So you decided to pursue a project manager career path and are curious about what your career may look like in a few years?
Or, maybe, you're still deciding if a project manager career path is the right track for you.
Either way, we've got you covered! In this article, we'll be sharing:
- Project Manager Careers To Pursue
- The Project Manager Career Path: Roles, Skills, & Progression
- Project Manager Salaries (Entry-Level, Mid-Level, & Senior Level)
- Level-Up Your Game: How To Step Into A New Project Manager Role
Project Manager Careers To Pursue
There are several different career opportunities you can explore in the project management field. However, different industries might require more expertise in specific areas.
For example:
- A project manager role at a tech startup might focus heavily on agile methodologies, sprint management, and rapid product development to accelerate business growth.
- A project manager role at a construction company could emphasize budgeting, scheduling, and risk management to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
- A project manager role at a marketing firm might involve managing client campaigns, overseeing creative teams, and tracking campaign performance to deliver results for clients.
So, if you're thinking about which project management career you should pursue, it might be a good idea to first consider what kind of company you would like to work for.
Maybe you'd like to work for a company in big tech.
Maybe you're aiming for a recognized brand in construction.
Or, maybe, you'd like to join a startup.
You will find different project management opportunities with different scopes and setups. Having clarity about where you'd like to be within a certain time frame is key to deciding which path is right for you.
Most skills you need for a project management career are transferable across different roles, industries, and companies. The purpose of the exercise is so you can look at the opportunities on your horizon and decide where you'd like to be in the short term and eventually down the road!
💡 Pro Tip:
If you're struggling to find out where you'd like to be, check out the article “What Should I Do With My Life? A Step-By-Step Guide” and read it from top to bottom. If “project management” still feels like the right path, head back here and continue reading!
Once you've set your mind on your career path, it's time to understand what roles might be a good fit for you.
The Project Manager Career Path: Roles, Skills, & Progression
We've selected the most common project manager roles for each level and their job descriptions. Take a look below!
Entry-Level Project Manager Roles
Most people begin their project manager careers in roles such as:
Project Coordinator
This role offers broad exposure to different project management activities and doesn't usually require extensive experience.
📝 Project Coordinator Job Description: Responsible for assisting project managers in planning, executing, and tracking projects, ensuring all tasks are completed on time and within scope.
✅ Skills Required: Strong organizational skills, proficiency in project management software like Asana or Jira, and excellent communication skills are key skills companies look for in Project Coordinators.
⬆️ Possible progression: Project Coordinators can progress into a Project Manager role.
Assistant Project Manager
This role involves working directly with Project Managers and requires a basic understanding of project management principles.
📝 Assistant Project Manager Job Description: Responsible for supporting the Project Manager in coordinating project activities, managing timelines, and ensuring tasks are completed as planned.
✅ Requirements: Proficiency in project management tools, attention to detail, and strong problem-solving skills are the most required skills for this role.
⬆️ Possible progression: Assistant Project Managers can progress into a Project Manager role.
Mid-Level Project Manager Roles
As you gain experience, mid-level roles often involve more responsibility and the opportunity to lead projects or teams. Some common mid-level project manager roles include:
Project Manager
At this level, professionals are responsible for overseeing complex projects, guiding junior team members, and communicating key insights to stakeholders.
📝 Project Manager Job Description: Responsible for planning, executing, and delivering projects on time and within budget, while managing project teams and stakeholder expectations.
✅ Skills Required: Advanced knowledge of project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall), leadership skills, and excellent problem-solving abilities.
⬆️ Possible progression: Project Managers can advance to a Senior Project Manager role or a Program Manager role.
Senior-Level Project Manager Roles
Senior-level roles involve greater strategic oversight and leadership, often requiring professionals to guide larger teams and make high-level decisions.
Senior Project Manager
This role focuses on leading larger, more complex projects, requiring a deeper knowledge of project management strategies.
📝 Senior Project Manager Job Description: Responsible for overseeing multiple projects, managing project risks, and ensuring all projects align with business goals.
✅ Skills Required: Strong leadership, risk management, and strategic planning abilities are essential for this role.
⬆️ Possible progression: Senior Project Managers can move into positions such as Project Director or Head of Project Management.
Program Manager
This role is more specialized than entry-level roles and requires the ability to oversee multiple related projects.
📝 Program Manager Job Description: Responsible for managing a portfolio of projects, ensuring all projects align with the organization’s overall objectives and delivering on broader strategic goals.
✅ Skills Required: Proficiency in portfolio management, leadership, strategic thinking, and risk management.
⬆️ Possible progression: Program Managers can progress to roles like Head of Program Management.
Project Manager Salaries (Entry-Level, Mid-Level, & Senior Level)
Now that we’ve covered the most common project manager career paths, you might be asking yourself what the pay range is for each role.
To answer this question, let’s head over to one of our favorite tools for salary research: Glassdoor.
Glassdoor is one of the world’s top job and recruiting websites, where users can anonymously provide information about their companies – including their current salary. Glassdoor provides an average salary range for various roles based on the information sent by its users.
According to Glassdoor, the base salary for the most common project manager roles in 2024 are:
Project Management Roles:
- Project Coordinator: $50K – $79K / year base pay
- Assistant Project Manager: $57K – $93K / year base pay
- Project Manager: $68K – $117K / year base pay
- Senior Project Manager: $104K – $153K / year base pay
- Project Director: $68K – $117K / year base pay
- Head Of Project Management: $89K – $146K / year base pay
-
Program Management Roles:
- Program Manager: $73K – $125K / year base pay
- Head Of Program Management: $121K – $192K / year base pay
- Level-Up Your Game: How To Step Into A New Project Manager Role
Whether you're looking for an entry-level job in project management or aiming to advance in your project management career, it's important to know that you don't necessarily need a graduate degree or specialization to move up the project management career ladder. Your unique experience and skills can go a long way, as long as you learn how to sell them!
Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you land your next project manager role.
1. Run A Resume Scan To Find Out Skill Gaps In Your Target Role
Wondering if you are the right fit for that target role you've been eyeing?
We've got you covered.
Here's a simple, step-by-step guide to find out if you have the skills to land a job in project management:
- Copy the job description of the project manager role that sparked your interest
- Head over to ResyMatch.io (or use our shortcut below)
- Grab a copy of your most updated resume
- Upload your resume on the left side
- Paste the job description on the right side
- Hit “Start Resume Scan”
Boom! ResyMatch will compare and score your resume against the job's description and identify missing skill gaps, such as:
ResyMatch will also make sure your resume is ATS compatible (ATS is a software that recruiters often use to track candidates through the hiring process). And of course, ResyMatch will provide suggestions and outline best practices you can use to edit and improve your resume!
Use our shortcut below to get started:
Scanning...
2. Update Your Resume With Compelling Resume Bullets
After you've compared your resume against your target job description, you will likely find yourself in one of two scenarios:
1. You have some missing skills that you'll need to master before taking on a new role — if that's the case, you can take action and start building those skills through online courses and a portfolio strategy.
OR…
2. You have already mastered most of the skills — if that's the case, all you need to do is update your resume with compelling resume bullets, leveraging the keywords found in your resume and job description scan.
To get started, you'll want your resume bullets to have just the right amount of hard and soft skills, action words, measurable results, and common words.
This means a compelling resume bullet for someone applying for a Project Manager role might look something like this:
Optimized resource allocation, resulting in a 20% budget reduction.
This bullet focuses on hard and soft skills specific to project management, while also showcasing measurable results!
To help you write the perfect resume bullet, we've created ResyBullet.io, a free resume bullet analyzer that helps you write your resume in a way that grabs attention and illustrates value. Simply copy and paste your resume bullet below to begin your analysis:
ResyBullet will analyze and score your resume bullet and give you actionable insights for improvement.
Here's how our resume bullet scored on ResyBullet:
If you're a visual learner, check out our video that walks you through the step-by-step of writing a crazy-effective resume bullet:
3. Build A Visually Appealing, ATS-Friendly Resume
Now that you've updated the content on your resume, it's time to transfer it over to an awesome layout that's also ATS-friendly.
We recommend using a resume template so you can save the time you'd normally spend designing your resume and instead allocate it to your job search.
You can use ResyBuild.io, a free AI resume builder, to easily build and customize your resume in no time. Just pick one of the templates below and get started:
Free Job-Winning Resume Templates, Build Yours In No Time.
Choose a resume template below to get started:
Choose from 8 proven templates and easily create, edit, and customize your resume. ResyBuild's AI assistant also helps you craft personalized, job-winning bullets in a single click. Simply add your experience, hit “Optimize,” and watch the magic happen.
4. Don't Apply Online — Do This Instead
The most common next step in the process is to start applying for project manager roles.
While applying online can absolutely be the next step in your job search, the truth is, it will only get you so far. In fact, only 2% of resumes submitted for the average open role end up reaching the interview stage.
Sure, optimizing your resume will boost your chances of being a part of that 2%.
But some estimates, like this one from the Wall Street Journal, show that 80% of hires come from referrals.
This means your best shot at landing the role you've been eying is through networking.
And no, we're not talking about attending conferences, events, and meetups. We're talking about a fresh approach that really builds relationships and gets your resume at the top of the resume pile at companies like Microsoft, Google, Uber, and more.
You can read all about it in our flagship guide for effective job searching:
Read More: How To Get A Job Anywhere Without Applying Online
Final Notes
Whether you're just starting out or looking to advance in your project manager career, getting clarity on the possibilities ahead of you can help you navigate your career with more ease.
Just don't forget: your career path isn't set in stone. Jobs and career goals will often evolve with life transitions. Always remember that your career should adapt to fit your life and not the other way around.
