What exactly is a "IT Project Manager" and why is it in such high demand?

[npoe1]

Originally posted by: Patt
I'm on my way to becoming one Our company sorely needs it, and I want the corresponding responsibility & $$$$

I'm also trying to get a promotion to PM, but it seems that the company wants someone with experience and I do not even have even a year of experience, but I still have hope.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: SampSon
It's a glorified manager position.

Sure some of them actually have skills, but most don't.

And IMO, this is the problem inherent in the "Project Manager" position." 99% of IT personnel will work for you and be receptive to a person who obviously speaks their language. Someone who IS/WAS a techie or a geek at heart. Someone who understands why it takes 5 hours to defrag a 250GB Exchange database and that's WHY email is "down."

The PM that "used to be a techie" is few and far inbetween, unfortunately. While it's true that project management invariably comes down to "personnel management", the PM will get better results if he/she WAS an IT worker bee beforehand. It's just that way.

This is coming from someone who has been both worker bee and manager and back again. Let's just say I've got 6 years left in this mixed world...then I'll take my skills elsewhere.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Sit on your rear, send lots of email and schedule time-wasting meetings. I have yet to find real skills in many of our PM's besides those.

They are an interface with management. Many corporate managers don't understand anything technical. The PM relays between management and the technical groups, keeping the tech groups on track and headed where management wants them to go.

Tech people without a PM, who have bad communication with management start steering themselves...

 

[lytalbayre]

I'm a construction PM. I guess the IT field is a little different, but essentially you manage a project to acheive specific goals, you use resources (people) to do this, and the good PMs are organized and have the ability to manage "resources" so the resources are somewhat happy and do the work that is requested of them without being over-burdened.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of poor PMs who demand too much with too little consideration for the people performing various tasks.

Also, a good PM can empower resources to take ownership of various aspects of the project, thereby removing the PMs necessity to take credit should anything go wrong .

Haha ha!

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
They are worthless retards who play around with Visio and Microsoft Project all day.

Good definition, except you forgot the part where they assign pointless meetings at the worst possible times.... Usually during lunch or when you're trying to fix a serious problem.

They're also good at assigning you additional work when the other members of the team aren't pulling their weight... Now THERE some motivation to work harder! :|

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
They are worthless retards who play around with Visio and Microsoft Project all day.

Good definition, except you forgot the part where they assign pointless meetings at the worst possible times.... Usually during lunch or when you're trying to fix a serious problem.

They're also good at assigning you additional work when the other members of the team aren't pulling their weight... Now THERE some motivation to work harder! :|

That's a management problem, not mine.

I've all ready cleared it with your boss and laid out a specific work breakdown structure and resource management plan and have his sign off that you are cleared to work on this particular task.

Those "pointless" meetings are part of the overall communication plan to identify issues and document them in an appropriate issue management plan/tracking list and asign owners and hold them accountable.

You guys might poo-poo PMs, but it is difficult work. That's why normally if you have a problem with a resource, you immediately go to their boss and copy their bosses boss so the resources problem is firmly documented and resolved.

 

[OrByte]

I'm a PM. Just started the job. I work in the Health Industry and our company develops IT solutions for medical practices large and small.

Based on some of the responses here, I guess I'm not scheduling enough meetings

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: OrByte
I'm a PM. Just started the job. I work in the Health Industry and our company develops IT solutions for medical practices large and small.

Based on some of the responses here, I guess I'm not scheduling enough meetings

If you're keeping it to one meeting a week, you're probably going a good job. Some of my managers schedule multiple meetings every DAY... usually because they don't understand the project well enough to understand what the problems are and how to fix them. I basically end up handling their job responsibilities on top of my own! :|

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: OrByte
I'm a PM. Just started the job. I work in the Health Industry and our company develops IT solutions for medical practices large and small.

Based on some of the responses here, I guess I'm not scheduling enough meetings

Probably not.

Make sure you get an assistant to take and send out the minutes. That's not your job. You are the project manager, delegate my friend. Delegate.

A nice way to do this is to spring it on them at the onset of the meeting.

"Thank you all for coming. Crystal will be taking minutes and distributing to all attendees."

crystal - "WTF!"

"Crystal, you are in charge of minutes for this meeting. That is your role."

crystal - "double WTF!"

"Thanks again crystal. We appreciate your support in the project. Let's get started."

 

[WingZero94]

Originally posted by: Phokus
anyone here a project manager?

I am an IT Project Manager in the Healthcare industry. Without good PM's, projects run over time, budget and risk having terrible quality.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: SampSon
It's a glorified manager position.

Sure some of them actually have skills, but most don't.

And therein lies the problem.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
They are worthless retards who play around with Visio and Microsoft Project all day.

Good definition, except you forgot the part where they assign pointless meetings at the worst possible times.... Usually during lunch or when you're trying to fix a serious problem.

They're also good at assigning you additional work when the other members of the team aren't pulling their weight... Now THERE some motivation to work harder! :|

That's a management problem, not mine.

I've all ready cleared it with your boss and laid out a specific work breakdown structure and resource management plan and have his sign off that you are cleared to work on this particular task.

Those "pointless" meetings are part of the overall communication plan to identify issues and document them in an appropriate issue management plan/tracking list and asign owners and hold them accountable.

You guys might poo-poo PMs, but it is difficult work. That's why normally if you have a problem with a resource, you immediately go to their boss and copy their bosses boss so the resources problem is firmly documented and resolved.

Hey, I'm all for PM's. I understand the necessity of the position. Tech people should not talk to anyone but other tech people, it's bad for everyone. We can't answer complex questions simply, and we generally don't have the social skills necessary to suffer fools.

You PM's go talk to management for us and keep those fvckers out of my face. Give me a task, the time and resources to do it and leave me the hell alone til it's done.

 

[markgm]

I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: markgm
I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

Be prepared to handle the kind of disgruntleness from the worker bees as you see in this thread.

Document it, communicate it, get buy-in and use organizational awareness to force the resources to do what was commited. In other words use top-down force. Send an E-mail to the resources boss for response. If resource does not act then go face to face to resources boss. Give a single day, then go to resource's boss's boss. You'll get action.

This is business. Nothing personal.

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: markgm
I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

Be prepared to handle the kind of disgruntleness from the worker bees as you see in this thread.

Document it, communicate it, get buy-in and use organizational awareness to force the resources to do what was commited. In other words use top-down force. Send an E-mail to the resources boss for response. If resource does not act then go face to face to resources boss. Give a single day, then go to resource's boss's boss. You'll get action.

This is business. Nothing personal.

Yeah us some buzz words, the management solution.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: smack Down
Yeah us some buzz words, the management solution.

Learn to play the game or get killed by it.

 

[WingZero94]

Originally posted by: markgm
I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

Just sent you a PM ---> i'm planning on taking my PMP next month.

 

[AmigaMan]

Damn, I just did a quick search out in the Raleigh/Durham NC area for PM's and the salaries are not too bad at all. I like software development and all, but sheesh, SHOW ME THE MONEY! I've been doing a lot of project lead work in my current job, perhaps it's time to take the next step? Any "switchers" here go from development to project management?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan
Damn, I just did a quick search out in the Raleigh/Durham NC area for PM's and the salaries are not too bad at all. I like software development and all, but sheesh, SHOW ME THE MONEY! I've been doing a lot of project lead work in my current job, perhaps it's time to take the next step? Any "switchers" here go from development to project management?

Real project management will put you to the flames. The money is extremely good but you will be quickly sniffed out if you don't have the skills/training/experience to do it. This can be quickly exposed in an interview. Even more so within 6 months on the job.

If you can't quickly explain a communication plan, a resource plan and a WBS then you're not ready.

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: markgm
I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

Be prepared to handle the kind of disgruntleness from the worker bees as you see in this thread.

Document it, communicate it, get buy-in and use organizational awareness to force the resources to do what was commited. In other words use top-down force. Send an E-mail to the resources boss for response. If resource does not act then go face to face to resources boss. Give a single day, then go to resource's boss's boss. You'll get action.

This is business. Nothing personal.

That's it, I give up. I can't tell when you're being sarcastic anymore!

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: markgm
I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

Be prepared to handle the kind of disgruntleness from the worker bees as you see in this thread.

Document it, communicate it, get buy-in and use organizational awareness to force the resources to do what was commited. In other words use top-down force. Send an E-mail to the resources boss for response. If resource does not act then go face to face to resources boss. Give a single day, then go to resource's boss's boss. You'll get action.

This is business. Nothing personal.

That's it, I give up. I can't tell when you're being sarcastic anymore!

Not being sarcastic. Rarely am.

Dilbert has it pretty much nailed down correctly.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
They take the specs to the programmers.
Well, their secretary does it, or sometimes the fax machine.
But they have people skills, dammit, can't you see that? What the hell is wrong with you people?!?!?

:thumbsup:

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: AmigaMan
Damn, I just did a quick search out in the Raleigh/Durham NC area for PM's and the salaries are not too bad at all. I like software development and all, but sheesh, SHOW ME THE MONEY! I've been doing a lot of project lead work in my current job, perhaps it's time to take the next step? Any "switchers" here go from development to project management?

Real project management will put you to the flames. The money is extremely good but you will be quickly sniffed out if you don't have the skills/training/experience to do it. This can be quickly exposed in an interview. Even more so within 6 months on the job.

If you can't quickly explain a communication plan, a resource plan and a WBS then you're not ready.

I could probably do two of those, but I have no idea what a wbs is. I don't expect to go out and get a PM job tomorrow though. It'll take some time and I realize that. But I'm seriously considering it. It also seems like one of those jobs were a certification actually helps you. How hard is the PMP certification? What's involved in it?

 

[Doodoo]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: markgm
I got my PMP last month. I'm looking to make the transition from doing the technical side of IT to the PM side. There are some nice salaries out there!

Be prepared to handle the kind of disgruntleness from the worker bees as you see in this thread.

Document it, communicate it, get buy-in and use organizational awareness to force the resources to do what was commited. In other words use top-down force. Send an E-mail to the resources boss for response. If resource does not act then go face to face to resources boss. Give a single day, then go to resource's boss's boss. You'll get action.

This is business. Nothing personal.

Going to people's boss's and their bosses so quickly will only get you more disgruntled workers. It will get the work done, but you're not going to get 100% from them. You can bet they will remember that next you need something from them not related to your project. I've seen a lot of managers do the exact same thing. I prefer to go straight to the individual and talk to them and explain how important their piece is.