Finding the perfect role

Notes
Discuss
Play Video
Play
Volume
0:00/4:22
Subtitles


Settings
Full Screen
Save note
Download
Transcript
English

Help Us Translate
Interactive Transcript - Enable basic transcript
mode by pressing the escape key
You may navigate through the transcript
using tab. To save a note for a section of
text press CTRL + S. To expand your
selection you may use CTRL + arrow key.
You may contract your selection using shift
+ CTRL + arrow key. For screen readers that
are incompatible with using arrow keys for
shortcuts, you can replace them with the H J
K L keys. Some screen readers may require
using CTRL in conjunction with the alt key
Play video starting at :: and follow
transcript0:00
Hi again! Let's discuss how to search 
for a job in the project management field. 
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. 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 asks 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 your 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 job's 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
two. 
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? 
It's your teachers! Think about it. 
Everything that goes into being 
a teacher takes project management skills: 
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.