This is something I’ve said before. You don’t need any experience to get into project management or general management. Find someone who is doing the same thing you are interested in and get on a project team. Ask them to mentor. Do odd jobs for them, which they may find tedious but you will learn from. Reach out to the veterans and go above and beyond. It will surprise you how quickly a passion and great attitude can open doors to greater responsibility.
The PMP certification is not for you if you don’t have any experience. The IPMA certifications are also available. The lowest-level IMPA certification requires either 2 FTE years of experience working on projects or 6 months’ BA/BS experience. The PMP requires either 3 years of experience with a BA/BS or 5 without. “Leads and directs project team” is what I consider to be experience as a project manager.
The CAPM exam is a great way to get formal education and introductory certification. This exam requires that you have completed at least 23 hours of project management education or 1,500 hours in which you “contribute” to a project team.
If you do want to learn project management, it is worth noting that you must be actively involved in a project environment to apply the concepts. This is why I recommend this product for both the PMP and CAPM exams. Even if you don’t have enough experience, it’s still very useful and affordable. It was what I used to study for my PMP exam. I loved that it focused on concepts and leveraging stories, rather than trying to teach you how to answer questions. I like that I can put the MP3’s in my player and drive to work while I study. It was great. Find out more advice for project managers. If you’re interested in project management, I hope this helps. Are there any other tips for veterans who are reading this? (Besides “run away!? What are you thinking ?!?? It’s hell here !!!!)
