I’m the New Project Manager

During my weekly meeting with our Project Manager, he mentioned my thoughts about being a Project Manager. I said, I would be glad to help him out. I may not have enough knowledge but I am very much willing to be trained. I just said that because I think that’s the best thing to say. I’ve been helping him for a few tasks in Project Management but I am really focused on handling the client engagement. The business is expanding, so I thought work load is piling up and we don’t have enough time to engage with new hires. The thought of helping my Project Manager is really something that I look forward to especially it’s really quiet in the Operations.

This week, when I met my Project Manager again, he said he has some good news for me. He spoke to our bosses and they all agreed to have me as their new Project Manager! (Oh that’s why I had a notification that the owner of our company reviewed my Linkedin page!) That’s really a good news! I was actually a little worried since Covid-19 hit all over the world and affects every businesses globally. I was worried that I might lose my job anytime soon! But the Lord is merciful, instead of losing my job, additional tasks were handed to me. More jobs, more income!

I felt anxious to be honest. I haven’t been a Project Manager all my life. With all these new software in front of me, all the jargons I’m hearing, I’m not really sure where to start and if I can meet their expectations. Work from home jobs aren’t similar with the regular jobs. We don’t have job training, if we do, it’s just a matter of hours. No trainers, just you observing all the things that are available in your resources. So what the heck a Project Manager does?

My Manager, heard me! Haha! He said don’t be anxious, don’t be scared if I didn’t know the technical side of it. I will learn all of them as I go through them. They have chosen me because they observed the passion in me. (Yes! Because I’m dead serious to keep this job for our family goals!) That if they throw something, I will spend hours checking on it and learn it myself. (Then we laugh about it!). He said, he had no experience in Project Management when he got hired in the company where we are working. It only seemed difficult but it’s not. (We’ll see..)

Then I asked if he’s leaving the company. He didn’t say any but he said, since lockdown appears to be everywhere, his day job requires the most of his time. So he needs someone to take over the position in our company so he can focus on his day job. But he assured me that he will always be there to help me out if I need him.

He works for Uniliver full time and works part time in our company. I’m not sure if I can be as good as him as a Project Manager. He has a thing in words and he is really organize. I can’t imagine our weekly meetings without him. And I can’t imagine myself yet, driving the weekly meetings and monthly updates.

So far, we have 3 meetings in a week. After one month of preparing me for the job, I will be the one to drive those meetings and make sure that everyone is working whatever they have on their plates.

I guess, this will be a whole new chapter of my career so help me God. May the good Lord, provide me all the things that I need – knowledge, people, resources, strength and energy to be an effective Project Manager.