How to Land a Project Manager Job. I was inspired by a great discussion on LinkedIn about how to pursue a project manager role. It’s easy to forget that there are many paths to project management jobs. I have been on all of these paths in my career, and at different companies. There are many strategies to help you get to your dream job. Many people will discover that these roles are what they love to do. These roles are not just jobs. Business Analyst, Project Controls, Operations Management, and Business Analyst all have their own careers and knowledge. Start searching LinkedIn for “project management” and “project manager” along with the rest of the job titles. You can use what you find to make new searches. This is a great way to find interesting companies and interesting individuals. I invite you to join me if you are interested in learning more about project management. I invite you to comment on this post and add your thoughts to what I have missed or any questions. Let’s get started. Technical Lead/SME You come from a technical or subject-matter expert background. This means you have skills and experience in the craft work. These are common paths to project management. I believe that every project manager should have a basic understanding of the work being done by their team. While you can acquire this foundational knowledge through other methods, you will be more successful if you have the experience. This route to project management is possible in all organizations. Usually, you start with small- or medium-sized projects that you are familiar with the domain knowledge. It is common to volunteer to lead projects alongside your technical work. It may take many months before you have the opportunity to become a project manager. You don’t have to worry about it. Many of my promotions were the result of me doing that job for 3-12 months without any title changes or raises. It’s a sure-fire way to show management that you can do the job well and can do the job. Titles