Subway station in New York, New York, USA

United States

The Outlook: The United States logged the worst economic contraction in its history during the second quarter of 2020, as non-farm payrolls—which account for 80 percent of workers in the economy—dropped by nearly 21 million in April. But by the end of the year, the data was hinting at hope: Hiring during October outpaced September by 15.5 percent, according to LinkedIn’s November Workforce Report. That’s still 5.8 percent lower than October 2019 but reason to celebrate for those on the job market.

But the road ahead for the U.S. job market is murky. “Without adequate fiscal stimulus and safety from the virus, employers and consumers will be unable to move forward, and so the recession will deepen,” says Erica Groshen, PhD, senior economic adviser, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA.

—Erica Groshen, PhD, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA

Job opportunities are hardest to find in industries such as recreation and travel (down 41 percent in October compared with the year prior, according to LinkedIn), the arts (down 32 percent), energy and mining (down 32 percent), legal (down 18 percent), hardware and networking (down 14 percent) and entertainment (down 13 percent).

“But as the pandemic persists, we’re beginning to see layoffs occur outside these industries,” says John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Expansion plans have widely been abandoned until companies can emerge from the fog of uncertainty and more clearly define the long-term structural changes that will occur as a result of the pandemic, Groshen says. Companies will hoard cash and delay investment in R&D and capital improvement projects until they can regain certainty around the competitive landscape and consumer behavior.

The Opportunity: Manufacturing, transportation and logistics, construction, retail and real estate have seen the biggest recovery in open positions since hitting lows in April 2020, according to LinkedIn. And while brick-and-mortar retail may be floundering, companies that sell goods and services are strengthening their online infrastructure and offerings in response to the mass shift in consumer behavior, says Challenger. Those organizations will need digital-savvy project talent to push forward.

Project activity—and a need for project managers—extends beyond those fields. When the pandemic first hit, industries that could transition to remote work—largely white-collar professional jobs—immediately implemented work-from-home policies that became long-term for many. By midyear, three-fourths of professional workers, including project managers, were still working remotely, says Challenger.

While CEOs in North America are the least likely to view low-density workplaces as a lasting change (as much as 20 percentage points less than CEOs in Latin America, for instance), nearly half believe the trend will be permanent, according to PwC. For this year, the abrupt but enduring acceptance of digital collaboration tools and remote work will continue, predicts McKinsey, which means a serious appetite for project leaders to effectively steer everything from the development of analytical tools to change initiatives around dispersed teams.

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United States:
Geotargeting

Location matters—not only in how many positions are available, but also what sectors they’re in. Of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, Rochester, New York won the top slot for job outlook, according to ManpowerGroup, with 29 percent of organizations signaling they intended to expand headcount in the last three months of 2020. At the other end of the list, Los Angeles, California; New Haven, Connecticut; and Miami, Florida all fell below zero for overall hiring intention. Here are the sectors with the sharpest seasonally adjusted uptick in hiring intention by U.S. region.

Wanted creative writers willing to share their expertise. 

Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP), PMP, CSM

Mary Ryan started volunteering in 2013 as a financial liason on the finance team while studing for her PMP.  Mary then served as an Associate Vice President and was appointed and later elected to the VP of Finance Role. Her journey continued and served as a VP of Professional Development and later as the Vice President of Virtual Locations which ended at the close of 2020. Mary is currently serving this year as an episodic volunteer. The director at large role is a non voting board position that can act as a mentor, guide and leader of special projects. This role is often used by past board leaders who want to continue giving back but allows the flexibility of scaling back volunteer hours or increasing hours to complete a project.

When I asked her what made her a successful volunteer, it was her skills obtained from running a business which provided the breadth of knowledge to make the projects successful. Mary stated that she is “most proud of her work done as VP of Finance to which helped to stabilize the chapter by using good business acumen and running the chapter as a business.”  

I received so many personal benefits by being involved in the chapter and there are so many positive things that come out of your giving back. Mary expressed, “you get back exponentially when you give your time. We have come so far in the last ten years for the next generation of the chapter. You are able to connect with people on a different level. It’s different types of engagement, professional, friend, teammate, leader and peer.”  Volunteers set goals together, support each other and by achieving goals together, you demonstrate caring for others and watching your peers grow in confidence. As a volunteer you practice servant leadership.

When I asked Mary what she is looking forward to it was the face to face in the future and continued engagement. It is fun to make the connections and friends over the years. It comes from giving back and caring for each other.

Successful project management requires collaborative leadership skills, clear communication, and courage to embrace constant change. I grew these skills in volunteering and helped the chapter evolve to support the next generation leader.

The world and the chapter are changing for the better. Life is a project, make the most of it.

Everyone’s path to project management is a different journey, each path is unique and correct for them. Whether you stumble into project management, specifically plan your career, or just morph into a professional as a lifelong leaner.

I would like to introduce you to Earl Matthews, a new chapter member and CAPM certificate holder and talk about his CAPM journey.   

Joining the AZ Department of Revenue, two-plus years ago made him introspective about his career goals. His skills journey began in the trades then moved into retail loss prevention without formal training or education. What he discovered is that you can apply learning and skills are transportable across industries. So, Earl Mathews explored his new industry, shadowed other project managers, earned his 6 Sigma Black Belt while working in the program office. Earl states that “it quickly became my passion and where he sees himself in his five-year growth plan with the state.” His passion was built by working with teams and people in the lean management system.

Earl Matthews project management path, started with an eLearning module on the PMI.org website to explore Project Management Basics. Earl completed his CAPM educational requirements pre COVID-19. He discovered Ken Roundtree, by attending a session at work, but needed a new path to certify when PMI Global canceled in-person exams last March.

A few months passed, delaying his CAPM certification, but COVID-19 may have poked a hole in his balloon, making him glide but he quickly found a new way for his balloon to soar and regain air. Earl Mathews joined the chapter and the fall 2020 PMP/CAPM study group. He passed within one week of the November study group completion.

His project study plan came together after 12 weeks of intense study, committing 4 to 5 nights a week to both weekly sessions and a study buddy and memorizing the ITTOs (processes, inputs, tools and techniques and outputs). Earl Matthews best advice is to not limit yourself to one type of learning source, so you can be well rounded. All learning sources help fill in the gaps so it will make sense.

What you might not realize is the CAPM certification exam is technical where the PMP certification exam is situational. Earl Matthews said, “the study group was the glue that brought it all together, how it was presented and the presenter. The attendees and dialog participation, with the multiple views of other PMPs situational experience brought it together.”

I could hear Ken Roundtree in my head during the exam, where no textbook would stick. I was the pig and committed to gaining the CAPM certification with only a high school diploma at the start of my journey. So, in the words of Earl Mathews, “your life and goals are just another project” so why not get started and find your critical path to success.