Eureka! I’m a Project Manager! It’s so rewarding when people find something that “clicks”, like project management did for me. I received an email recently with a great story and questions about project management. I find that the inspiration I get from responding to people individually leads to something I believe others can benefit from. It can be helpful if you’re trying to learn the PMI standard, and then get introduced to formal PM as an academic discipline. It’s not as effective in helping you get a job. Many people who are new to PM believe they must go for a certification immediately to get a job. Many training providers will take your money and sell you a certification that isn’t right for you. You should also know that PMs can use some of the same things you have in your past. Event planning is one. ?A cousin of mine works as an event planner in Denver. She didn’t know what she was doing until I had a cup of coffee with her. ?I was trying explain to her what I do, and we discovered that our products are mostly software and processes, while her products are events. It’s all the same at the core. ?I believe your charity work likely contained many of these elements… I volunteer for several organizations that work with families and children with special needs. These volunteer roles often consist of small projects ….. One of the ideas I have been thinking about is training non-profits on project management principles to improve their operations. Organizations of all sizes can benefit from project management. I can tell from your email that you are a great project manager. Project management is at its core about working with many people with different interests and goals, leading them to a common vision, and helping them achieve it. ?Project management is about people getting things done. I wanted to share some articles that I have written that might be of interest to you.