THE CHALLENGES I FACED WHEN I MOVED CAREERS...

By Planning Consultant, Dan Cascarina. 

Over a year ago, I moved from working in retail management to project management (PM). It was a daunting time…especially with the pandemic in full swing. But at the same time, it gave me time to reflect about trying something new and taking the leap to move away from the uncertainties of retail.

Over the course of 11 years, I had worked my way up in the retail career ladder and found myself enjoying tasks such as project management, planning and tracking. This is what started my research into a new project management (PM) career.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES I FACED?
  1. No previous project management experience.

I was worried about jumping into a new career with no specific project management experience, specifically because I had no direct experience.

However, there are so many different options of gaining PM experience without having to undertake a degree. For instance, the APM PFQ and PMQ, Prince2, agile training, even apprenticeships!

Once I completed some research, I decided to enrol myself on an APM PFQ which allowed me to gain practical experience, learn about project management processes, roles and terminology. It was an excellent introduction to the profession!

  1. Some of my technical skills were outdated.

By being a little bit older and having been out of education for a long time. Learning new technical skills, such as Microsoft Project, Project Online, Primavera and Perform, was tricker (at first).

However, the support I gained through working with and shadowing my colleagues at PLP for the first few months of my career helped boost my skills and my confidence. As well as this, online resources, such as the APM website, provide information through blogs, workbooks and academic resources that were really helpful.

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS YOU COULD GIVE TO OUR READERS?
  1. Don’t focus on the skills you don’t have.

Everything can be learned! Your technical skills in PM will get better as you spend more time using the software and learning from other professionals around you. Utilise the skills you do have whilst you learn!

  1. Trust that there are other compatible skills.

There were a lot of transferrable skills that I took from my retail management experience that helped me in my PM career. Remember about your soft skills, for example, stakeholder management, organisational, communication, teamwork and leadership.

  1. Confidence is key.

When going into my first client site I was incredibly nervous but as long as you are confident and focus on the job, things often go smoothly. Once you get started in project management your confidence grows through gaining feedback from clients, working with different groups of professionals and improving your technical skills.

My move from retail management to project management was difficult at times but my move into PL Projects helped it run a lot smoother. Find out more about our project consultants on our people’s page.

Our PMO Consultancy can aid you in your project needs. Find out more about our services here.