How do you break into another industry as a project manager?

This question was recently posed to me by someone in the film industry. This post-production supervisor's resume looked more like a filmography listing than a resume.

Similarly, while in Denver for the PMI Global Congress a few years ago, I had coffee with a cousin and discovered she is an Event Planner. She told me a little about her job, and I told her a little about mine. She was a project management professional, but she didn't consider herself to be one. Many years ago, I was in the same situation, managing projects without even realising it... As far as I could tell, all I was doing was guiding a group of people toward a similar goal.

Focus on the CONTENT as well as the CONTEXT

We all share one trait: a near-exclusive concentration on the context of our profession, to the neglect of the content of our everyday job.

I've already blogged about project management resumes. The most crucial thing in this case, in my opinion, is to take a step back and re-evaluate your own project management experience.

"I strongly advise you to reframe your cinematic experience in terms of project management. I'm sure you dealt with a variety of stakeholders, such as team members, sponsors, and customers. I'm sure you kept track of the scope, timetable, and budget. I'm sure you can offer a good sense of how much money you were able to save.

I'm sure you went through project initiation, planning, execution – monitoring and control, and closure."

Look, some people with little or no project management experience behave like they do, such as those who pursue SCRUM MASTER CERTIFICATION or other qualifications without having the necessary expertise. (Sorry, but doing work around the house does not qualify you for PM experience!)

Others have 20+ years of experience doing everything project managers do, although in an environment where they are referred to by a different moniker. You are a project manager if you handle projects. It makes no difference to me what you call it.

Don't underestimate or exaggerate the importance of your own accomplishments and experience. How to accurately evaluate your starting position, define a career trajectory with strategies for accomplishing your goals, and then execute on those plans is one of the many subjects I discuss in my PM Career Coaching Course.

So, how about you? Have you moved from another industry, such as film or event organising, to project management? Are you now attempting to do so?

Need more insights on the same? Take on a PMI Certification today!