Consultant Project Manager

Consultant Project Manager

Learning Mudra, Category - PMP

Project Management Consultant is more than a certification which requires: solid project management knowledge, experience in solving critical situations by applying project management best practices, strong relationship with a client, generating credibility.Project Management Consultant is not about delivering a project on time, within budget but to understand clients’ objectives and delivering value accordingly. As many organizations are adopting project management as a skill for achieving business goals, they are seeking expert advice of consultants in order to enhance the capabilities of project. The Project Management Institution (PMI) have been developing a program for project management consultants, which enables them to meet clients’ needs.

Project Management Expertise

In order to become a Project Management Consultant, expertise in filed is required along with recognition of that expertise. Expertise in project management can be acquired by education, training and credentials. College degrees and Certifications also provide recognition of the expertise you have in project management. Since, project managers are selected on the basis of their technical and managerial expertise which sometimes lack formal education. There are various programs with classroom or training options with different costs and flexible scheduling. Industries and companies also offer internal training and classes which are aligned with industry-based project management processes.

The best way of showing expertise in project management field is through getting Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate offered by the Project Management Institution (PMI). PMP is a globally recognized credential, which gives extra value to your resume and sets you apart from others. PMP requires its applicants to demonstrate knowledge of Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide. PMI asks for certain education along with experience in handling projects, and PMP training hours. PMP being one of the sought-aftercredential asks applicants to meet certain eligibility criteria along with rigorous training.

There is a demand for experts varying from industry to industry and projects in risk management, Scheduling, quality management and EVM. Another tools and technique which is used in various PMBOK processes is developing your interpersonal skills, which provides you opportunities in coaching and executive leadership. Organizations have understood the value of soft skills over hard skills therefore there is sudden upsurge in executive coaches in order to develop soft skills in project managers.

Experience

Becoming PMP certified project manager is just a start, in order to become a consultant, it is necessary to demonstrate that you can apply knowledge in client meetings. In other words, it means applying best practices and standard processes to real life situations. The best way to demonstrate your experience is by working successfully as a project manager which results in practical experience of working on projects, leading and managing a team, and application of project knowledge for meeting objectives.

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However, there are various ways through which you can gain experience, varying from organization to organization. You could be a member of a project team where you can demonstrate the knowledge required for supporting functions of project. Many times, these roles are dependent on the organizations’ PM methodologies. You can also participate as a part of Project Management Office (PMO) as the roles offered are aligned with PMBOK guide knowledge areas.

The other way of gaining experience is through learning from the experts who have already succeeded in the field. If you are working in a project team or as a PMO member, observing successful PM professionals will help you in learning the nuances and hence gaining experience.

The key is to demonstrate experience by applying the best practices and project management knowledge in real world situations.

Client Relationship Management

The biggest challenge Project Management Consultants face during client meetings is not being able to apply the knowledge and demonstrated experience. To resolve the issue, there is another set of skills which needs to be mastered:

• It is important for project management consultants to build frequent interactions with clients, and acquire the ability of speaking and articulating thoughts in a more clear and concise manner.
• In case of any problem consultants are required to define to the problem and identify the source and develop recommendation plan in order to satisfy the client.
• There is high probability that your client organization’s project management methodology is different from yours. It is suggested that you should try to align your skills and knowledge with the clients.
• It is important to understand the client’s organization structure, business processes and resources.

Establish Credibility

Think about this, why would a client hire you as Project Management Consultant without having trust. And how do you establish this trust? Well, you can establish trust with a client by assuring them about how good you are at your work. You can win their trust by demonstrating honesty, integrity and hard work. By creating a space where the client trusts you, you are also making a way for more opportunities as the client might share your accomplishments with others. Along with the other things, consultants can also establish credibility by adding value to what they do.

Therefore, for becoming a successful project management consultant, make sure that you are confident, innovative, and proactive.