How to Start a Career in Project Management with no experience

How to Start a Career in Project Management (No Experience Necessary)

Published On:

May 1, 2025

How to Start a Career in Project Management with no experience

How to Start a Career in Project Management (No Experience Necessary)

So you want to become a project manager but you’re worried you don’t have the experience, certifications, or traditional career path? Here’s the truth: you don’t need to wait for permission to start your project management journey. You just need clarity, strategy, and a willingness to learn.

As someone who transitioned into the PM world from an unconventional background, I know firsthand how project management can change your life and how accessible it can be when you know the steps to take.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through how to start a PM career from scratch with or without experience.

Understand What Project Management Really Is

Project Management is the art and science of getting things done with people, on time, and within budget.

Think about it:

  • Planned an event?
  • Organized a family trip?
  • Launched a small business or side hustle?

That’s project management in action.

The core PM skill set includes:

  • Planning and scheduling
  • Budgeting and resource management
  • Team coordination and communication
  • Risk management and quality control

Your job is to turn ideas into outcomes.

Identify Your Transferable Skills

You already have PM skills. You just may not be labeling them that way.

Let’s say you’ve worked in retail, education, healthcare, or administration. Here’s how those skills translate:

Teacher or Trainer

Task management, planning, reporting

Admin Assistant

Calendar coordination, documentation

Customer Service Rep

Stakeholder communication, problem-solving

Retail Store Manager

Team leadership, scheduling, budgeting

Reflect on your work history and identify the projects you’ve led or supported. Create a simple portfolio of your achievements with clear results.

Learn the PM Basics (Without Breaking the Bank)

You don’t need a Master’s degree to learn Project Management. Start with free or low-cost resources such as:

Volunteer or Freelance for Experience

You don’t have to wait for a job title to act like a project manager.

Try these ideas:

  • Volunteer to plan community events or church projects
  • Offer to manage a campaign or product launch for a small business
  • Look for internships or PM assistant roles on sites like LinkedIn, Handshake, or AngelList

Pro Tip: Treat your volunteer or freelance work as a real project. Create documentation, keep track of progress, and build a portfolio of results.

Earn a Beginner-Friendly Certification

Here are two beginner certifications that are affordable and flexible:

Both will give you a solid foundation and show employers you’re serious about your craft.

Revamp Your Resume and LinkedIn

Highlight your project experience with strong, results-driven language:

  • Instead of: “Helped with event planning”
  • Say: “Led a cross-functional team to organize a fundraising event that raised $5,000”

Use keywords like:

  • Project coordination
  • Agile methodology
  • Risk management
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Scheduling tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)

Also, ask for LinkedIn endorsements and recommendations from past collaborators!

Start Applying with Confidence

You don’t need to meet 100% of the job description to apply. Many entry-level PM roles are titled:

  • Project Coordinator
  • Project Assistant
  • Operations Associate
  • Junior Project Manager

Customize your resume for each role. Use a cover letter to tell your story and how your background makes you a unique and valuable PM.

Project Management isn’t just a job it’s actually a mindset. It’s about bringing structure to chaos, leading with empathy, and creating impact. You already have what it takes you just need to package your skills, get visible, and stay committed to growth.

Let your career be the next project you manage to success!

PML would like to extend a huge thank you to Kee for sharing her knowledge and wisdom with the PML community!  

Learn more about her below and reach out to connect!

About the Author

Kee Jones – “Tech Innovator, Educator, and Advocate for Women in AI”

Kee Jones is a visionary leader dedicated to merging technology, education, and wellness to uplift underserved communities. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Black Girl Ai, the Co-Founder of Including Us in Tech, and the Founder/CEO of RESET. Through her initiatives, Kee is on a mission to create opportunities for Black and Brown communities, particularly for women and young girls aspiring to enter the technology sector.

At Black Girl Ai, Kee empowers and inspires young girls to become future leaders in artificial intelligence by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to thrive. She is passionate about bridging the gender and racial gap in AI, ensuring that Black girls have access to the latest innovations and tools in tech. Her work fosters creativity, critical thinking, and leadership preparing the next generation for a technology-driven future.

As the Co-Founder of Including Us in Tech, Kee extends her mission to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the technology industry. This initiative focuses on breaking systemic barriers that have historically excluded marginalized communities from tech careers. She actively collaborates with industry leaders, educators, and policymakers to advocate for more inclusive hiring practices and tech education programs.

Beyond technology, Kee is the Founder/CEO of RESET, a movement dedicated to helping women heal from trauma while embracing personal and professional transformation. By combining her tech expertise with a deep commitment to mental wellness, she provides women with tools and resources to reclaim their confidence, embrace self-love, and step into their purpose.

Kee’s professional background is as diverse as it is impactful. With 25 years of experience in healthcare, she has worked in various specialties, bringing excellence and innovation to the field. Her work in healthcare has shaped her passion for healthcare technology, where she explores the intersection of AI, data science, and patient care to improve medical outcomes for underserved populations.

Before transitioning fully into the tech industry, Kee spent 10 years in education, where she nurtured young minds and inspired lifelong learners. Her experience in education led her to create Visions Academy, an online tutoring and enrichment program that supports students in STEM, coding, and academic excellence. She remains committed to ethical AI practices in education, ensuring that technology serves as a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

Kee is also a dedicated philanthropist and community leader. She served as the past president of the Optimist Club in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where she worked to enhance the quality of life for children in the community. Her passion for service extends beyond organizational leadership she is also deeply involved in mentoring young professionals, providing guidance on career development, financial literacy, and personal growth.

Additionally, Kee is an emerging voice in AI ethics and responsible innovation, actively participating in discussions on the impact of artificial intelligence on marginalized communities. She believes in the importance of ensuring that AI is developed and implemented in ways that prioritize fairness, equity, and social responsibility.

As a tech entrepreneur, educator, and wellness advocate, Kee’s work continues to break barriers and redefine what’s possible for marginalized communities in the digital age. Whether through AI, education, healthcare tech, or community outreach, she remains dedicated to empowering others to thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

Reach out to Kee via her LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kee-jones-47088386/

Want to read more about this topic?

Check out PML’s post called: Breaking into Project Management: How to Find Your First, Entry-Level Project Manager Role

Interested in becoming a PML Contributor? 

Project Management Life (PML) is a volunteer team of 🔥passionate project managers🔥 who believe in the *power of this incredible profession* and we provide our knowledge, guidance, and support to all our project management colleagues within the PML Tribe.

If you’re interested in:
1️⃣ Growing your personal brand
2️⃣ Sharing your knowledge with your project management colleagues
3️⃣ Supporting the growth of the PML Community and growing our tribal knowledge together
…then we want to hear from you! It’s a win-win-win scenario!

YOU GET FULL CREDIT! We’ll celebrate your contributions, share your socials, etc. so you can grow your personal brand and build up your following as well! Plus you can collect PDUs for your volunteer and content creation hours!

Message us or send us an email at info@projectmanagementlife.org if you’re interested, and let us know! We can’t wait to hear from you!

Project Management Life

Who is Project Management Life (PML)?

Project Management Life (PML) is a team of passionate volunteer project managers who believe in the power of this incredible profession and provide our knowledge, guidance, and support to our colleagues.

We know that project managers are often the unsung heroes that drive innovation and progress, and bring calm to what might otherwise be chaos. We are the leaders behind the scenes that work tirelessly, and deserve to be celebrated for our incredible efforts in making the world a better place.

We founded PML on the idea that we can inspire each other with stories of success and valuable lessons learned, empower each other with career advice and resources to thrive both personally and professionally, and support each other to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance by focusing on our health and well-being.

By living our best project management life, we bring our best selves to our projects, our teams, and the world.

We truly believe that project managers change the world.

Join the PML Tribe

The PML Tribe is a growing online community of project managers supporting our fellow project managers. Whether you’re a new or experienced project manager, this is a place where we can connect, learn, celebrate, and support one another.

Membership is free, and you get access to a weekly, members-only newsletter that is jam-packed with exclusive and curated content about project management, career growth and personal branding, health and well-being, personal self-improvement, professional development, work-life balance, and more. We are also launching an invite-only community forum, an exclusive clothing brand just for us called PML Tribal Gear, various PML podcasts, health and wellness classes, and so much more.

Join us today, and don’t miss out!

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