Project Manager Careers Google Project Management Certificate

So far, we've previewed what you can expect throughout this program. In this video, we'll discuss the details of this course, and you'll have a greater understanding for which types of jobs are suitable for learners like you. We'll cover some key project management terms and the roles and responsibilities of any entry-level project manager. Plus, we'll discuss the kinds of jobs you can pursue after you complete this program. One thing you'll learn soon is that there's other roles and jobs outside of just project manager that this program will prepare you for. Later in this course, we'll have a video on how to search for those roles, and how to view project management as both a position and a skill. But for now, we'll start by going even deeper into what a project is, what a project manager is, and what kinds of skills they have. We'll provide real-life examples to help illustrate that you probably already have learned some of the skills required to become a successful project manager. Then, you'll learn more about adding value to projects and tips on being a successful project manager from real-life Googlers. Pretty exciting, right? We'll also cover the project's lifecycle. You'll learn all about a project's different phases, the corresponding tasks in each phase, different methodologies for completing tasks, and which is effective for a given project. And finally, you'll learn about different types of organizational structures and cultures, and how they impact project management. Coming up, we'll start exploring the concept of a project and the project management field as a whole. Let's start by defining exactly what a project is. A project is a unique endeavor, and usually includes a set of unique deliverables. It's also a temporary pursuit. It has a defined beginning and an end. To put it another way, a project is a series of tasks that need to be completed to reach a desired outcome. Reaching that desired outcome takes collaboration and careful planning that keeps the project on track and on budget. That's where project management comes in. Project management is critical to the success of projects both big and small. So let's break it down into the what, the why, and the how. So what is project management? Why is project management an important part of an organization? And how is it vital to a project's success? As I mentioned, project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements and achieve the desired outcome. Project management is valuable to businesses because it helps ensure that a project delivers the expected outcomes both on time and within budget. To demonstrate what I mean, I'll take you through a real-life example of project management. Imagine a school district signs a deal with a telehealth company to make sure students don't have to miss school for simple health issues like fevers or headaches. The deal will be completed by the end of the school year. The students can now interact with the doctor through a tablet, smartphone, or computer while they're at school. Implementing this technology into the school's procedures is the project. It's got a clear outcome and start and end date. So how is that project managed? Well, this project has several tasks and each one has to be carefully planned out and tracked or managed in order for the project to be completed. For example, to start, you can organize training sessions for faculty to get them better acquainted with the technology, policies, and procedures. You can budget for tablets, computers, and other vital equipment to facilitate the virtual checkups. And you can maintain strong communication with doctors, the telehealth company, and school staff members, and so much more. To successfully launch the product in the schools, all of those things need to get done, and that is project management. Seems pretty important to an organization's success, right? More and more, companies are starting to understand how project management can save them lots of money and time. Poor project management can lead to trillions of wasted dollars every year for organizations around the world. More specifically, poor project management can lead to 48% of projects missing delivery dates, 43% missing budget targets, and 31% failing to meet an organization's goals. As a company that serves so many different purposes and communities, it's no surprise that project management's a huge part of Google. But here, many of our project managers are described as program managers because they manage multiple projects for specific products, teams, or programs. There's thousands of people here with the job of keeping projects and programs running smoothly, people like me. I'm a responsible innovation program manager. My team is responsible for ensuring that the technology we produce, the research we pursue, and the publications we put out are all done with Google's artificial intelligence principles in mind. I review the processes for each of these types of technologies, and I give ideas for how to continue innovating responsibly to meet our organizational goals. So my job adds value to Google through the core aspects of project management we've mentioned, planning and organizing, managing tasks, and budgeting and controlling costs. Hopefully you have a better sense of what a project is, what project management is, and why project management is an important part of every company, and how it's vital to a project's success. Next up, we'll learn more about what a project manager does. Project managers usually follow a process that involves planning and organizing, managing tasks, budgeting, and controlling costs and other factors. Everything they do helps make sure the project can be completed on time and on budget. In broad terms, a project manager also needs to make sure that the project outcome is bringing value to the company. A project manager can add value in many different ways, whether that's creating a new service for customers or modifying an old service so it's more tailored to the customer's needs. No matter what the task is, a successful project will always add value, and it's the project manager's job to make sure that project is both valuable and successful. You may be asking yourself, well, if I'm a project manager, how do I add value to an organization every day? What does the day-to-day life of a project manager look like? Well, a project manager's responsibilities can vary depending on the project, the industry, and the company they're working in. Are you constructing a new building? Are you project managing a renewable energy product in a startup? Or are you setting up your own event management company? Your tasks will be different in each scenario, but here's a general overview of what a typical day might look like. A project manager's daily responsibilities always include some version of the following, planning and organizing. An example of that might be gathering requirements from teammates or customers. This means figuring out what exactly your project's trying to accomplish. You might have a kickoff meeting or send a survey. From here, you may also work on creating project plans. Creating project plans is a key part of project management. It helps set the tone of the project, keeps everyone on pace and aligned, and helps move tasks along. Which leads me to my second point, managing tasks. Once the project is underway, the project manager helps manage tasks for the team members and communicates key milestones to the larger team or customers. This helps keep team members and customers updated on how the project is progressing. The third piece is budgeting and controlling costs and other factors. Managing the budget and controlling costs is a common responsibility that project managers have to understand to keep the project on track and within budget. This is a full-time job because the plan you've created and managed may change, causing unexpected costs to come up. And that's just to name a few. I could go on for days, but the most important thing to know about the day-to-day of a project manager is this. You'll use different tools, techniques, and methodologies every single day. There's never a dull moment. Personally, my favorite part about being a project manager is that I get to watch the project's growth from start to finish. It's really special to create something from nothing, working from the ground up. It's a really satisfying feeling. Have you ever been tasked with planning a loved one's surprise birthday party? There's usually a lot of pressure and responsibility, but when you get it right, it feels amazing. That's still true even if there were a couple of issues. Maybe the guest of honor arrived home earlier than expected and nearly ruined the surprise. But if you made someone feel special on their birthday, you probably planned a successful project. As you chose a venue, sent out invitations, and calculated your budget based on your number of guests, you were using several project management skills like planning and organizing, managing tasks, budgeting, and controlling costs, and more. Or maybe you've never planned a party. Have you ever worked in the retail space or in the service industry? Then you might have experience that'll translate into the project management field too. For example, you might have been in charge of managing several employees' schedules. To do that, you had to plan and organize which employees' work styles would complement each other in a productive way. You also had to make sure that all duties and responsibilities would be covered during each shift. Plus, you had to be aware of all employees' availability. Doesn't sound familiar? Well, have you ever had to relocate for a new job and planned a big move? To successfully move all of your belongings, you may have coordinated friends and family to help. You would've had to budget and control costs for moving companies, boxes, and miscellaneous expenses. And you probably packed your boxes one room at a time and clearly labeled the boxes so that you knew what each box was when you arrived at the new place. You had to manage all of these tasks simultaneously. You've likely handled several tasks like these in your lifetime. And in studying project management, you'll learn to further advance and sharpen these skills so that you'll be equipped to manage even bigger, more daunting tasks. The abilities that helped you complete these past projects are a great selling point for yourself as a future project manager. So be sure to bring up these examples in job interviews to demonstrate your skills. For instance, if you're asked questions like, tell me about a time when you had to juggle several tasks at once, or tell me about a time when you had to influence a customer or a teammate, it's good to have examples that demonstrate your skills with time management and leadership in both your everyday life and previous workplaces. Are you thinking about all of the skills that you already have and can use in your future project management role? Perfect. To start, I've got a question for you. How many open roles do you think are out there for project managers? Hint, the answer is a very big number. Project managers are in high demand. In 2017, a study by the Project Management Institute found that by the year 2027, employers will need 87.7 million people filling project management aligned roles. According to that same study, the industries with the most growth are manufacturing and construction, information services and publishing, management and professional services, finance and insurance, utilities, and oil and gas. Project management plays a big part in helping all of these industries grow. In some industries, you'll find the term project manager grouped with a more industry-specific qualifying word. For example, construction project manager, or IT project manager, or engineering project manager. Don't worry, these are all still project manager roles, they're just specific to an industry. And it's important to keep in mind that the skills you learn in one industry can be applied to another industry. New projects are popping up every single day. Across all industries, we notice that new technology is introduced, which leads to processes changing and a need to manage those processes. So all kinds of companies need people like you who can tackle a variety of projects, from start to finish, to help them navigate these changes. By now, you might have noticed that you already have some of those skills, like organizing or planning an event, problem solving, or even managing a budget. And you use them effectively in your everyday life. Reflect on some of those skills. We mentioned earlier, and ask yourself, what are some of the parts of project management that you're drawn to? While you may not have the answer just yet, thinking about these things can help you find suitable roles later. As you keep going in this program, try to keep track of the lessons and activities you prefer, and the ones you didn't like as much. This will help you narrow your choices as you search through job boards later. The beauty of project management is that you don't need to be an expert on a focused technical topic. You just need to be able to manage projects. You could be a construction or technology project manager, or you could enter the healthcare industry and work in patient management. You could also enter the energy sector and act as an environmental project manager. The possibilities are almost endless. What's equally exciting is that you could even end up with a completely different title altogether. For instance, there are roles that entail a sequence of ongoing projects that are considered programs or operations in the industry. In this case, the role may not be described as a but instead something a little more evergreen, like operations manager or program manager. Other titles that might make sense for you could include operations assistant, project assistant, project coordinator, and program assistant. When it comes to job duties, your responsibilities might change depending on the type of company you choose. For example, the workload and specific tasks at a small agency will be different from those at Google. It's also important to keep in mind that as the world continues to change and evolve, so do industries and the job opportunities you'll find there. So be sure to cast a wide net. You'll be able to find more and more jobs you're qualified for. In addition to being qualified for project management related jobs, there's plenty of other roles or paths that may interest you. Internships can sometimes be a good place to start. An internship is a short-term way to get hands-on experience in an industry. Plus, internships are a great way to help boost your resume and set yourself apart from other candidates. One of the key benefits of internships is that you get real work experience while simultaneously networking with people in that industry. It's a win-win. Now some internships in your field might not technically be project manager roles, but a lot of roles are easily transferable. For example, something like an events manager intern role can become a full-time project manager position later on. Internships aren't great for everyone's lifestyle, but if you can make them work, they're a fantastic option. Another path you can take is contract work. Working for companies on a contract means you'll work with them on a project by project basis, but you won't be a full-time employee. This kind of work is a great way to get your foot in the door and build your portfolio. Plus, it gives you the flexibility to try your hand at a few different projects at once, depending on the commitment level required for that. Another benefit of contracting is that it lets you explore different kinds of companies and project types. Since it's a temporary position, you can explore what type of company is the best fit for you. Maybe you find you like working with a large or a small team, or you find you enjoy specific types of projects. And if you find a situation that suits you and the organization, your contract position might just lead to a full-time position. As you keep charging forward, try thinking about the type of job you might be interested in going after when we're done here. Every new topic you discover brings you one step closer to your first role in project management, and one step closer to where you want to be. It's no secret that job searching can be a challenge. Even the most detailed, specific job listings can leave you wondering what the company is really seeking in a candidate. Don't worry, we've all been there, and we're here to help you sort through the lingo and the confusion. The more job listings you find, the more buzzwords you'll likely notice too. Words like data-driven, team player, self-starter. Understanding all the buzzwords in job listings will help figure out if a job is right for you. Up to now, we've discussed project management as a role, but many companies actually list it as a skill. The Project Management Institute estimates that every year there are 500,000 jobs that list project management as a skill. Here's some more good news. You'll soon be qualified for a position as a project manager and a position that lists project management as a skill. Here's the even better news. If you have the skills to manage projects, you'll be qualified for program manager or operational roles that require you to manage an end-to-end system or department too, which ask for the same skill set. Now, let's check out different types of jobs that use your project management skills. When job hunting, keep your options open. As I just mentioned, you don't have to limit yourself to just project manager titles. There's lots of other titles you're qualified for too. You'll know what's a good fit for you by reading the job descriptions, so cast a wide net. Depending on the field you choose, you might find roles like operations manager, program manager, operations associate, or project assistant. All of these could be a great fit for your skills. For example, let's say you're searching a job board for project management roles when you notice a community operations manager role for a small city open up. The job title isn't project manager, but you'll notice that the job functions match your skill set and years of experience also match the job requirements. The job description may include a list of required skills like organizational management, strong planning and communication skills, budget preparation and monitoring. Sound familiar? Maybe you'll even start to notice that the jobs responsibilities seem like tasks you've covered in this course, like creating monthly status reports, helping to implement new and necessary technologies, tracking work plans and performance metrics, assisting other members of the operations team on given projects, and ensuring timely responses to requests for information. These duties are nearly a perfect match for your project management skills, and there are plenty more listings like these too. How great is that? The skills that go into project management are used in all kinds of roles and professions. Believe it or not, we've all worked with or learned from a project manager at some point in the past. Can you guess who that is? Your teachers! Think about it. Everything that goes into being a designing a curriculum that's accessible to students with unique needs, managing a budget, communicating with others like parents, department heads, or school admins, developing processes to make things run efficiently in the classroom, and so on. For example, when I went for my first interview at Google, I highlighted my experience as the founder and advisor to a student leadership group. I told them about how I assembled and led a team of 20 students to plan and execute events like fundraisers, community gatherings, and academic assemblies for over 300 students during the academic year. I even kind of surprised myself looking back at how much relevant project management experience I had. Now, I'm sure you'll think back on your own experiences and feel the same thing. One more thing to call out is networking. Networking is when you meet other people in a professional setting with the goal of learning, sharing knowledge, and creating new business connections. This plays a big role in job hunting, so it is a great tool to start learning and perfecting. The skills you learn here will prepare you for all kinds of project management jobs. Knowing how to search for jobs will make it even easier to match those skills with the best opportunities for you. Congratulations on finishing this video in the Google Project Management Certificate. Access the full learning experience, including job search help, and start to earn your official certificate by clicking on the icon. To view the next course in this video, click here and subscribe to our channel to learn more from Google Career Certificates.