Invest in Yourself: The One Career Strategy Every Woman in Project Management Needs

Dec 12

Money isn't just something you earn and spend. It's energy. It's a tool. And when you use it wisely, it becomes the fuel that propels you forward in your career.

Often we hesitate when it comes to investing in ourselves. We'll finance a $40,000 car without question, but freeze up at the idea of spending a few thousand dollars on our career development.

Here's the thing: that car you financed? It's a depreciating asset. The moment you drive it off the lot, it loses value. But investing in your career? That's appreciating. Every skill you gain, every connection you make, every strategy you learn increases your value in the marketplace. It compounds. It grows. It pays dividends for the rest of your career.

Why do we hesitate? Because we've been conditioned to see career investments as expenses rather than what they actually are: strategic moves that compound over time and directly impact our earning potential.

Stop Treating Professional Development as an Expense

Let's reframe this right now.

An expense is something that disappears after you use it. Your morning latte. Your Netflix subscription. That impulse purchase you forgot about two weeks later.

An investment is something that returns value to you, often multiplied. A course that teaches you a new skill you'll use for years. A conference where you meet the person who connects you to your next opportunity. A membership that gives you access to resources, community, and support that transforms how you work.

Why Money Circulation Matters for Your Career

Think of money like water. When it sits stagnant, nothing grows. But when it circulates, when it flows through investments that benefit you, it comes back multiplied.

Employer Sponsorship for Diversity and Professional Development — Women Of Project Management

Here's what that looks like in practice:

You invest in a conference ticket
You gain new skills, strategies, and connections
You apply what you learned to your current role
You demonstrate increased value to your employer
You receive promotions, raises, or new opportunities
You reinvest in yourself again, at a higher level

This is the cycle that builds careers. But it only starts when you decide that you're worth the initial investment.

What You Get When You Invest in the WOPM Conference

Let's talk specifics because your investment needs to make sense.

Your conference ticket includes:

Full access to all conference sessions and workshops
One full year of WOPM membership (that's ongoing value, not just a one-time event)
Connection to a community of women who get what you're dealing with and can provide mentorship and job referrals
Practical strategies you can implement immediately

Getting Your Company to Pay to Cover the Costs

One of the biggest hesitations women have is asking their employer to invest in them. So we removed that barrier entirely.

How to Get Your Job to Pay for Your Conference Ticket — Women Of Project Management

We’ve got you covered:

A ready-to-send email template for your manager
A comprehensive conference summary document
Clear ROI explanations your employer will understand

You're not asking for a favor. You're presenting a business case for an investment that benefits both you and your organization. There's a difference.

The Real Cost of Not Investing in Yourself

Let's flip this around for a second.

What does it cost you NOT to invest in yourself?

The promotion that goes to someone who had the skills you didn't prioritize learning
The network you never built that could have connected you to your dream role
The confidence you never developed because you stayed in your comfort zone
The salary increases you missed out on because you didn't demonstrate your growing value

That's the actual expense. Not the conference ticket. Not the membership. The real cost is staying exactly where you are while watching others move forward.

Your Money, Your Choice, Your Future

Here's what I know about women in project management: you're strategic. You plan. You analyze. You make things happen.

So apply that same strategic thinking to your own career.

Ask yourself:

What would my career look like a year from now if I invested in this opportunity?
What connections might I make that could change my trajectory?
What skills would I gain that increase my market value?
How much is it worth to be in a room full of women who understand exactly what I'm dealing with?

The women who invest in themselves aren't lucky. They're intentional. They understand that money is a tool, and they're using that tool to build the careers and lives they want.

Join the Women of Project Management Community

The WOPM Conference isn't just about two days of sessions. It's about joining a community that continues supporting you long after the event ends. It’s a strategic investment in your future earning potential, your network, and your confidence as a leader.

With a full year of membership included in your ticket, you're getting ongoing access to resources, networking, and support that compounds in value over time.

This is your moment to stop seeing professional development as a luxury and start seeing it as the non-negotiable investment it actually is.

Because the best investment you'll ever make? It's in yourself.

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

invest in yourself

Airess Rembert