Careers in Project Management

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Looking for an entry level job or internship in project management? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

It was typical for my middle school to hold an end-of-year science fair complete with erupting volcanoes, homemade rockets (attempts anyway), and many more exciting exhibits. This is probably where many of you encountered project management for the first time. In order to get the smiling sticker and the 100% grade you wanted, you had to develop an idea and see it through to execution. You likely decided on a timeline and a budget, communicated with your classmates and your teacher, and created a process to make your project happen by the due date. So if you rocked your school’s science fair, you should think about being a Project Manager!

Project Management Entry Level Jobs and Internships

Photo Credit: Flickr user Robert Couse-Baker

Project Management Career Guide Overview

  1. What a Project Manager Does
  2. Salary and Career Progression for a Project Manager
  3. Best Locations for Project Management
  4. Pros and Cons: Being a Project Manager
  5. What You Need to Know for a Career in Project Management
  6. Project Management Resources
  7. Careers Related to Project Management
  8. Companies with Jobs and Internships in Project Management

What a Project Manager Does

The typical day for a project manager is dominated by communication. That means interacting with whichever parties are most involved with the current stage of the project. While these communications will likely take place in person, over the phone, or through e-mail, project managers also rely heavily on project management software tools like MS Project or Basecamp and tracking systems like Dotproject. There are many industry-specific project management software packages, so what you use will depend on the field that you’re working in.

Project managers also spend a lot of time interacting with the end customer. Depending on the type of project it could be an internal or external customer. This relationship is essential, as it lets the project manager know if the goals that he or she has set for other stakeholders are in line with the customer’s expectations. Without this feedback loop, projects can end up losing focus or missing the mark.

Salary and Career Progression in Project Management

A project manager typically makes between $50,000-$129,000 per year. And the sky is the limit from there! You can move on up to Senior Project Manager ($79,000-$153,000), Information Technology Manager ($41,000-$124,000) or Program Manager ($70,000-$154,000).

Best Locations for Project Management Careers

These hot spots have the highest salaries for project managers:

  • McLean, VA
  • Fairfax, VA
  • Palo Alto, CA
  • Alexandria, VA
  • San Jose, CA
  • Princeton, NJ
  • Washington, DC
  • Stamford, CT
  • Arlington, VA

As you can see by the locations above, there seems to be a strong tie between project management jobs and the government.

Pros and Cons: Project Management

Pros
  • You’re always learning something new
  • You work with a lot of different people
  • You can easily see the efforts of your work
Cons
  • You have to work with many people’s opinions
  • Long hours and stressful
  • You need to pay attention to details

What You Need to Know for a Career in Project Management

Many project managers have college degrees with a focus on business or computer science. Building on that, to be a project manager there are a few skills you should develop: organization, attention to details, ability to multi-task, and a mindset of growth. Additionally, in most cases a project manager should also have Project Management Training, such as a certification through the Project Management Institute.

Project Management Resources

If project management still sounds like your cup of tea, here are a few things you should do to get started.

Required Reading

Key Folks to Follow on Twitter

Blogs and Websites

Networking Opportunities

Careers Related to Project Management

Displaying 1-10 of 566 results.
Project Manager
BCS LLC Ashburn, VA
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Project Manager II
Lumos Networks Ashburn, VA
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Project Manager (REMOTE)
Kadiak, LLC Arlington, VA
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Project Manager III
Hunter Strategy Ashburn, VA
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Project Manager
KBR Chantilly, VA
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Project Coordinator
Horizon Global Partners Reston, VA
View
Project Manager
10Pearls Vienna, VA
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Project Manager
Performance Contracting Ashburn, VA
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Project Manager
HDR Ashburn, VA
View
Project Manager
General Dynamics Arlington, VA
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Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Project Management

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Cater2.me - Cater2.me is a San Francisco, CA based company that “was founded with the goal of connecting inspired kitchens with the masses.”

See the complete Cater2.me profile


Quarasan Logo

Quarasan - Quarasan is a Chicago, IL based “full service conceptual developer of content for publishers of educational materials and products.”

See the complete Quarasan profile


WONGDOODY Logo

WONGDOODY - WONGDOODY is based in Seattle, WA and “is the most awarded independent advertising agency on the West Coast.”

See the complete WONGDOODY profile


Ahalogy Logo

Ahalogy - Ahalogy is a Cincinnati, OH based company that is “pioneering the science of discovery on Pinterest.”

See the complete Ahalogy profile


Invoca Logo

Invoca - Invoca is a Santa Barbara, CA based company whose "marketing tools empower you to generate better leads, higher conversions, smarter spends and greater revenue.”

See the complete Invoca profile


Sonos Logo

Sonos - Sonos is a Santa Barbara, CA and Cambridge, MA based company that set out in 2002 “to reinvent home audio for the digital age.”

See the complete Sonos profile


ShopHQ Logo

ShopHQ - ShopHQ, based in Eden Prairie, MN, creates “the ultimate interactive shopping experience by uniting live TV, online and mobile shopping opportunities with social media engagement."

See the complete ShopHQ profile


National Alliance to End Homelessness Logo

National Alliance to End Homelessness - The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a Washington, DC based non-profit that, as its name indicates, is working to end homelessness.

See the complete National Alliance to End Homelessness profile


VerbalizeIt Logo

VerbalizeIt - VerbalizeIt is a New York, NY based startup that “enables better universal communication for businesses and individuals.”

See the complete VerbalizeIt profile


Full Frame Initiative Logo

Full Frame Initiative - Full Frame Initiative is a Greenfield, MA based non-profit that ensures that helps “people and communities experiencing poverty, violence and trauma."

See the complete Full Frame Initiative profile


Hudl Logo

Hudl - Hudl is a Lincoln, NE based company that has developed a platform to “help coaches and athletes win with video.”

See the complete Hudl profile


BLITZ Agency Logo

BLITZ Agency - BLITZ is a Santa Monica, CA based agency that makes “brands Favorites by building digital ecosystems that result in durable connections between brands and consumers.”

See the complete BLITZ Agency profile


The Culinary Edge Logo

The Culinary Edge - The Culinary Edge is a San Francisco, CA based consulting firm that helps restaurants strengthen their brands, extend their reach, and increase their profitability.

See the complete The Culinary Edge profile


Sermo Logo

Sermo - Sermo is a Boston, MA based company that “created the largest online community, exclusive to physicians." It currently reaches more than 125,000 doctors.

See the complete Sermo profile


GSN Logo

GSN - GSN “is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment" on tv and online.

See the complete GSN profile


btrax Logo

btrax - btrax is a San Francisco, CA based “cross-cultural consulting, branding and marketing agency focused on the US and Asian markets.”

See the complete btrax profile


C. Wonder Logo

C. Wonder - NYC based C. Wonder offers "clothing, accessories and home decor products of outstanding quality and astonishing value in a setting that excites and inspires.”

See the complete C. Wonder profile


YaSabe - YaSabe is a Herndon, VA based company that is "committed to connecting businesses, Latino culture, and community."

See the complete YaSabe profile


G2 Logo

G2 - G2 is a marketing communications agency that helps its clients sell more. They have offices in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

See the complete G2 profile


Smart Design Logo

Smart Design - Smart Design is “an award-winning design and innovation consulting firm with offices in New York, San Francisco and Barcelona.”

See the complete Smart Design profile


American Student Assistance Logo

American Student Assistance - American Student Assistance is a Boston, MA based non-profit that empowers "students and alumni to successfully manage and repay their college loan debt.”

See the complete American Student Assistance profile


Everlane Logo

Everlane - Everlane is a LA and SF based “luxury clothing design and manufacturing company” that “aims to provide low-cost, high-quality goods by cutting out middlemen.”

See the complete Everlane profile


Mullen Logo

Mullen - Mullen is a Boston, MA based agency that is “on a mission to work with the world’s most innovative marketers.”

See the complete Mullen profile


Transperfect Logo

TransPerfect - TransPerfect is a New York, NY based company with 70 offices across 5 continents that provides “a full range of language and business services."

See the complete TransPerfect profile


LION Logo

LION - LION is a Dayton, OH based company that designs, manufactures, and markets products “to ensure the health, safety and performance of first responders."

See the complete LION profile


EnerNOC Logo

EnerNOC - EnerNOC is a Boston, MA based company that wants “to make energy management as integral as accounting to the operation of every organization.”

See the complete EnerNOC profile


Qualvu Logo

Qualvu - Qualvu is a Lakewood, CO based company that has developed an online platform that makes the focus group way more flexible, powerful, and affordable.

See the complete Qualvu profile


Spindle Logo

Spindle - Spindle is a Boston, MA based company that is building “the discovery engine for the social web.”

See the complete Spindle profile


The Nerdery Logo

The Nerdery - The Nerdery is a Bloomington, MN based company that partners “with creative minds and big thinkers to engineer and build award-winning interactive projects.”

See the complete The Nerdery profile


Silver Chalice Logo

Silver Chalice - Silver Chalice is a Chicago, IL based company that “builds and operates a fast-growing portfolio of digital media businesses in sports and entertainment.”

See the complete Silver Chalice profile


Situation Interactive Logo

Situation Interactive - Situation Interactive is a New York, NY based agency focused on creating amazing experiences for amazing brands.

See the complete Situation Interactive profile


Jellyvision Logo

Jellyvision - Jellyvision is a Chicago, IL based company that excels at communicating about complex subjects through interactive software.

See the complete Jellyvision profile


The J.M. Smucker Company Logo

The J.M. Smucker Company - The J.M. Smucker Company is based in Orrville, OH, and they market and manufacture all kinds of food products in addition to their fruit preserves.

See the complete The J.M. Smucker Company profile


Doner Logo

Doner - Doner is a Southfield, MI based ad agency that provides brands with “constant energy, unwavering vigilance and a devoted belief in staying fresh.”

See the complete Doner profile


Sanky Communications Logo

Sanky Communications - Sanky Communications is a New York, NY based company that “has launched successful marketing programs for more than 100 nonprofit organizations.”

See the complete Sanky Communications profile


ByAllAccounts Logo

ByAllAccounts - ByAllAccounts is a Woburn, MA company that offers a technology solution that aggregates “account data from virtually any online financial source.”

See the complete ByAllAccounts profile


Dailymotion Logo

Dailymotion - Dailymotion is a Paris and NYC based video sharing site that reaches “over 110 million unique monthly visitors” with high quality content.

See the complete Dailymotion profile


JESS3 Logo

JESS3 - JESS3is a Los Angeles, CA based “creative interactive agency that specializes in the art of data visualization

See the complete JESS3 profile


Wireless Generation Logo

Wireless Generation - Wireless Generation is a Brooklyn, NY based company that is at the forefront of education technology, and they have a ton of job opportunities.

See the complete Wireless Generation profile


Exploratorium Logo

Exploratorium - The Exploratorium is a San Francisco, CA museum that focuses on art, science, and human perception, and they have some great job opportunities.

See the complete Exploratorium profile


Forbes Logo

Forbes - Forbes has some great opportunities for new grads, so check them out and get started on making that billionaires list.

See the complete Forbes profile


Pop Labs Logo

Pop Labs - Pop Labs is an interactive marketing agency in Houston, TX that has a history of getting results, and they're hiring.

See the complete Pop Labs profile


GNC Logo

GNC - If there’s a name that you think of when you think of nutrition and supplements, it has to be GNC, based in Pittsburgh, PA.

See the complete GNC profile


The World Economic Forum Logo

World Economic Forum - The World Economic Forum is an international non-profit that builds dialogue on the world's most pressing issues, and they're hiring.

See the complete World Economic Forum profile


OpenSky Logo

OpenSky - OpenSky is a New York City based company that curates product recommendations based on recommendations from topic experts, and they're hiring.

See the complete OpenSky profile


The Marketing Arm Logo

The Marketing Arm - The Marketing Arm is a Dallas, TX based marketing agency that focuses on building brand experiences through promotions, and they're hiring.

See the complete The Marketing Arm profile


Internet Brands Logo

Internet Brands - Internet Brands is based in El Segundo, CA and they manage web properties in a variety of verticals. They're hiring for a ton of jobs right now.

See the complete Internet Brands profile


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mcgarrybowen - mcgarrybowen is based in Chicago and New York, and they were just named Agency of the Year by AdAge. Sounds like a good place to land a job.

See the complete mcgarrybowen profile


Underground Elephant Logo

Underground Elephant - Underground Elephant is a San Diego, CA based performance marketing company that has phenomenal job opportunities for new and recent grads.

See the complete Underground Elephant profile


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Mothers Against Drunk Driving - Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization dedicated to stopping drunk driving and saving lives, and they're hiring.

See the complete Mothers Against Drunk Driving profile


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