How Do I Become a Project Director?

A project director typically oversees all of the workers and tasks on a particular project. Projects can range from technology to real estate projects. The experience to become a project director may vary slightly according to the industry they work in, but there are also general criteria a project director should meet. In order to become a project director, you need some education, experience and typically have knowledge of each department that is involved in completing the project.

One of the primary characteristics you need to possess to become a project director is organizational skills. Since your job is to oversee all of the project managers and workers that are responsible for completing the project, you need to be able to track, organize and provide direction to everyone at any point during the completion of the project. If you are not naturally an organized person, then you may need to take a course to acquire organizational skills before pursuing any other educational degrees or certifications.

As far as education is concerned, to become a project director, requirements can vary from employer to employer. Some prefer that you have a degree, which may be in business or some related field. If you are going to be specializing in a particular industry, such as IT, then the employer may prefer that your degree is in the industry. Other companies will supplement experience for a college degree.

To become a projector director, you are generally supervising project managers that focus on various aspects of the project, while you are more big picture focused. To get your foot in the door of a company, you may have to start as a project manager that reports to a project director. Once you gain experience as a project manager and prove your skills and experience, then you can typically get a promotion to a project director in the same company or with another company.

Another way to become a project director is to find a project director mentor. This person can work with you professionally to help you acquire and refine the skills and experience you need to become a project director. You may also consider taking continuing education courses for your industry and for project management in general, which keeps you up-to-date on the latest technology that project managers and project directors are using for efficient and effective projects.