Things I never Knew About Project Management and Loved the Surprise

               My internship in project management that I had the privilege of perusing over this last summer was the best thing I have ever done for my professional career.  I got to see how much I really would love working as a leader of a small team to get projects completed while meeting all of the requirements of the client.  There was a lot that I had learned that I had no idea fell into the scope of being a project manager that made the job so much more appealing to me than I thought it would.
                I started my internship knowing about some of the broader aspects of being a project manager like being responsible for the entire project and working with a team.  According to Kendrick (2014), that is just the beginning of the basic job description of a project manager.  Personality types, education, having enough technical knowledge to help keep communication channels open, and attention to detail are very important to being successful in the field (para. 1-16).  These skills I already knew about; it’s the attributes I didn’t know about that make this job so great in my eyes.
                It wasn’t until I finished my internship that I got to see that I had no idea what goes into project management or some of the details of the job description.  Myers (2012) helped me realize some interesting perspectives about my experience this summer I never thought about.  Being a mini-CEO, always learning, never having a dull moment on the job, and being the guy who is seen as the savior of the company on occasion (para. 3-8) are just a few qualities of the job that I didn’t know about that left me happily surprised.
                Even with all of the unknowns, project management is the field that has my interest.  I love how the job is always changing and there are always things to keep me on my toes.  I also love how it can be training for bigger opportunities that may come my way.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds when I finish school and can begin my career.

References

Kendrick, T. (May 21, 2014), Do you have what it takes to be a project manager, American Management Association, retrieved from http://www.amanet.org/training/articles/Do-You-Have-What-It-Takes-to-be-a-Project-Manager.aspx

Myers, D. (April 1, 2012), 6 things to love about being a project manager, Wordpress, retrieved from http://dalemyers.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/6-things-to-love-about-being-a-project-manager/

Tips to Become a Better Professional Employee

Being a professional employee is always something that desired by employers.  They want workers who will best represent the company in such a way that makes it shines above all other businesses.  This, in turn, allows employers to return this level of respect to the employees that for them.  Of all of the traits that make up a professional employee, two stand out to me more than most.  The first one is punctuality and the second one is self-motivation.

                Punctuality is the first trait that I consider valuable to employers.  According to Ketchum (2014), punctuality is really important because it has a few subtle effects on the workplace.  I have applied his advice in my own professions and I found that when employees are on time, it helps maintain a positive environment for meetings, shows professionalism, and makes for a better workplace productivity and atmosphere.  On the other side, lateness can cause stress in the workplace and also poor performance among the employees (para. 1-5). Being punctual also makes the second trait easier to maintain which is good self-motivation in the workplace.

                Self-motivation is the second trait to make sure that employers can see.  This shows you can handle tasks without needing supervision, something that has helped me in my career path.  This is especially helpful when I have multiple projects you have to get done at the same time.  Chakravarty (2012) gave some good tips on improving and maintaining the discipline needed to handle motivation.  A few of those are discovering/rediscovering your interests, working on yourself, keeping good company, and showing accountability (para. 2-4, 6).

                By being punctual and showing you have self-motivation, you can show your employer that you care about your work and that you are a professional employee.  These two traits have an effect on everything else you do at work. By maintaining these, you will be on the path to having a great career.

References

Chakravarty, D. (December 2012), Be Your Own Master, Business Today, Retrieved from http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/tips-motivate-yourself-excel-in-office-workplace/1/190056.html

Ketchum, D. (Copyright 2014), Why is Punctuality Important in the Workplace, Houston Chronicle, Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/punctuality-important-workplace-10253.html