Introduction: 2

Understanding the basics of project management 2

What is project management? 3
What does a project manager do? 4
Transferable project management skills 5
X: Path to becoming a project manager 5

Learning about careers in project management 6

From certificate to career success 6
Explore project management roles 8
Introductory-level project management roles 8
Traditional project management roles 8
Program and portfolio management roles 9
Operational management roles 10
Agile roles 10
Industry-specific management roles 10
Key takeaway 11
Finding the perfect role 11
Gilbert: Project management skills in my role 12
Using buzzwords in your job search 13
Using buzzwords and skills in your job search 14
Common project management buzzwords 15
Key takeaway 16
Review: Embarking on a career in project management 17
 The Google Project Management Certificate

Introduction:

So far, we've previewed what you can expect throughout this program. In this
video, we'll discuss the details of this course. And you'll have a greater understanding for
which types of jobs are suitable for learners like you. We'll cover some key project
management terms and the roles and responsibilities of any entry level project manager.
Plus, we'll discuss the kinds of jobs you can pursue after you complete this program. One
thing you'll learn soon is that there are other roles and jobs, outside of project manager,
that this program will prepare you for. Later in this course, we'll have a video on how to
search for those roles and how to view project management as both a position and a
skill. For now, we'll start by going even deeper into what a project is, what a project
manager is, and what kinds of skills they have. We'll provide real life examples to help
illustrate that you probably already have learned some of the skills required to become a
successful project manager. Then you'll learn more about adding value to projects and
tips on being a successful project manager from real life Googlers. Pretty exciting, right?
We'll also cover the project's life cycle. You'll learn all about a project's different phases,
the corresponding tasks in each phase, different methodologies for completing tasks and
which is effective for a given project. Finally, you will learn about different types of
organizational structures and cultures and how they impact project management.
Coming up, we'll start exploring the concept of a project and the project management
field as a whole. Are you ready to crank things up a notch? See you soon.
Program and course overview

Hello! Welcome to the first of the six courses in the Google Project Management
Certificate program. In this reading, you will learn about the program structure and
course functionality. We’ve specifically designed the program you’re about to explore to
help every type of learner successfully finish the certificate and get ready for a role in
project management. No previous experience is required.

In the first course, you will learn the fundamentals of project management and how this
program will prepare you for project management roles in numerous types of industries.
You will explore the different types of career paths you might pursue, the responsibilities
and essential skills of a project manager, the importance of the project life cycle,
common project management methodologies, and how organizational structure and
culture impact project management. In this course, and throughout the program, you
will get a rare inside look at project management within Google. Current Google project

managers will offer a multi-dimensional educational experience that will provide you with
tools you can apply on the job.

Become job-ready

Throughout the Google Project Management Certificate program, you will learn the
foundations of traditional project management and gain insight into Agile project
management. According to the Project Management Institute, the project management
labor force in seven project-oriented sectors is expected to grow by 33 percent, or nearly
22 million new jobs, by 2027*. We are excited to join you on this journey as you learn
the skills to begin a career in one of today’s most in-demand professions.

Course 1 covers four weeks of material. Each week includes a series of lessons with
many types of learning opportunities, such as:

● Videos with a Google employee as your instructor.

● Readings to introduce new ideas and case studies and to build on the concepts
from the videos.
● Discussion forums to explore course topics for better understanding and chat
with peers in the program.
● In-video questions that will pop up from time to time. They’re designed for you
to check your learning as you go!
● Practice quizzes to check your understanding and give you valuable feedback.
Practice activities will provide you with a hands-on opportunity to apply skills
you are working to master. You will assess your work by answering quiz questions
about it or by comparing it to an exemplar built by our course team. Note: these
activities will not count towards your final course grade, but you are strongly
encouraged to complete them as they will help prepare you for the graded
quizzes and peer reviews.
● Graded quizzes on video and reading content to measure your progress.
● Ungraded peer-review activities on video and reading content that provide you
the opportunity to practice applying skills you are working to master. Other
learners in your course will see the work you submit and give you feedback based
on a rubric.
● Graded peer-review activities on video and reading content that assess your
ability to apply skills you are working to master. Other learners in your course will
grade your work and give you feedback based on a rubric.

Everyone learns differently, so we designed this program to let you work at your own
pace. Although your personalized deadlines start when you enroll, they’re just a guide.
Feel free to move through the program however it works best for you. Keep in mind, you
can always reset your deadlines by clicking the blue reset my deadlines button.
There’s no penalty for late assignments. To earn your certificate, all you have to do is
complete all of the work.

Tips
 ● We strongly recommend you take all six courses—and complete the items in each
lesson—in the order they appear, as new information and concepts build on
previous ones.
● Make the most of the readings and additional resources throughout the program.
They’re designed to support your learning.
● If something is confusing, don’t hesitate to re-watch a video, go through a
reading again, or ask your classmates for advice in the discussion forum.
● Take part in all learning opportunities to gain as much knowledge and experience
possible.

Congratulations on choosing to take this first step toward becoming a part of the
wonderful world of project management. Enjoy the journey!

*Source: PMI (2017). Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027.

Understanding the basics of project management

Welcome back. Let's get right into it and explore the variety of skills you'll use.
Have you ever been tasked with planning a loved one's surprise birthday party? There's
usually a lot of pressure and responsibility, but when you get it right, it feels amazing.
That's still true even if there were a couple of issues. Maybe the guest of honor arrived
home earlier than expected and nearly ruined the surprise. But if you made someone
feel special on their birthday you probably planned a successful project. As you chose a
venue, sent out invitations, and calculated your budget based on your number of guests,
you were using several project management skills, like planning and organizing,
managing tasks, budgeting, and controlling costs, and more. Or maybe you've never
planned a party. Have you ever worked in the retail space, or in the service industry?
Then you might have experience that'll translate into the project management field, too.
For example, you might have been in charge of managing several employees' schedules.
To do that, you had to plan and organize which employees' work styles would
complement each other in a productive way. You also had to make sure that all duties
and responsibilities would be covered during each shift. Plus, you had to be aware of all
employees' availability. Doesn't sound familiar? Well, have you ever had to relocate for a
new job and planned a big move? To successfully move all of your belongings, you may
have coordinated friends and family to help. You would have had to budget and control
costs for moving companies, boxes, and miscellaneous expenses. You probably packed
your boxes one room at a time and clearly labeled the boxes so that you knew what each
box was when you arrived at the new place. You had to manage all of these tasks
simultaneously. You've likely handled several tasks like these in your lifetime. In
studying project management, you'll learn to further advance and sharpen these skills so
that you'll be equipped to manage even bigger, more daunting tasks. The abilities that
helped you complete these past projects are a great selling point for yourself as a future
project manager. So be sure to bring up these examples in job interviews to demonstrate
your skills. For instance, if you're asked questions like, "Tell me about a time when you
had to juggle several tasks at once", or "Tell me about a time when you had to influence
a customer or a teammate." It's good to have examples that demonstrate your skills
with time management and leadership in both your everyday life and previous
workplaces. Are you thinking about all of the skills that you already have and can use in
your future project management role? Perfect. Up next, we'll learn more about the types
of project management roles that you'll be qualified for after this program. We'll also
discuss how to start exploring the various job opportunities out there for you. See you
soon.

What is project management?

what a project is. A project, is a unique endeavor, and usually includes a set of
unique deliverables. It's also a temporary pursuit. It has a defined beginning and an end.
To put it another way, a project is a series of tasks that need to be completed to reach a
desired outcome. Reaching that desired outcome takes collaboration and careful
planning that keeps the project on track and on budget. That's where project
management comes in. Project management is critical to the success of projects both big
and small. Let's break it down into the what, the why, and the how. What is project
management? Why is project management an important part of an organization? How is
it vital to a project's success? As I mentioned, project management is the application of
knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements and achieve
the desired outcome. Project management is valuable to businesses because it helps
ensure that a project delivers the expected outcomes, both on time and within budget.
To demonstrate what I mean I'll take you through a real-life example of project
management. Imagine a school district signs a deal with a telehealth company to make
sure students don't have to miss school for simple health issues, like fevers or
headaches. The deal will be completed by the end of the school year. The students can
now interact with the doctor through a tablet, smartphone, or a computer, while they're
at school. Implementing this technology into the school's procedures is the project. It's
got a clear outcome and start and end date. So, how is that project managed? Well, this
project has several tasks, and each one has to be carefully planned out and tracked, or
managed, in order for the project to be completed. For example, to start you can
organize training sessions for faculty to get them better acquainted with the technology,
policies, and procedures. You can budget for tablets, computers, and other vital
equipment to facilitate the virtual checkups. You can maintain strong communication
with doctors, the telehealth company, and school staff members and so much more. To
successfully launch the product in the schools all of those things need to get done. That
is project management. Seems pretty important to an organization's success, right?
More and more companies are starting to understand how project management can save
them lots of money and time. Poor project management can lead to trillions of wasted
dollars every year for organizations around the world. More specifically, poor project
management can lead to 48 percent of projects missing delivery dates, 43 percent
missing budget targets, and 31 percent failing to meet an organization's goals. As a
company that serves so many different purposes in communities, it's no surprise that
project management's a huge part of Google. But here, many of our project managers
are described as "program managers," because they manage multiple projects for
specific products, teams, or programs. There are thousands of people here with the job
of keeping projects and programs running smoothly. People like me. I'm a responsible
innovation program manager. My team is responsible for ensuring that the technology
we produce, the research we pursue, and the publications we put out are all done with
Google's artificial intelligence principles in mind. I review the processes for each of these
types of technologies, and I give ideas for how to continue innovating responsibly to
meet our organizational goals. My job adds value to Google through the core aspects of
project management we've mentioned, planning and organizing, managing tasks, and
budgeting and controlling costs. Hopefully you have a better sense of what a project is,
what project management is, and why project management is an important part of every
company, and how it's vital to a project's success. Next up, we'll learn more about what
a project manager does.

What does a project manager do?

Hey, so we've covered what project management is and why it's important to
organizations. Now, let's learn more about what project managers do on a day-to-day
basis. Project managers usually follow a process that involves planning and organizing,
managing tasks, budgeting, controlling costs and other factors. Everything they do helps
make sure the project can be completed on time and on budget. In broad terms, a
project manager also needs to make sure that the project outcome is bringing value to
the company. A project manager can add value in many different ways. Whether that's
creating a new service for customers or modifying an old service so it's more tailored to
the customer's needs. No matter what the task is, a successful project will always add
value. And it's the project manager's job to make sure that project is both valuable and
successful. You may be asking yourself, well, if I'm a project manager, how do I add
value to an organization every day? What does the day-to-day life of a project manager
look like? Well, a project manager's responsibilities can vary, depending on the project,
the industry, and the company they're working in. Are you constructing a new building?
Are you project managing a renewable energy product in a startup? Or are you setting
up your own event management company? Your tasks will be different in each scenario,
but here's a general overview of what a typical day might look like.
Reproduza o vídeo começando em :1:29 e siga a transcrição1:29
A project manager's daily responsibilities always include some version of the
following, planning and organizing. An example of that might be gathering requirements
from teammates or customers. This means figuring out what exactly your project's
trying to accomplish. You might have a kickoff meeting or send a survey. From here you
may also work on creating project plans. Creating project plans is a key part of project
management. It helps set the tone of the project, keeps everyone on pace and aligned,
and helps move tasks along. Which leads me to my second point, managing tasks. Once
the project is underway, the project manager helps manage tasks for the team members
and communicates key milestones to the larger team or customers. This helps keep
team members, and customers updated on how the project is progressing. The third
piece is budgeting and controlling costs and other factors. Managing the budget and
controlling costs is a common responsibility that project managers have to understand to
keep the project on track and within budget. This is a full-time job because the plan
you've created and managed may change causing unexpected costs to come up. And
that's just to name a few. I could go on for days. But the most important thing to know
about the day to day of a project manager is this: You'll use different tools, techniques
and methodologies every single day. There's never a dull moment. Personally, my
favorite part about being a project manager is that I get to watch the project's growth
from start to finish. It's really special to create something from nothing, working from
the ground up. It's a really satisfying feeling. As a project manager, you'll use a variety
of skills every day, and a lot of these skills you might already have, and we'll discuss this
more coming up. See you there.
 Transferable project management skills

Welcome back. Let's get right into it and explore the variety of skills you'll use.
Have you ever been tasked with planning a loved one's surprise birthday party? There's
usually a lot of pressure and responsibility, but when you get it right, it feels amazing.
That's still true even if there were a couple of issues. Maybe the guest of honor arrived
home earlier than expected and nearly ruined the surprise. But if you made someone
feel special on their birthday you probably planned a successful project. As you chose a
venue, sent out invitations, and calculated your budget based on your number of guests,
you were using several project management skills, like planning and organizing,
managing tasks, budgeting, and controlling costs, and more. Or maybe you've never
planned a party. Have you ever worked in the retail space, or in the service industry?
Then you might have experience that'll translate into the project management field, too.
For example, you might have been in charge of managing several employees' schedules.
To do that, you had to plan and organize which employees' work styles would
complement each other in a productive way. You also had to make sure that all duties
and responsibilities would be covered during each shift. Plus, you had to be aware of all
employees' availability. Doesn't sound familiar? Well, have you ever had to relocate for a
new job and planned a big move? To successfully move all of your belongings, you may
have coordinated friends and family to help. You would have had to budget and control
costs for moving companies, boxes, and miscellaneous expenses. You probably packed
your boxes one room at a time and clearly labeled the boxes so that you knew what each
box was when you arrived at the new place. You had to manage all of these tasks
simultaneously. You've likely handled several tasks like these in your lifetime. In
studying project management, you'll learn to further advance and sharpen these skills so
that you'll be equipped to manage even bigger, more daunting tasks. The abilities that
helped you complete these past projects are a great selling point for yourself as a future
project manager. So be sure to bring up these examples in job interviews to demonstrate
your skills. For instance, if you're asked questions like, "Tell me about a time when you
had to juggle several tasks at once", or "Tell me about a time when you had to influence
a customer or a teammate." It's good to have examples that demonstrate your skills
with time management and leadership in both your everyday life and previous
workplaces. Are you thinking about all of the skills that you already have and can use in
your future project management role? Perfect. Up next, we'll learn more about the types
of project management roles that you'll be qualified for after this program. We'll also
discuss how to start exploring the various job opportunities out there for you. See you
soon.

X: Path to becoming a project manager

Hey everyone, my name is X. Yes, just the letter. At Google, I'm a Program
Manager for a department called Responsible Innovation. Most of us, in our everyday
life, use program management. When you have only a couple hours left in a day and you
have to figure out, well, do I clean my house or do I go to the grocery store? How long
will each of those task takes? Those are just different elements or variations of program
management and project management. My path to program management is pretty non-
traditional. I didn't go graduate from a great college. In fact, I dropped out of high
school and I dropped out of college. So a GED is the highest credential that I have. After
I dropped out of high school, I taught myself how to code. I built a whole bunch of
websites, but realized, like, I didn't have the responsible skills to make me a "mature
adult." So I ended up joining the military. After spending eight years in the Army, I
traveled the world building apps for really big companies and governments around the
world. When I came into Google, I realized I could still be technical, but then I'm just
using the skills I already have. So how can I grow myself as a person by learning new
skills? That's when I heard about the program manager role. The program manager role
at Google is super cool because it varies depending on which team you're on. If you're a
program manager on Google Cloud, that could look very different than being a program
manager in YouTube. That switch up and that change from coding all day long in front of
a computer screen was something that was really, really attractive to me. Some of the
biggest skills from my past and my history that helped me become a program manager
and make that transition from somebody who was managed by program and project
managers, to actually becoming one myself, was taking a little bit more accountability in
my personal life. There's lots of things I want to learn in life. I started doing things like
making schedules to practice, like, different instruments, like the bass guitar. Each of my
roles, whenever I worked with a project or program manager, I also made sure to check
in with them about why they were doing what they were doing. I'm someone who
doesn't really learn from books if you can't tell by me dropping out of school. So I always
found somebody who was willing to teach me why they were doing what they were
doing, because that's how I learn. I tend to be more kinetic. I learn as I go. Program
management to me was a natural calling. Not because I like to run around and tell
everybody what to do, but because I have a real personal passion for bringing people
together and getting everybody on the same page to move towards the same goal.
Whether that's convincing all my friends to go to my favorite vegan spot in downtown
LA, like four times a week, or whether that's getting us all together to resolve conflict or
to work on an idea and collaborate on projects on the side together. Those skills that you
use in your everyday life to keep your task together can apply to program and project
management very easily. You just have to be a little bit more intentional around them
and there's a lot more paperwork involved.

Learning about careers in project management

From certificate to career success

Welcome back. Now that you have a general understanding of what a project
manager does, let's focus on the types of jobs that you may be qualified for after
completing this program. To start, I've got a question for you. How many open roles do
you think are out there for project managers? Hint: The answer is a very big number.
Project managers are in high demand. In 2017, a study by the Project Management
Institute found that by the year 2027, employers will need 87.7 million people filling
project management-aligned roles. According to that same study, the industries with the
most growth are manufacturing and construction, information services and publishing,
management and professional services, finance and insurance, utilities, and oil and gas.
Project management plays a big part in helping all of these industries grow. In some
industries, you will find the term "project manager" grouped with a more industry-
specific qualifying word. For example: "construction project manager" or "IT project
manager," or "engineering project manager." Don't worry. These are all still project
manager roles—they're just specific to an industry. And it's important to keep in mind
that the skills you learn in one industry can be applied to another industry. New projects
are popping up every single day. Across all industries, we noticed that new technology is
introduced, which leads to processes changing and a need to manage those processes.
So all kinds of companies need people like you who can tackle a variety of projects from
start to finish, to help them navigate these changes. By now, you might have noticed
that you already have some of those skills, like organizing or planning an event,
problem-solving, or even managing a budget, and you use them effectively in your
everyday life. Reflect on some of those skills we mentioned earlier and ask yourself,
what are some of the parts of project management that you're drawn to? While you may
not have the answer just yet, thinking about these things can help you find suitable roles
later. As you keep going in this program, try to keep track of the lessons and activities
you prefer and the ones you didn't like as much. This will help you narrow your choices
as you search through job boards later. The beauty of project management is that you
don't need to be an expert on a focused technical topic— you just need to be able to
manage projects. You could be a construction or technology project manager, or you
could enter the healthcare industry and work in patient management. You could also
enter the energy sector and act as an environmental project manager. The possibilities
are almost endless. What's equally exciting is that you could even end up with a
completely different title altogether. For instance, there are roles that entail a sequence
of ongoing projects that are considered programs or operations in the industry. In this
case, the role may not be described as a project manager, but instead something a little
more evergreen, like "operations manager" or "program manager." Other titles that
might make sense for you can include "operations assistant," "project assistant,"
"project coordinator," and "program assistant." When it comes to job duties, your
responsibilities might change depending on the type of company you choose. For
example, the workload and specific tasks at a small agency will be different from those
at Google. It's also important to keep in mind that as the world continues to change and
evolve, so do industries and the job opportunities you'll find there. So be sure to cast a
wide net. You'll be able to find more and more jobs you're qualified for. In addition to
being qualified for project management-related jobs, there's plenty of other roles or
paths that may interest you. Internships can sometimes be a good place to start. An
internship is a short-term way to get hands-on experience in an industry. Plus,
internships are a great way to help boost your resume and set yourself apart from other
candidates. One of the key benefits of internships is that you get real work experience
while simultaneously networking with people in that industry. It's a win-win. Now some
internships in your field might not technically be project manager roles, but a lot of roles
are easily transferable. For example, something like an "events manager intern" role can
become a full-time project manager position later on. Internships aren't great for
everyone's lifestyle, but if you can make them work, they're a fantastic option. Another
path you can take is contract work. Working for companies on a contract means you'll
work with them on a project-by-project basis, but you won't be a full-time employee.
This kind of work is a great way to get your foot in the door and build your portfolio.
Plus, it gives you the flexibility to try your hand at a few different projects at once,
depending on the commitment level required for that. Another benefit of contracting is
that it lets you explore different kinds of companies and project types. Since it's a
temporary position, you can explore what type of company is the best fit for you. Maybe
you find you like working with a large or a small team, or you find you enjoy specific
types of projects. And if you find a situation that suits you and the organization, your
contract position might just lead to a full-time position. As you keep charging forward,
try thinking about the type of job you might be interested in going after when we're
done here. Every new topic you discover brings you one step closer to your first role in
project management, and one step closer to where you want to be. In the next video,
we'll learn how to identify and search for job titles best-suited for a project manager.
We'll see you there.

Explore project management roles

You are about to start on your path to securing a high-demand position as a

project manager. One of the greatest benefits of the project management field is that it
encompasses a wide variety of positions across numerous industries. As you complete
this certification, you will acquire skills that will qualify you for various job titles. Here,
we will discuss some different project management job categories and some common
roles within those categories. We’ll also describe the great potential for career
progression in project management, from entry-level positions to senior program
management roles, and the many opportunities in between!
Project management job categories and common roles

Introductory-level project management roles

Entry-level project management positions are a great opportunity to get your foot
in the door and learn the ins and outs of how a company operates and manages
projects. The lessons you learn from these experiences are extremely valuable to your
growth in project management. Some entry-level project management positions include:
● Junior Project Manager: Performs all aspects of being a project manager
alongside a more experienced professional.
● Project Administrator: Assists the rest of the project team with administrative
tasks.
● Project/Program Assistant: Supports team members working on a project and
offers administrative support. May perform research or create training documents
along with other jobs as assigned by program leaders.
● Project/Program Coordinator: Participates in hands-on project work and
administrative tasks. Works under a project manager to make sure projects are
completed on time and within budget.
● Project Support Specialist: Works alongside a project manager and team
members to oversee assigned projects. May also be responsible for training and
developing employees to perform designated tasks.

Traditional project management roles

Once you have gained some experience in introductory-level positions, you can
explore traditional project management roles, such as:
● Project Manager: Responsible for the initiating, planning, executing, monitoring,
and closing of a project. Includes industry-specific titles like IT project manager,
construction project manager, or engineering project manager, which utilize skills
that are transferable among industries.
● Project Analyst: Moves a project along by sharing information, providing
support through data analysis, and contributing to strategy and performance.
● Project Leader/Director: Drives core decision-making and sets the direction for
the project. Usually knowledgeable about the product or deliverable.
 ● Project Controller: Primarily responsible for project planning. You are likely to
see this job title in industries like engineering and construction.
● Technical Project Manager: Conducts project planning and management for
identified goals within a company. Ensures that projects are completed to the
requirements within a defined time frame and budget.
● Project Management Office (PMO) Analyst: Manages the progress of complex
projects to ensure timely execution and completion.

Program and portfolio management roles

As you have learned, project managers are responsible for the day-to-day
management of projects. They shepherd projects from start to finish and serve as a
guide for their team. Project managers must apply the right tools, techniques, and
processes to complete the project successfully, on time, and within budget.
After you have carried out projects successfully and feel you are ready for a step
up in responsibility, a program manager position may be the next step for you. While a
project is one single-focused endeavor, a program is a collection of projects. Program
managers are responsible for managing many projects. At Google, all project managers
are called program managers because they manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Successfully implementing programs as a program manager can eventually make
you a great fit for more senior positions, such as a senior program manager or a
portfolio manager. A portfolio is a collection of projects and programs across an entire
organization. Portfolio managers are responsible for portfolios of projects or programs
for one client. Over the course of your career, you might progress from project manager
to program manager to portfolio manager roles.
While project, program, and portfolio managers hold different types and levels of
responsibility, they are all project managers. In Course 4 of this certificate program, you
will learn more about differentiating projects, programs, and portfolios.
s.

● Program managers: Manage a group of projects that are related or similar to

one another and handle the coordination of these projects. They facilitate
effective communication between individual project managers and provide
support where necessary. They also help create and manage long-term goals for
their organization.
● Portfolio managers: Responsible for managing a group of related programs
within the same organization. They coordinate various programs in order to
ensure they are on track and that the organization is meeting its strategic
initiatives. Portfolio managers look at all projects and programs within the
organization and prioritize work as necessary.

Operational management roles

In operational management roles, you will get the opportunity to experience

several different departments and how they interact and operate. Operational
management roles allow you to work alongside peers and management from various
business segments, giving you an appreciation for what each segment does on a daily
basis. Key elements of project management include making sure a project is on budget
and on schedule. This course, and your experience as a project manager, will give you
the tools to be able to apply those skills to running a business. Some operational
management positions include:
● Operations Analyst: Manages and coordinates research, investigates workflows,
creates business procedures, and recommends changes to improve the project
and company.
● Operations Manager: Oversees strategic decision-making and rolls out plans of
action based on financial, schedule, and resource reporting.
● Chief Operating Officer: Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative
and operational functions of a business.

Agile roles

We will discuss the Agile project management approach in depth later, but here
are a couple of the positions you may see that are related to that approach:
● Scrum Master: Coordinates and guides the Scrum team. Knowledgeable in Agile
framework and Scrum and is able to teach others about the Scrum values and
principles. May also be listed as a Technical Program Manager or Technical Project
Manager.
● Product Owner: Drives the direction of product development and progress.

Industry-specific management roles

As you search for project management roles, you may see positions with titles
like “engineering project manager” or “construction project manager.” Keep in mind that
the skills you learn in one industry can be applied to another industry. For example, you
may have experience as a software engineer but are interested in pursuing a career in
project management. You will be able to apply what you’ve learned working in a
technical field, as well as with the skills you have picked up in this certification course, to
a project manager position in multiple industries. Having experience working on a team
to achieve a task and understanding how to execute an effort on schedule and on budget
are aspects of your professional experience—combined with your project management
knowledge—that make it possible for you to move between industries.
 Key takeaway

Project management is a career path with a great deal of potential!

With each step along your career path, you are building yourself up to be a significant contributor to
any company. We have discussed a number of possible job titles for you to search for when you start
exploring project management roles. Regardless of the industry in which you currently work, you have
gained transferable skills. Transferable skills are abilities that can be used in many different jobs and
career paths. Your transferable skills can likely be utilized in project management roles in many other
industries.

Finding the perfect role

Hi again! Let's discuss how to search for a job in the project management field.
It's no secret that job searching can be a challenge. Even the most detailed, specific job
listings can leave you wondering what the company is really seeking in a candidate.
Don't worry, we've all been there, and we're here to help you sort through the lingo and
the confusion. The more job listings you find, the more buzzwords you'll likely notice, too
— words like "data-driven," "team player," "self-starter." Understanding all the
buzzwords in job listings will help figure out if a job is right for you. Up to now, we've
discussed project management as a role, but many companies actually list it as a skill.
Here's some more good news. You'll soon be qualified for a position as a project
manager, and a position that lists project management as a skill. Here's the even better
news. If you have the skills to manage projects, you'll be qualified for program manager
or operational roles that require you to manage an end-to-end system or department,
too, which asks for the same skill set. Now, let's check out different types of jobs that
use your project management skills. When job hunting, keep your options open. As I
just mentioned, you don't have to limit yourself to just project manager titles. There's
lots of other titles you're qualified for, too. You'll know what's a good fit for you by

reading the job descriptions, so cast a wide net. Depending on the field you choose, you
might find roles like Operations Manager, Program Manager, Operations Associate, or
Project Assistant. All of these could be a great fit for your skills. For example, let's say
you're searching a job board for project management roles when you notice a
Community Operations Manager role for a small city open up. The job title isn't project
manager, but you'll notice that the job functions match your skill set, and your years of
experience also match the job requirements. The job description may include a list of
required skills like organizational management, strong planning and communication
skills, budget preparation and monitoring. Sound familiar? Maybe you'll even start to
notice that the job's responsibilities seem like tasks you've covered in this course, like
creating monthly status reports, helping to implement new and necessary technologies,
tracking work plans and performance metrics, assisting other members of the operations
team on given projects, and ensuring timely responses to requests for information.
These duties are nearly a perfect match for your project management skills, and there
are plenty more listings like these two. How great is that? The skills that go into project
management are used in all kinds of roles and professions. Believe it or not, we've all
worked with or learned from a project manager at some point in the past. Can you guess
who that is? It's your teachers! Think about it. Everything that goes into being a teacher
takes project management skills: Designing a curriculum that's accessible to students
with unique needs; managing a budget; communicating with others like parents,
department heads, or school admins; developing processes to make things run efficiently
in the classroom; and so on. For example, when I went for my first interview at Google,
I highlighted my experience as the founder and advisor to a student leadership group. I
told them about how I assembled and led a team of 20 students to plan and execute
events like fundraisers, community gatherings, and academic assemblies for over 300
students during the academic year. I even kind of surprised myself, looking back at how
much relevant project management experience I had. Now, I'm sure you'll think back on
your own experiences and feel the same thing. One more thing to call out is networking.
Networking is when you meet other people in a professional setting with the goal of
learning, sharing knowledge, and creating new business connections. This plays a big
role in job hunting, so it is a great tool to start learning and perfecting. The skills you
learn here will prepare you for all kinds of project management jobs. Knowing how to
search for jobs will make it even easier to match those skills with the best opportunities
for you.

Gilbert: Project management skills in my role

My name is Gilbert, and I'm a talent outreach specialist here at Google. Talent
can mean many things; it can mean folks that have never envisioned themselves at
Google. And so part of our team's remit is to identify talent that Google or other
companies may not necessarily reach out to, or consider for roles in the past and helping
them navigate the interview process. That could also mean candidates that are already
interested or have expressed interest in opportunities at Google in the past, and
engaging them to support them through the interview process today. At Google you have
to wear the program and project management hat, regardless of what role you're in. And
that's definitely been the case for me. So in my role I've had to practice skills such as:
communicating to stakeholders, managing a budget, managing a project timeline in
many different projects within my role. An example of this could be organizing events for
university students that come to Google's campus. And hear from guest speakers about
the projects we work on, the roles and their career journeys. And so as you can imagine
this can be a complex project. My first job out of college was completely unrelated to
what I'm doing now. I was an assistant manager at a big box retailer. And so a lot of the
skills that I actually learned in that role have translated to support me in my role and
allowed me to have success. So some of these skills are being able to talk to and have
difficult conversations, being able to manage a budget, managing resources, and
managing your time. These are especially important in the retail setting. I started
applying a lot of these project management frameworks or practices, even into the
smallest projects. Maybe it's related to my goals for the next three months, setting up
project plan based around that, right? I was the only stakeholder, I was the only one
reviewing this documentation. But the practice of being able to do this really helped me
so that when I had to do it for a project at Google with multiple stakeholders, with
multiple timelines, competing priorities. It was already second nature to me, because I
even applied it just in my day to day. So I think one of the biggest support that I had as
far as working through imposter syndrome, or lack of confidence as I stepped into a lot
of these skills is really just practice. And you can practice it in many different ways, in
your personal life, in your professional life, and anything in between. So that was really
important for me as I've gone through this journey of up-skilling as a program and
project manager. I'd say that by joining this course and stepping into this, you're already
taking the first step. And I think that's just as important, right? Not letting fear, or fear
of failure get in the way of new opportunities for you. And the second piece is don't be
afraid to ask for help. I think that folks are generally willing to help and support you. So
the biggest thing that you can do is reach out, and not be afraid to ask questions. Not be
afraid to do an informational interview, to ask for resume tips, to ask for advice from
people that are maybe already in the role that you're hoping to step into, or in the field
that you're looking to work in. Just reach out to them, ask them questions. I think
people like to connect with folks that are intuitive, that are curious and are just eager to
learn. And so if you can leverage those two pieces, I think that you're going to have
success in whatever you do.

Using buzzwords in your job search

You can save this reading for future reference. Feel free to download a PDF
version of this reading below:
Using buzzwords in your job search.pdf

PDF File

You now know how to start searching for project management jobs! Job searching
can be a time of self-reflection, growth, and excitement. Add a career path change into
the mix, and it can also seem intimidating. We are about to give you some tips to help
you in your job search efforts, including introducing you to some common buzzwords
and skills that commonly appear in job descriptions.
 Using buzzwords and skills in your job search

In an earlier video, we mentioned buzzwords—words or phrases that are popular

for a period of time or in a particular industry. In today’s job market, buzzwords like
data-driven, team player, and self-starter are common. You may see terms like these
show up throughout your searches.
Similarly, many job descriptions list the specific skills they require candidates to
have. These skills can become some of the terms that you use in your job search.
Examples of these skills include:
● Coordination, or getting people and teams to work together. You may see
responsibilities in job descriptions such as “coordination of efforts to achieve
project deliverable” or “coordinate internal resources to ensure successful project
completion.” Being a project manager is essentially managing the coordination of
resources to achieve your end goal. Coordination is one of the top skills a project
manager should have, so searching for this term can lead you to appropriate
positions.
● Organization, or the ability to stay focused on different tasks. You may come
across phrases like “solid organizational skills, including attention to detail and
multitasking skills” or something as simple as “highly organized.” Organization is
key to being a great project manager. We will discuss many ways to sharpen this
skill in the upcoming lessons.
● Leadership, or being able to lead a group of people. You may see phrases like
“strong leadership qualities” or “ability to lead” in job descriptions. A project
manager needs to display leadership in a number of ways, including effective
planning, efficient task coordination, inspiring team members, and key decision-
making. You are working on many of the skills needed to become a great leader
in this program!
Take a look at the skills required for this position. The job description lists each of
the terms that we talked about or a variation of these terms.

 Excellent time management, prioritization, and organizational skills
Demonstrated ability to lead others
Outstanding communication skills
Successful track record in coordinating the work of internal and external teams to
develop new products
You may also come across positions in your search that do not include the title
“Project Manager” or any of the job titles we previously discussed, but you shouldn’t rule
these positions out. In many cases, the job description will include project management
experience and expectations, but the position may be called something else entirely.
Look at some of the job responsibilities required for a position titled “Operations
Associate.” This position is a type of project manager. You will find that most project
management-related job descriptions call for the ability to plan, organize, monitor, and
execute tasks—all skills you will be able to do once you complete this certification.

Plan and organize team objectives and priorities

Develop and execute reporting and process design
Monitor daily operations and enhance processes to maximize efficiency
Coordinate training plans

Common project management buzzwords

Including buzzwords and skills in your job search can help you find jobs that are
ideal for you and your skill set. Once you have found a position you want to apply for,
listing buzzwords and skills that are relevant to the position can also help recruiters and
hiring managers identify you as a qualified and knowledgeable candidate.
Some common project management-related buzzwords and skills you could
include on your resume are:
● Analytical


 ● Assertive
● Assessing outcomes
● Assessing progress
● Attention to detail
● Conflict resolution
● Collaborative
● Coordination
● Communication
● Development
● Evaluation
● Executing plans
● Financial analysis
● Impact assessment
● Leadership engagement
● Managing meetings
● Managing client expectations
● Managing conflicts
● Managing relationships with stakeholders
● Managing vendors
● Meeting deadlines
● Monitoring
● Multitasking
● Planning
● Prioritizing
● Problem-solving
● Process development
● Process improvement
● Project coordination
● Project implementation
● Project initialization
● Project planning
● Project reporting
● Quality control
● Risk assessment
● Risk management
● Solution development
● Strategic planning
● Strong interpersonal skills
● Strong verbal communication
● Strong written communication

Key takeaway

Job searching for your first (or next) project management position can be easier
if you enter the right search terms. Search for the skills you’re learning throughout this
project management certificate program or skills you’ve acquired in your current or
previous positions. These terms will help you determine if you have found a potential
match. As you start your project management career, don’t let the requirement for
project management experience stop you from applying for project management-
adjacent roles. Once you have completed this certification course, you'll see how many
skills you already have that can be translated and correlated to a project management
role.

Review: Embarking on a career in project management

And just like that, you're done with the first module. Congrats on hitting this
exciting milestone. You're one step closer to becoming a rockstar in project
management. Let's revisit the concepts we've learned so far. We started by discussing
how project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to
meet the project requirements and achieve the desired outcome. Then we learned that
project management is alive in nearly every industry and company. So you're working on
an incredibly useful and versatile certification. We also learned what a project is: A
unique endeavor and temporary pursuit, carefully planned out to achieve a particular
goal. Hopefully by now, you're familiar with the idea that every project has a defined
time frame, cost, scope, and dedicated resources. We've covered some broad concepts
and key terms that will help you become a successful project manager, and we've gone
over how to search for jobs when that time comes. We've also discussed how to
effectively translate your past experiences into talking points for why you'll be a
successful project manager. We talked about how you can transfer skills from your
previous job into your new project management role, and how that'll really set you
apart. Everything from juggling a to-do list to budgeting for a loved one's birthday party
demonstrates that you probably already have some of the skills to be a phenomenal
project manager. But no worries if you don't. We're starting from scratch here. By the
end of this course, you'll have the skills, but also the experience, and knowledge to find
the role you want. Whether that's contract work, internships, or general project
management positions, you'll be able to figure out what's the best fit for you. And as we
go forward, I want to encourage you to keep thinking about what kind of work you might
like to do in the future. And let's not forget the most exciting news we learned about
project management: just about everyone needs a project manager. This position's in
high demand, and that demand just keeps growing. Wow, okay. That's a lot of ground
we covered, and we've just barely scratched the surface. I hope you've enjoyed the
course so far because it's about to get even more fun. Coming up, we have your first
graded assignment, and I know you'll ace it. Remember, take your time and relax. Trust
yourself. You've got this. Don't forget, you can always review your notes and readings or
go back and rewatch some of the videos if you're unsure about an answer. Good luck,
and I'll see you again soon.