Do you enjoy managing teams and collaborating with co-workers throughout projects? Do you like to take the lead and prefer to do so anytime a new project is in the works? If so, you would make a great project manager.
If you are thinking of working as a project manager, you may be wondering if you will be required to travel. While some project managers can work remotely and do so at all times, most project managers may be required to travel from time to time, depending on their role as well as the type of organization they represent.
What is the Role of a Project Manager?
A project manager is a professional who is responsible for overseeing the ins and outs of a project from start to finish. This can include monitoring overall productivity of employees and working with logistics, finance, and even shipping and transportation, depending on the type of project that is being managed. As a project manager, you will be responsible for ensuring that the project you are monitoring and overseeing is as streamlined and as efficient as possible.
Duties and Responsibilities of a Project Manager
While the role of a project manager will vary based on where you are working and the type of company or organization you are working for, there are a few responsibilities and duties of a project manager that are well-known, such as:
- Initiating project plans
- Contacting partners, investors, and key stakeholders who may be involved in a current or upcoming project
- Creating a scope for a project
- Planning the scope for a project
- Collaborating with co-workers
- Working with teams to manage logistics
- Coordinating tasks and responsibilities between teams and employees
- Executing tasks and project scope while sticking to set timelines and deadlines in place
- Monitoring and overseeing the overall progression of a project
- Overseeing the productivity of employees and/or teammates who are also involved in the project from start to finish
- Ensuring that all data points can be monitored and collected
- Analyzing data and collecting data to be reviewed after each project is complete
- Reviewing and presenting data as well as reviewing projects
Reasons Why a Project Manager May Travel
Project managers may need to travel in order to check on an actual work site that is being managed in person. If a project manager is helping to oversee the construction of a brand new building, they will be required to check in on the overall timeline of the project from time to time. In some instances, a project manager may need to travel to work with others, such as those they have written contracts with or partnerships with throughout the project.
Traveling as a project manager is typically done when simple remote teleconferencing and phone calls are simply not adequate in terms of communication.
Do I Need to Travel if I am a Project Manager?
This will depend on the type of position you are interested in as well as the specific responsibilities you have in your role as the project manager. While some project managers are able to work out of one central location or even from home, others may be required to travel from time to time, depending on the position itself. If you are unsure of a project manager position that you are interested in applying for, it is best to inquire about the possibility of traveling during the interview you are offered to ensure the position is the right fit for you.
How Far Do Project Managers Travel?
Project managers may need to travel to and from the office, as well as to work sites and any location necessary to meet with business partners, stakeholders, and investors.
How Frequently Do Project Managers Travel?
While some project managers may need to travel daily or even once a week, others may only be required to travel to check on worksites periodically.
Is it Possible to Work From Home as a Project Manager?
Yes, it is possible for some project managers to work from home. While many project managers will be required to travel from time to time, even if the traveling is minimal, other project managers may have an opportunity to work as a project manager remotely from home 24/7. Most project managers that have the ability to work from home without any traveling requirement are doing so for software or technology companies.
Even those who work for technology or software companies may be required to travel at some point or another for their role, even if it is just to do so for a relevant conference or business gathering.
Is a Project Manager a High-Stress Position?
Working as a project manager can feel extremely stressful for some, and exciting and challenging for others, depending on the type of work you prefer as well as the roles that are best suited for your personality. If you are a type A personality and enjoy taking the lead and making moves when it comes to business, communication, and even sales, working as a project manager may just be the perfect role for you. If you, however, prefer to work in the background and do not want the responsibility of delegating tasks and overseeing productivity, you may not be suited for the role of a project manager.
Becoming a Project Manager
Working as a project manager is rarely an overnight occurrence. While it is not always required to have a degree in order to work as a project manager, it can help to expedite the process of landing a role that you truly desire. Having a degree in business and/or project management can also help with applying for roles, even if you do not have hands-on experience as a project manager in the real world.
If you do not have a degree, it is still possible to work as a project manager with enough hands-on experience as well as a positive track record in management roles in your professional life. Working as a project manager will require you to have the following traits and characteristics:
- Leadership qualities: You will need to have the ability to lead and take charge, even when doing so on-demand.
- Communication: As a project manager, communication is key to success, regardless of the size of the project you are managing.
- Organization: You will need to remain organized at all times while managing projects, whether you are doing so remotely or in person.
- Decision-making skills: At times as a project manager, you will need to make decisions on the go, even when you least expect them. The more prepared you are as a project manager, the less likely you are to feel anxious or overwhelmed whenever you need to make a decision on the fly.
- Negotiation skills: Do you consider yourself a great communicator with the ability to persuade others? Are you able to negotiate contracts and business deals even if you are unprepared to do so and need to do so in the field? If so, you may be well-suited to work as a project manager. Having negotiation skills can go a long way for any type of project manager, whether you are working and traveling or working remotely.
Understanding the ins and outs of working as a project manager can help you to determine if the role is right for you. Whether you enjoy traveling and communicating with various people throughout your days or if you are seeking a role that allows you to work from home, familiarizing yourself with the role of a project manager can help you on your journey to finding the best position for you.