Is Project Management still worth pursuing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every engineer (at 2 different defense contractors) I have ever known has moved into Program Management. It's the path to Director, Site Lead, VP etc.

Any productive engineer can do product management with their left hand. With modern tools it's pretty easy to get these things done and gift wrap them for upper management. You know one of those people that take your monthly report and rewrites it for leadership, tada! done.

I think it's funny all the middle management I've seen always hate management software. Like Jira or even SharePoint. So easy to make task lists cross them off the list so management can see work getting done.

[Anonymous]

I loathe project managers with a passion. They know nothing, add nothing to process, just increase number of useless meetings and unnecessary work. The only people who they they add value are other project managers.

[Anonymous]

My company is full of displaced project managers on the hunt for things to manage. They are a plague.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every engineer (at 2 different defense contractors) I have ever known has moved into Program Management. It's the path to Director, Site Lead, VP etc.

Any productive engineer can do product management with their left hand. With modern tools it's pretty easy to get these things done and gift wrap them for upper management. You know one of those people that take your monthly report and rewrites it for leadership, tada! done.

I think it's funny all the middle management I've seen always hate management software. Like Jira or even SharePoint. So easy to make task lists cross them off the list so management can see work getting done.

Middle managers also excel at making sure the shade of yellow is consistent throughout report.

[Anonymous]

PM skills are useful. PMP isn't really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Project Management still worth pursuing? Hows the demand?

I'd say yes, but I work in Construction. We depend on PMs. Pay is $100K-$150K where I work.
We also have Senior PM jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loathe project managers with a passion. They know nothing, add nothing to process, just increase number of useless meetings and unnecessary work. The only people who they they add value are other project managers.

At my company, good project managers are gold. It’s the only way timelines don’t slip. I don’t know or care about any certification but having the skills is important.

[Anonymous]

I passed the PMP during Covid but then I’ve decided that I don’t want any job that would require the PMP.

I wouldn’t go into it if I wasn’t already in the field before I started and took the PMP.

[Anonymous]

Nope, got laid off from my Sr PM job in April, I haven't even gotten an interview. It's crazy competitive for few jobs I've been a PM since 2007 and I have never EVER had trouble getting a job until now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loathe project managers with a passion. They know nothing, add nothing to process, just increase number of useless meetings and unnecessary work. The only people who they they add value are other project managers.

As a PM, I 100% agree. I did it for the money. The money is amazing but I feel useless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PM skills are useful. PMP isn't really.

The PMP is a total racket, complete money grab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every engineer (at 2 different defense contractors) I have ever known has moved into Program Management. It's the path to Director, Site Lead, VP etc.

this is what I hope to do.

[Anonymous]

I have never recommended project management as an end game. Develop an expertise and sure, manage projects if that appeals to you, but your primary area of expertise should remain a focus or you should be spring boarding to bigger things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loathe project managers with a passion. They know nothing, add nothing to process, just increase number of useless meetings and unnecessary work. The only people who they they add value are other project managers.

At my company, good project managers are gold. It’s the only way timelines don’t slip. I don’t know or care about any certification but having the skills is important.

Not to mention they manage all the tough conversations and personnel issues. Any remotely complex effort does need a PM or everything would go south pretty fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loathe project managers with a passion. They know nothing, add nothing to process, just increase number of useless meetings and unnecessary work. The only people who they they add value are other project managers.

At my company, good project managers are gold. It’s the only way timelines don’t slip. I don’t know or care about any certification but having the skills is important.

Not to mention they manage all the tough conversations and personnel issues. Any remotely complex effort does need a PM or everything would go south pretty fast.

They are there getting big bucks bc of their communication skill, not bc they have PMP.