Question for Project Managers

[gurt 796]

I have been in Software for the last 5 years, doing various roles, currently a Technical Support Engineer.  I have been looking to which direction I want to take my career and have several colleagues who have moved over to the PS side of the house.  I have considered moving into the PM/Consulting roles, the only problem is all the folks I know who are a PM or BA in both of the software companies I've worked for is generally pretty miserable.  Constantly having to be pulled in a million directions, working way too much, dealing with ridiculous demands from management and clients.

Is anyone currently in that type of role here and actually enjoying it?  Or is it a quick ticket to burn out?

[Doc Holliday 199]

I've been in varying PM roles for close to 7 years.   I have loved it and hated it.  I have stood up some amazing programs and completed many small projects too.  I've been able to touch on nearly every category of IT operations and business. 

It can be a shitty job when you have unreasonable leadership and unreasonable clients.  At one point I was working close to 80-100 hours a week due to my day job and then having to pick up PM work since I had to fire one of my employees.

It does pay very well once you have the experience, thick skin, and ability to communicate effectively to all parties.  Plus, you need a good team working for you.

I'll add more later.  meeting time....

 

 

[SmokeyTheBear 5569]

21 minutes ago, Doc Holliday said:

I've been in varying PM roles for close to 7 years.   I have loved it and hated it.  I have stood up some amazing programs and completed many small projects too.  I've been able to touch on nearly every category of IT operations and business. 

It can be a shitty job when you have unreasonable leadership and unreasonable clients.  At one point I was working close to 80-100 hours a week due to my day job and then having to pick up PM work since I had to fire one of my employees.

It does pay very well once you have the experience, thick skin, and ability to communicate effectively to all parties.  Plus, you need a good team working for you.

I'll add more later.  meeting time....

 

 

Pretty much this. I've been in the networking and now software/IT industry. The highs and lows of this position can be more broad than other roles as you are the one throat to choke for efforts. Your executive group has a huge impact on how smooth your job is. You could be the one that they throw everything at or give you the latitude to define and implement your strategies your way and have your back in limiting scope. It does provide lots of opportunity to take on complex challenges. 

[Doc Holliday 199]

I've been in all roles of it. I've been the fall guy, I've been the go-to guy, I've been given carte blanche to be successful, and I've had my hands tied to the point of failure.

If you want to be successful in the PM world, and here is where I get philosophical, is that you need to understand the dynamics of each project, each organization, each project group and know that they are all different.  What you do on one project may or may not work on another, and you need to figure that dynamic out very quickly.  It's the unspoken risk management and politic dynamics.  Then the ability to be flexible with all things is important.  

Risk Management is vital in that it's the foundation you need to have documented to protect yourself, the team, and the project.  Document, document, document.  Meetings? Send email minutes and document.

The work itself should never be managed below 3 levels.  Project >> Phase >> High-Level Task 

To track a project, in my experience, to the specifics of each task creates a nightmare of busywork.  You need to know what it takes for each task so you can call BS and drive the project and speak to it with leadership or clients.  Status reports are a nuisance and necessity.

Also, last point for this post, build relationships with EVERYONE.  Relationships are what make the successes great, shitty parts better, and help allow you to create a space for success.  If they trust you, you can lead, if they don't, you're in for hell.

Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. 

 

PM BINGO!

[SmokeyTheBear 5569]

Nailed it

[Doc Holliday 199]

oh and if you don't have the experience to back up not needing a PMP, get your damned PMP. 

Know it is just like a school test, know their info and processes, and then take the test.  The key thing is, is that it actually sucks for real world project management.

[SA-KC_Horn 1298]

In my company, a PM or BA is a thankless position. Either you deliver or you don't. Or you are to blame or not.

We've converted from the waterfall methodology to Agile Scrum. That change has made my life a lot easier and my role a lot more important.

Pick your poison. 

[bernorange 8385]

4 hours ago, Doc Holliday said:

.. their (PMI's) info and processes, and then take the test.  The key thing is, is that it actually sucks for real world project management.

For IT.

The PMBOK was originally developed for EPC projects.  It has never translated well to IT IMO.  Different kind of beast.

[Doc Holliday 199]

Oh I love Agile! Except most Scrum Teams are matrixed and that just jacks shit up.  I designed a hybrid waterfall/agile approach for analytics at my old place and it worked for a while until other operational demands got in the way.

I hope your place is better KC.

[gurt 796]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I hear you about it depends on where you are. My company had some PM roles come open but when talking to anybody doing that currently they haven’t exactly sold it based on their experience...

Most likely I won’t pull the trigger to do that work at my current employer. They’ve been all over the place with headcount too. They’ll hire more BAs on one team, than a few months later fire the longer tenured BAs...it seems like everything is just seat of the pants from quarter to quarter.


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