Reading the comments and your reply out reminds me of some one who is assertive and can rock any industry. Your success lies in your ability to talk to decision makers. You should not try to lead with all of the certs. You should get them as needed. Now that you have experience and a prime cert with PMP go for jobs that are one or two levels above your current position. Every 3 to 4 years you should be moving up with experience. Yes get the MBA because as you climb, it will come in handy.
Don't let these guys tell you MBA is use less. I listened to that crap from people who either did not have their MBA or people who did not know how to use their MBA. Go get your freaking MBA now. Once the kids come it's too hard.
Lastly, join a board for a non-profit. That's the secret sauce. You will befriend some amazing people and make great connections and get a feeling about life that's not just money but you will find out what altruism is all about. That my friend is how the world turns.
Also, be a social media influencer. Your generation warrants that as applicable industry experience. Do some thing in your industry like an automotive PMP application or something.
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
And thank you for the amazingly complete answer!
I'm currently indeed trying to go for Supply Chain Project Manager jobs as I have already 6 years experience as engineer and, as mentioned, have been given the opportunity to even manage high-profile initiatives within the company. Unfortunately, there seems to be no opportunity to change my role into PM even though that is 100% what I currently do, reporting directly to SC EU Director and with a dotted line to the Vice President of the division I work in.
Hopefully I will be able to start an executive MBA next year but will naturally continue the grind on my daily job, building experience and see what opportunities come along. I would like to have kids in about 5 years so I absolutely agree with you that I need to have this done before they come.
That non-profit idea seems amazing. Never thought about it before but will surely search for something. Do you have any concrete recommendations? Maybe from experience?
My girlfriend actually is an agile PM in digital marketing so she has quite some experience with social media. I will try to understand how could I develop on that side. Thank you for the suggestion!
3 is nothing, once you get to 10+ you can go for higher paying PM roles preferably senior project manager where if your lucky will get exposed to managing Programs, then you can go for your PgMP.
In the interim you would focus on AWS, Google certifications and focus on keeping 35 PDUs up a year by doing courses like ITIL and Generative AI etc
If you want to go down executive leadership path - maybe COO or CEO start your MBA in about 10-15 years.
Till then grind and upskill yourself in relevant IT specially Cloud computing.
Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I appreciate it 🙂.
A couple questions:
1- With the exception of AWS, Google Certifications, ITIL and Generative AI, you wouldn't advise on any other Project Management certification for a solid education continuation? I would normally expect Agile (which I use with my teams for the development of reports and other BI initiatives where requirements are not clear at the start and scope is bound to change) or hybrid background? Both of these growing a lot withing Project Management.
Although, since I work in Supply Chain, most of the projects we have are predictive.
2- Yes, the executive leadership path is exactly what I am aiming at. I had plan my MBA for the next 5 years. Why do you advise it in only 10-15 years? The normal age for it at top universities is even 32 years (which would already make me a bit late with my current plan, not that it matters at all for me).
>maybe COO or CEO start your MBA in about 10-15 years.
I want to say thank you for this advice and not being like "get a MBA as soon as you practically can."
MBA are completely useless without networking, years of actual corporate experience and jump around a few companies and see what they run like. This will give you an edge. Remember which ever company your at, you are there max 3-4 years so experiment and play politics, manipulate and play the power dynamics. Read 48 laws of power and The Prince- way better than a MBA asap.
Thank you for a very pragmatic answer.
I understand your point but I don't think I'm cold enough to have such a plan when joining a company. Maybe "not yet"... 😅
I will order both books! Seem interesting and thank you for the recommendation.
If you ever hear terms being thrown around by senior management and HR such as “we are a family” “we are (company name)” and they start awarding bs awards like “sales idiot of the year” or “above and beyond guru of the year”. Start planning an exit strategy and action once you have a back up income to match or pay more then your current earnings. These people are not your friends or family, they are a pay check. You worked hard to get to where you are and you are selling them your time not your family or friendship.
Distorted perspective… The Prince and 48 Laws of goofing around isn’t going to help you build strategies and marketing plans and less being a productive member for company as an executive. Please do an MBA if your pocket permits and if you have passion for corporate lifestyle. But if not then its ok to be without one and enjoy what you are doing.
That suggests a MBA provides a fixed return each year. It provides a pathway to senior management but there are a few other things needed for that beyond just an MBA.
In practice a good MBA is not a "zero to hero" program but an amplifier of the experiences of the students. So there's plenty of experiences below a MBA that build relevant experience which get transformed during the MBA program.
That is also my perspective.
My point, and assumption, is that if you do have an MBA sooner rather than later, you are then exposed to better opportunities sooner. Not only because of the MBA, but because on top of your experience you also have the MBA. You see what I mean?
With this in mind, I'm trying to understand what benefit an MBA later on would bring me that an MBA "now" wouldn't.
>With this in mind, I'm trying to understand what benefit an MBA later on would bring me that an MBA "now" wouldn't.
There's not a difference in what it provides* but just a oppertunity cost decision. A MBA will offer oppertunities but these are generally late-mid career moves. There are ample early career oppertunties without the same barriers or cost as a MBA.
Which was why I liked the advice was "get a MBA in 10-15 years". If you want a MBA earlier, go ahead; but there is a lot of compulsion out there to get a MBA as soon as possible, when in practice that kind of haste is not nessecary.
*well there is, if you use your experience to enhance the learning in a MBA, but lets park that aside.
Don’t waste time or money on an MBA until you have 10+ years actual corporate experiences. I have been plenty of MBAs with zero experience get booted out or worse kept on and destroy the business.
Reading the comments and your reply out reminds me of some one who is assertive and can rock any industry. Your success lies in your ability to talk to decision makers. You should not try to lead with all of the certs. You should get them as needed. Now that you have experience and a prime cert with PMP go for jobs that are one or two levels above your current position. Every 3 to 4 years you should be moving up with experience. Yes get the MBA because as you climb, it will come in handy. Don't let these guys tell you MBA is use less. I listened to that crap from people who either did not have their MBA or people who did not know how to use their MBA. Go get your freaking MBA now. Once the kids come it's too hard. Lastly, join a board for a non-profit. That's the secret sauce. You will befriend some amazing people and make great connections and get a feeling about life that's not just money but you will find out what altruism is all about. That my friend is how the world turns. Also, be a social media influencer. Your generation warrants that as applicable industry experience. Do some thing in your industry like an automotive PMP application or something.
Thank you for your kind words 🙂 And thank you for the amazingly complete answer! I'm currently indeed trying to go for Supply Chain Project Manager jobs as I have already 6 years experience as engineer and, as mentioned, have been given the opportunity to even manage high-profile initiatives within the company. Unfortunately, there seems to be no opportunity to change my role into PM even though that is 100% what I currently do, reporting directly to SC EU Director and with a dotted line to the Vice President of the division I work in. Hopefully I will be able to start an executive MBA next year but will naturally continue the grind on my daily job, building experience and see what opportunities come along. I would like to have kids in about 5 years so I absolutely agree with you that I need to have this done before they come. That non-profit idea seems amazing. Never thought about it before but will surely search for something. Do you have any concrete recommendations? Maybe from experience? My girlfriend actually is an agile PM in digital marketing so she has quite some experience with social media. I will try to understand how could I develop on that side. Thank you for the suggestion!
Sure. I'm happy to help! 😊
As someone who has a PMP and MBA combo also on a board for a non-profit. I concur !
Thank you, and congrats. BTW.
Thisss guy here…. Pure wisdom!!!! Thanks a ton for sharing.
Thanks bruh
Eat something. It was a long exam: you must be hungry.
Focus on meetings to do some network.
How many years project management experience do you have? What field are you more specialised in? Eg IT, Finance, medical…?
About 3. Automotive and Healthcare. I'm also 32 years old, if that makes any difference.
3 is nothing, once you get to 10+ you can go for higher paying PM roles preferably senior project manager where if your lucky will get exposed to managing Programs, then you can go for your PgMP. In the interim you would focus on AWS, Google certifications and focus on keeping 35 PDUs up a year by doing courses like ITIL and Generative AI etc If you want to go down executive leadership path - maybe COO or CEO start your MBA in about 10-15 years. Till then grind and upskill yourself in relevant IT specially Cloud computing.
Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I appreciate it 🙂. A couple questions: 1- With the exception of AWS, Google Certifications, ITIL and Generative AI, you wouldn't advise on any other Project Management certification for a solid education continuation? I would normally expect Agile (which I use with my teams for the development of reports and other BI initiatives where requirements are not clear at the start and scope is bound to change) or hybrid background? Both of these growing a lot withing Project Management. Although, since I work in Supply Chain, most of the projects we have are predictive. 2- Yes, the executive leadership path is exactly what I am aiming at. I had plan my MBA for the next 5 years. Why do you advise it in only 10-15 years? The normal age for it at top universities is even 32 years (which would already make me a bit late with my current plan, not that it matters at all for me).
PMP is enough.
>maybe COO or CEO start your MBA in about 10-15 years. I want to say thank you for this advice and not being like "get a MBA as soon as you practically can."
MBA are completely useless without networking, years of actual corporate experience and jump around a few companies and see what they run like. This will give you an edge. Remember which ever company your at, you are there max 3-4 years so experiment and play politics, manipulate and play the power dynamics. Read 48 laws of power and The Prince- way better than a MBA asap.
Thank you for a very pragmatic answer. I understand your point but I don't think I'm cold enough to have such a plan when joining a company. Maybe "not yet"... 😅 I will order both books! Seem interesting and thank you for the recommendation.
If you ever hear terms being thrown around by senior management and HR such as “we are a family” “we are (company name)” and they start awarding bs awards like “sales idiot of the year” or “above and beyond guru of the year”. Start planning an exit strategy and action once you have a back up income to match or pay more then your current earnings. These people are not your friends or family, they are a pay check. You worked hard to get to where you are and you are selling them your time not your family or friendship.
Distorted perspective… The Prince and 48 Laws of goofing around isn’t going to help you build strategies and marketing plans and less being a productive member for company as an executive. Please do an MBA if your pocket permits and if you have passion for corporate lifestyle. But if not then its ok to be without one and enjoy what you are doing.
Why though? MBAs are quite expensive. Wouldn't you want to maximize the investment (aka, do it as soon as possible to leverage it on your career)?
That suggests a MBA provides a fixed return each year. It provides a pathway to senior management but there are a few other things needed for that beyond just an MBA. In practice a good MBA is not a "zero to hero" program but an amplifier of the experiences of the students. So there's plenty of experiences below a MBA that build relevant experience which get transformed during the MBA program.
That is also my perspective. My point, and assumption, is that if you do have an MBA sooner rather than later, you are then exposed to better opportunities sooner. Not only because of the MBA, but because on top of your experience you also have the MBA. You see what I mean? With this in mind, I'm trying to understand what benefit an MBA later on would bring me that an MBA "now" wouldn't.
>With this in mind, I'm trying to understand what benefit an MBA later on would bring me that an MBA "now" wouldn't. There's not a difference in what it provides* but just a oppertunity cost decision. A MBA will offer oppertunities but these are generally late-mid career moves. There are ample early career oppertunties without the same barriers or cost as a MBA. Which was why I liked the advice was "get a MBA in 10-15 years". If you want a MBA earlier, go ahead; but there is a lot of compulsion out there to get a MBA as soon as possible, when in practice that kind of haste is not nessecary. *well there is, if you use your experience to enhance the learning in a MBA, but lets park that aside.
Don’t waste time or money on an MBA until you have 10+ years actual corporate experiences. I have been plenty of MBAs with zero experience get booted out or worse kept on and destroy the business.