How to become a project manager – a step-by-step guide

Project management is one of the fastest-growing business sectors, according to Simply Business research. Our analysis shows a 71 per cent increase in the number of project managers taking out insurance between 2021 and 2022.

But how do you become a project manager? We take a look at the key skills and characteristics you’ll need to kick-start your project management career in seven easy steps.

Seven steps to becoming a project manager

1. Decide if you're suited to this type of work
2. Choose an industry to work in
3. Do you need a project management qualification?
4. Register for tax
5. Get project manager insurance
6. Join a professional body
7. Find project management work

1. Decide if you're suited to this type of work

Before embarking on any new career, you need to know what you’re letting yourself in for.

A project manager is the person who's responsible for making sure a project is delivered on time, on budget, and within scope. So, to be a good project manager you’ll need to be a skilled planner with a passion for organising people and resources.

All of the project’s stakeholders will look to you to make sure what was promised will actually be delivered. This means you’ll need to manage expectations if issues crop up along the way, which may affect the delivery timeline or project costs.

What does a project manager do?

A project manager makes sure those with responsibilities for delivering a particular part of a project know what’s expected of them – and when they need to deliver it by.

Project managers usually work closely with other roles on a project, including:

• project sponsor – the senior people in the business who want the project completed
• stakeholders – people who are affected by (or who will affect) the outcome of the project
• business analysts – the people who help work out how the changes will happen

While some project contributors will only work during specific phases of a project, project managers lead the whole process, from kick-off to retrospective.

Your first task will be to work out all the risks associated with the project and decide how to manage them.

So organising regular check-in meetings as well as meetings about more specific areas of the project will be a key task on your to-do list. You’ll also create project plans and budgets – project management software and tools like a Gantt chart could help you here.

2. Choose an industry to work in

Almost any industry or organisation can employ project managers to help them achieve their aims and objectives. Areas can range from business and finance, to construction, to government, to IT, to retail.

If you want to become an engineering project manager, for example, you may need more specialist knowledge than if you work in a more general business role.

3. Do you need a project management qualification?

You don’t officially need a formal qualification to become a project manager. But to get the best choice of roles and projects, a university education and project management course could be very beneficial to your career.

It’s common to start off as an assistant project manager or possibly a project management officer, and career progression can eventually lead you into the role of project director.

Skills and qualities project managers need include:

• planning and organising
• attention to detail
• communication and negotiation
• budgeting
• leadership
• risk management and quality control

Project management degrees

Project management qualifications in the UK range from undergraduate degrees to courses in specific project management methodology. It really depends on which area you want to work in.

For example, you don’t necessarily need a business degree if you want to work in general business project management. But it could prove very useful to your understanding of project requirements and risks.

If you want to work in an engineering project management role, you’re almost certainly going to need to understand the engineering industry to at least some degree. This will be the same for other specialised areas.

You can study a three or four-year undergraduate degree, or masters in project management (over one or two years), at many universities in the UK and overseas.

Project management certification

Many project manager job descriptions will also require applicants to have training in a specific project management methodology, such as PRINCE2 or Agile.

Project management certifications can be completed online or in person, with PRINCE2 courses lasting from a few weeks to several months, depending on the level of qualification and the amount of time you can dedicate to studying.

4. Register for tax

If you decide to set up as a self-employed project manager, you’ll need to register your business with HMRC. This is so you can make sure you pay the tax you owe and avoid any penalties.

You’ll have a number of options for your business structure, including sole trader, limited company, and working under an umbrella company.

If you’re not sure which one would work best for you, read our article on the difference between setting up as a sole trader and a limited company. You may also want to consider whether you want to register for VAT.

5. Get project manager insurance

Working for yourself and being your own boss can bring lots of freedom to your working life, but there’s usually also greater responsibility.

That’s why, if you decide to be a self-employed project manager, you should think about project manager insurance, which can protect you in case the worst happens.

Covers contract project managers tend to consider include:

• Public liability insurance – covers legal expenses or compensation claims if clients, suppliers, or members of the public suffer personal injury or property damage because of your business
• Professional indemnity insurance – covers compensation claims and legal fees that may arise if a client suffers a financial or professional loss because of your work
• Business equipment insurance – covers you if your equipment is damaged or stolen, allowing you to replace it quickly and comfortably, and get on with the job in hand

As well as these covers, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ anyone.

6. Join a professional body

It’s possible to join the Association for Project Management (APM), the chartered body for project managers, as a student. You can progress to associate and then full membership once you’ve been in the job for more than five years.

Becoming a member is a great way to stay ahead of what’s happening within the project management profession.

7. Find project management work

Good project managers are highly marketable in today’s job market. So the first thing to do is to make sure your LinkedIn profile and business page are set up and kept up to date.

You’ll want to showcase what you can offer in the best possible light so that recruiters can easily find you, giving you the widest choice of the most relevant and interesting projects to you.

Not sure if project management is for you?

If you’re not sure about project management but still want to start a new self-employed business, read our guides on alternative careers:

• How to become a teacher
• How to become a personal trainer
• How to become a property developer
• How to become a self-employed accountant
• How to start a recruitment agency
• How to start a craft business

Are you thinking about becoming a project manager? Tell us more in the comments below.