Breaking into the project management industry: My journey and advice for newcomers

When I first considered transitioning into project management, it was both an exciting and daunting prospect — like any career change, but even more so given the technical nature of the field. Coming from a retail/distribution background, studying animal behaviour at university and with no project experience whatsoever, I had no idea where to begin or whether I would even be taken seriously. Fast forward a year, and I’m now fully involved in projects and programmes, learning every day from a supportive team, and well on my way to becoming the project professional I aspire to be.

This article is for anyone considering a similar leap — especially if that jump feels a stretch too far. I’ll share my story, the lessons I’ve learned and some practical advice to help you break into this ever-growing industry.

Why project management:

To me, project management represented opportunity and innovation — a field of professionals leading change and making a tangible difference across every sector you can think of; a career built on driving progress, delivering positive impacts and working with diverse teams towards a common goal. Before entering this industry, I’d worked in environments focused primarily on cost-cutting and streamlining. While those efforts benefitted the bottom line, they often stifled creativity and morale. People stopped getting excited about their work, and growth stalled. While efficiency is critical in any organisation, project management offers a way to approach it constructively, fostering enthusiasm and collaboration instead of simply enforcing constraints.

Every project brings unique challenges, opportunities to learn and fresh perspectives you can carry forward into the future. It’s a profession where no two days are the same, and the possibilities for growth — both personal and professional — are endless.

My journey:

At first glance, pursuing a degree in Animal Behaviour alongside a background in retail and logistics might seem a bit of an odd path into project management but here we are. To this day, I still believe choosing a career path at 18 is one of the hardest decisions we have to make, and it often ends up leading somewhere we’d never expect. Looking back, I still consider those years incredibly valuable. It was a period of personal growth, independence and reflection, arguably learning more about myself in that time than I ever had.

After university, I continued my career in retail and advanced into management. It was during a period of change in my workplace that I began reassessing my career goals. I realised I wanted a role with structure, creativity and room for growth in a specialised and professional field. That's when I started taking project management more seriously. Initially, I didn’t fully understand the field, but the more I researched, the more excited I became about its potential for both career progression and personal fulfilment.

Soon after, I landed my current role — an administrative position within a newly established PMO; this was my foot in the door. After over a year in post, I’m now pursuing professional certification and further education, with the full support of my organisation and manager. They recognised my drive and potential and continue to offer me the support and opportunities I looked for. I’m now well on my way to becoming the project professional I want to be, and it all began with that first step — asking questions, seeking opportunities and getting involved.

Key steps for breaking into the industry:

If you’re also coming from an ‘unconventional’ background like myself, then it likely feels like a very formidable prospect but it’s absolutely achievable with the right approach:

Building a theoretical foundation: There are lots of great online courses and qualifications out there to start building up your knowledge base. That learning can stand you in great stead to hit the ground running in your new role and show potential employers you are serious about your career.

Foot in the door: If you have limited project experience, then your options in terms of roles are likely to be limited. Grab whatever role you can, expose yourself to the industry and soak as much of that up as you can. This is your chance to gain the experience you are missing and prove you’ve got what it takes to manage your own projects.

Exposure: Gathering experience is what is really going to drive your career forward. Put yourself out there, shadow anyone who will let you and try to get involved in those project conversations. It’ll take time to build your confidence, but nothing will build your skillset faster than getting involved first hand.

Networking: Actively meeting new people is a great way to build relationships, many of which will last much longer than you first realise, whether that is within your organisation or further afield in communities on LinkedIn or APM. Every professional you meet has their own approach to project management and you can pick up different ideas from across your network to form you own unique style to carry through your career.

Conclusion:

I’ll finish up on two last points, the most crucial yet fundamental lessons I’ve learned over the past year:

1) Relationships either make or break a project. Learn to play well with others and you will make your life 100x easier. Invest the time building those working relationships, getting everyone onside, understanding how to communicate with the team and you will be rewarded tenfold later on in the project when things get tricky.

2) Focus on progress over perfection. I found myself hesitating to get involved or expose myself too much for fear of failure. When making mistakes, earlier is better — success or failure, every experience is an invaluable lesson. Make the most of them.

Breaking into project management is no small feat but hopefully I’ve shown that it is more than possible with the right mindset and approach. With professionalism, determination and a willingness to learn, you can carve out a very rewarding career in this exciting industry. Every journey starts with a single step — you just have to take it.