I’ve been getting a lot is, do I need to take courses in project management or get a certification of some sort? So my answer is it depends. There are really two types of people who are at work. They’re either people who are leading others, or they’re people who are individual contributors. And either one, it really depends on you. I’ve seen people do a lot because they think that the money is in becoming a manager. They do that, and then they’re miserable. And then the people underneath them are miserable as well. You really need to be self-aware enough to know what type of person you are. You do not want to have a career where you’re doing something you do not want to do. And they are some individual contributors that make a buttload of money.
If I’m Not a Manager, Should I Get PM Certifications and Take Courses
So you don’t have to lead others to make more money. So if you’re an individual contributor, I think that your time is better spent focusing on courses and certifications that have to do with your field. But if you are going to be a manager or you’re going to be some type of lead, I think it’s beneficial to get some knowledge on project management because it will help you and your team. So I think that that’s where I find the distinction. The other thing is as a project manager, the PMBOK says that you can be a manager in anything. And I agree with that. Like, it doesn’t matter what field it is you can manage. But I think that if you are in a specific field that you’ve been in for years, then I think it is good to get some education on that as well.
As a PM, Should I Get Certifications and Courses in My Field?
That is one reason why, even though I am a program manager, I decided that I wanted to get some knowledge on cloud and cybersecurity because that’s what my teams do. I am in the IT field; for those who don’t know, I’m right now on projects that have to do with building cloud infrastructures, as well as the cybersecurity that goes along with that. So I think that it is helpful to get some type of education on that. And that’s why I decided to go ahead and get my Azure certification, the fundamentals one. And then right now I’m studying for my sec plus. And one of the things that I am thinking of doing, and I already talked to one of the cloud solutions, architects that I work with, uh, and I asked him, I said, Hey, what other types of things can I learn to really get that technical knowledge and be able to understand what is going on on my projects?
One thing that I know that I’m going to eventually do after I pass the security plus is get the architect level certifications for Azure. So that’s one of the things that you really need to think of is where you see yourself going. And that’s why it’s so essential for you to have some goals in your life. And one of those life categories is your career. If you are focused on, maybe in five years, you’re thinking like, Hey, I want to start doing this. Then start thinking of the path to get there and the skills you need to achieve that goal. So that is what I feel about it. Let me know what your thoughts are. It is okay to be an individual contributor, just like it’s okay to be a manager, but please, if you’re not someone who can lead others, then don’t become a manager just because you think that the money is there, build up your skills, get some certifications.
And I bet you will make money even more so than a manager. So that’s one thing I will say, don’t get into it because you think that the money is there because you will be miserable and the people on your team will be miserable. Let me know your thoughts on what we discussed, and if you haven’t subscribed, please do. Now I will go ahead and link the goal to the worksheet that I created because that is helpful because one other thing as well when you’re thinking about your career is you have to start thinking about the other parts of your life because everything is balancing. You don’t want to focus beyond one part of your life, and then you’re neglecting the other. So I’ll link that down below, and I will talk to you soon, and I hope you have a wonderful week. Bye.
