Having a career in project management is one of the best career paths to prepare you to pivot into different industries. This is because the skills required to be a project manager are skills that are valuable in most professions. Also, as a project manager, you may have visibility to many business functions and the ability to make a lot of connections.

My pivot into a more technical role in project management wasn’t the easiest - it took time, patience, and a lot of planning. I knew what my end goal was and began to work backwards from there. I was sure that as long as I kept taking the necessary steps forward, I would eventually reach my goal.

Inside the Women of Project Management Membership in our Career Questions forum, a member asked the following question: 

To give a bit more context, our member has an interest in using her skills as a project manager to pivot into event planning.

As women in project management, we’re used to being the planner and not the doer of the work for a project. But in this case, it’s time to wear both hats. Creating a plan to pivot in your career is just as important as the work involved in making the transition.

Here’s a simple 3-Step Guide to pivot in your project management career:

Step 1 

Whether it’s event planning or becoming a software engineer, you must identify what it is you actually want to do. This is the most important step as it sets the foundation for the next couple of steps. Since this member is interested in using her project management skills to pivot into event planning, being very specific about the desired role is key to moving forward. 

Research different event planning titles and job descriptions to identify which role aligns with the goal. If you know any event planners or managers, schedule a coffee date to ask what the average day looks like for them in that role. 

The member also stated that salary is important and wishes for the same salary as a project manager. Y’all know I love Glassdoor and use it religiously to get insights on job salaries, descriptions, interview questions, etc. I did a quick search to compare the salaries of a project manager and an event manager and noticed that there isn't a significant difference in the average salary.  

Step 2

Now that you know the role you want to pursue and the salary expectations, it’s time to pull out your resume. Start connecting the dots to the event planning role you’re interested in. There are many similarities between event planning and project planning so it should be simple to identify those transferable skills.

This is also a great time to look into relevant certifications to obtain or training courses that will help prepare you for the role. It’ll add a nice touch to your resume and also help you better understand what’s to come. 

Step 3

The final and most useful step is to just start! Start planning events as a freelancer and build your portfolio. Gaining real-life experience in the role you wish to have is the gold plate to your resume. That’s exactly what I did years ago when I decided to pivot. I created a limited liability company and started a project to showcase my technical skills. I followed steps one and two, obtained a few certifications, and ended up exactly where I wanted to be.

Here’s a clip of Gilmanda discussing How to Leverage Your Passion with Your 9-5! She leveraged her skills in project management to build a business she’s passionate about. See the full clip inside the Women of Project Management membership. 

By, Airess Rembert, PMP, Member of Women Of Project Management & Blogger at The Nerd Bae

Join.

Join the full discussion inside the Women Of Project Management Membership. Listen to part of our conversation on the Women Of Project Management Podcast.

If you're new to our community, Women Of Project Management is the only community created to support & amplify the voices of women & women of color in every specialty of the project management industry worldwide. We support women in every stage of their career, learn more at Women Of Project Management.