project management certification.

Congrats.

Wait.

You need experience; very few companies hire without some experience.

Don’t worry.

I’ve solved this problem many times for many people.

START IN YOUR CURRENT INDUSTRY

Starting your Project Management Career in your current industry has its perks:

FAMILIARITY: Knowing what the industry is in business to do.
ECOSYSTEM: Knowing the key players, top companies, best working conditions, and more
CONNECTIONS: Accessing people and information outsiders don’t know exists.
GROWTH: Your certification shows continuous learning and readiness to add more value.

SPOTTING AN ENTRY-LEVEL JOB

Review these standard job titles for entry-level PM jobs:

Project Coordinator
Assistant PM
Associate PM
PM
Entry level PM

Okay, you found one of these titles. Now what?

Next, scroll down to the job posting’s “Education and Experience” for several jobs currently posted as “REMOTE” on LinkedIn jobs (1/25/2024).

Look for the following statements.

Minimum Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent
Bachelor’s Degree preferred
Bachelor’s Degree in a related field or equivalent work experience required. Must have at least an HS diploma.
Minimum one year of Project Coordination/Assistant experience (industry experience a plus)
Minimum 1-2 years of relevant experience preferred
Minimum of 1-year experience in a Project Coordinator role
CAPM Certification or working towards a PMP
Some experience or education in project management
Proven work experience as a Project Coordinator or similar role
2+ years of work experience in a program/project management capacity or 2+ account management/client solutions
Minimum 1 - 3 years experience in a project management-related role

If you look inside your industry, you already have industry experience AND a certification.

Now, check which certifications an employer needs or not:

Employer Required – Must have
Employer Preferred – Nice to have
Employer Accepts PM Familiarity – Don’t need a certification and will accept familiarity with PMBOK tools, processes, and practices.
No Reference – Not their focus in this role

YOU FIND A FEW JOBS YOU LIKE, NOW WHAT?

Let’s talk LinkedIn jobs for a minute.

Do you know how LinkedIn selects jobs it shows you?

Here’s the official LI answer: LinkedIn Job Recommendations show jobs based on your job searches, job alerts, profile, and activity on LinkedIn. Updates will appear within 48 hours.

Where you go and hang out on LinkedIn impacts your job search.

Homework: Find out where we PMs are hanging out and join, if possible.

Remember that your profile’s “Skills Section” is also a driver. LinkedIn shows you a job, looks at your skills section, and tells you which skills are missing. Have the missing skills? Update your “Skills Section.”

TIGHTEN UP YOUR LINKEDIN AND RESUME PROFILE

Make sure your resume is up to date.
Use your updated resume’s information and populate your LinkedIn profile
Have a killer headline:
- Job Title | Hard Skill 1| Hard Skill 2 | Soft Skill 1| I help (Niche people or target audience) achieve (Measurable contribution = Metric, $, Quantity, or Other).

WHAT JOB POSTING LANGUAGE INDICATES THIS FITS YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT STAGE?

Look for the following offers:

0 – 12 month contract opportunities.
Temporary Leave coverage for an entry-level project coordinator/entry-level PM.
Part-time entry-level PM roles.
No experience is required, but skills are needed or preferred.

Check out these examples currently on LinkedIn:

Part-Time Remote Project Data Contributor (No experience needed) – WFH - Anywhere in the US

Project Associate - Remote | WFH

PROJECT COORDINATOR

If you need help solving “The Dilemma” problem: You can’t get a job without experience. You can’t get experience without a job! Or, you have a job and want a better job but are still stuck, not knowing how you’ll solve this problem.

I can help solve this problem. I’ll help you focus, find, interview, and negotiate a job offer. My hiring expertise includes Recruiting, Corporate HR, Senior Learning Consultant, and Senior Project Manager.

I’ve spent 20+ years preparing to tailor your best career coaching experience. Click the link and continue your career journey.

☝️ Person to follow

John Connolly is a project management trainer specializing in helping students prepare for the PMP exam. With more than a decade of experience managing projects in software, information management, and other fields, he has guided hundreds of project managers as they prepare for their certification exam. John offers free sessions and live events regularly, and posts on LinkedIn on project management topics. Learn how to partner with him via his emails here:

https://subscribepage.io/salientian