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Losing career for fresh graduates

6 replies [Last post]
Tue, 2004-11-09 08:44
Hatem Mahmoud
User offline. Last seen 2 years 25 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Nov 2004
Posts: 13
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi All
It has became a serious problem that many fresh graduates
lose their careers because of the first job chance which
usually doesn’t match their career in project management
& they have no choice to leave their jobs for another one, because other offers often require previous experience
in the project management field which isn’t applicable
for them even though they try to keep their theoretical
knowledge by taking a lot of courses related to their
basic career (project management).
The Question Is
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO FIND A JOB IN THE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIELD IN SUCH A CASE???
Thanks a lot
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Replies

Thu, 2005-03-03 15:35
#1
Christine Miller
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Joined: 5 Oct 2004
Posts: 11
Groups: None
Hello,

I absolutely agree that having a degree in Management or PM is only the beginning of a successful career in this field. Having come from medicine into this only fairly recently, I know all too well how difficult it is. Ah, if only field experience could be obtained through sleep learning or other such methods!

In my organization, many PMs start as Project Controllers...there are several levels of this function. From there, you can progress into Business Management, Project Control Management, or Project Management. Otherwise, they come in on the Engineering side in some function, perhaps as Task Order Managers or Analysts, then progress from that side. Although it’s not "required" to be a subject matter expert to become a PM, it sure helps...or at the very least, working for the same business unit for a prolonged period, so you are fully grounded in the technical aspects of the business.

As for me, I’m just about to start my Ph.D. in Management...I just don’t enjoy Construction enough to try to become a PM here. I’m looking forward to teaching.

Hope that’s some help to you!
Regards,
Christine

As for m
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Tue, 2004-11-23 05:07
#2
Cyril Armentia
User offline. Last seen 7 years 26 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 23
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi Hatem,

For me, the mininum entry levels for the field of project management are Draftsman, Site Engineer or Estimator. This will give the fresh graduates a feel of the world in actual project implementation against what they have learned in school. The graduates will see the actual application on the work on how long a certain activity is executed, how many and what type of workers and equipment involve.

Planning is not an easy task. This needs an actual experience on the site, an experience on the engineering scope plus advices from experienced site staff for those activities that was not in-line with your experience. Courses, training and/or seminars will help to enhance someone’s planning skills and IT abilities.

These 3 entry levels is a stepping stone to jump into a Junior Planner and from here, it’s up to the individual to development himself to reach the top position in planning management.

There were cases that an individual who has graduated from a Management University becomes a Project Manager. If you family owns the company, you can directly appoint yourself as Project Manager or even higher position than that.

Regards,
Cyril
Singapore


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Thu, 2004-11-18 03:59
#3
Shahzad Munawar
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Joined: 2 Jul 2003
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Erik is rightly in saying that project management course is not the foundation to build up a career. Experience is the major factor in establishing the career so keep involve in Project management activities.
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Wed, 2004-11-10 01:58
#4
Erik Jonker
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Joined: 19 Apr 2003
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A person does not become a project manager after going on a project management course.

You only can become a project manager if you have mastered the discipline you have chosen.

You’ve got to come up through the ranks.

There is presently a greater demand for project management, because it suites the dynamic world we live in. Project management is a well established industry, so it is not like the IT boom we have had in the last 20 years. You can not go do an expensive course, walk into a job and earn tons of cash.

I would suggest that they keep on looking for oportunities to gain experience and better pay.

If want to quit project management after their first job, then it was maybe just a carreer mistake in the first place?
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Tue, 2004-11-09 09:17
#5
Hatem Mahmoud
User offline. Last seen 2 years 25 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Nov 2004
Posts: 13
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
I Agree With you ,but what i mean that the entry levels in in the field of project management for example(Junior scheduler or planner,Cost estimator ....)
thanks
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Tue, 2004-11-09 09:03
#6
Jaco Stadler
User offline. Last seen 17 years 43 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 9 Sep 2004
Posts: 299
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I have never seen a Project Manager straight out of college.

I am use to a person start work at a Junior level and work your way up. In our industry we start PM as Trainee Engineer. Then we will move them to Project Controls to learn about planning and cost / Then as a junior/assistant PM / and after that they will move to a PM position.

You know what you learn in a book is not necasarry the way things are done. So my advice is when you have graduated dont try to start at PM level get some good expariance in a junior level first. This will assist you to become a PM (Nothing worst than an PM that dont know what he is talking about)


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