A: I oversee all aspects of projects from start to finish - planning, budgeting, scheduling,
team management, problem solving, etc. I work with team members, stakeholders, and
clients daily.
Q: How long have you been doing this role for?
A: I've been a project manager for about 5 years now.
Q: How did you get to this point in your career?
A: I started out as a project coordinator and worked my way up after getting experience
and my PMP certification.
Q: When it comes to remuneration, what are your three B’s? (Base, Bonus, Benefits?)
A: My base salary is £75,000. I earn a 10% annual bonus and have health insurance, 25
days vacation, and a pension contribution as benefits.
Q: I’m not going to ask you who you work for, but, what industry is your company in?
A: I work for a large technology consulting firm that serves financial services clients.
Q: When it comes to work flexibility, is your work primarily office-based, fully remote, or a
mix of both? Which do you prefer? Does your company allow you to be flexible?
A: My work is a mix of office and remote - I'm in the office Mon-Weds for meetings,
Thurs-Fri remote. I like the flexibility.
Q: What does an average week or a typical day look like for you? Can you walk me
through your day? What time do you arrive and start at work, what are your main
tasks/responsibilities, who do you interact with, what meetings do you attend, etc.?
A: I start at 8am - grab tea, catch up on emails, 9am conference call. Morning is meeting
heavy. Afternoon I update plans, budget, touch base with team. Days are full and varied.
Q: What does a typical day look like when things are going well vs a more
challenging/stressful day?
A: Good days mean hitting targets smoothly. Bad days mean falling behind with lots of
fires to fight.
Q: What skills or knowledge are most important for your day-to-day work?
A: Key skills are organization, communication, leadership, budgeting, scheduling,
problem solving. Also good PM tools knowledge.
Q: What are some examples of recent accomplishments or contributions you've made in
this role?
A: I delivered a client portal under budget last year. And improved team productivity
15%.
Q: Do you have a supportive manager and do you feel valued?
A: My manager trusts me to deliver but is supportive when needed. I feel valued.
Q: How much time do you spend collaborating with colleagues vs working
independently?
A: It's a 60/40 split - independent vs. collaborative work. Both are crucial for PMs.
Q: Is there anything you wish you would have known before starting this role?
A: I wish I'd known how demanding the hours can be when deadlines hit. Work-life
balance is hard.
Q: What do you hate most about your role?
A: Too many status meetings and emails interfere with getting real work done.
Q: What do you love most about your role?
A: I love seeing a project through from start to finish and delivering on time. Very
rewarding.
Q: What’s the next role for you and when do you hope to achieve this?
A: In 2 years I hope to move into a Program Manager role overseeing multiple projects.
Q: Is your next role going to be with the same company or a different one?
A: I plan to progress within my current firm - good PM career options.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you could give to someone who aspires to reach your
position?
A: Get PMP certified. Develop resilience - PMs face daily challenges. Stay nimble and
organized.
Q: It’s Day 1 for someone in your role. What one piece of advice would you give them to
succeed?
A: Build relationships and get buy-in from your team and stakeholders early.
Having strong working relationships is crucial for project managers. Take time in those critical
first days and weeks to connect with the people you'll be working with - your team, clients,
executives. Understand what motivates them and what their expectations are. The more you
can get people bought into the project and trusting you from the start, the smoother it will run.
Project management is a people-focused job, so investing in those connections, communicating
clearly, and gaining influence is key. Don't skip straight to just assigning tasks on day one. Spend
time aligning the team and gaining their commitment.
That foundation will pay off in the long run with a more engaged, productive team and fewer
headaches down the road.
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