What Counts as Project Management Experience and How to Get It: 2024 Edition

If you've at any point gone after a project management job or investigated getting a project management certification, you've likely looked into getting “project management experience.” 

However, for a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, PMI needs you to show 4,500 hours of experience managing and coordinating projects. And furthermore, for the Certified Associate in Project Management degree (CAPM), you need 1,500 hours of experience or 23 hours of relevant academic education. 

Both certifications aim to ensure that candidates have sufficient hands-on experience to effectively manage projects in real-world settings.

But while project management experience is a prerequisite for many jobs, you might be considering what qualifies as project management experience — and how you can approach getting it.

Essentially, project management experience refers to the time you’ve spent leading or contributing to projects. Both certifications require applicants to have logged a substantial number of hours managing or participating in projects. 

But these hours don’t necessarily have to come from a traditional project management role. They can be gathered from various positions, provided you are performing key project management tasks.

Interested in pursuing project management certification? Enroll in our PMP certification training to get the guidance you need to log your project management experience and pass the exam with confidence.

In this blog, we'll explore what constitutes project management experience, how it contributes to certification requirements, and actionable ways to gain this experience even if you're new to the field.

What Qualifies as a Project Management Experience?

Project management experience includes tasks such as initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing projects, where you manage teams, allocate resources, and ensure project goals are met. These experiences can come from formal roles or even informal responsibilities like leading internal initiatives, volunteer projects, or cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities in Project Management

Project management helps ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and according to their objectives. A successful project manager is responsible for overseeing various aspects of a project, ensuring that all moving parts work together seamlessly.

Below are key responsibilities that project managers handle throughout the project lifecycle:

• 1. Initiation: Determining whether the project is feasible, introducing it to key stakeholders, and defining its scope and objectives.
• 2. Planning: Creating a comprehensive plan that outlines the project scope, timeline, resources, and budget to guide the project from start to finish.
• 3. Leading: Managing the project team by fostering effective communication, providing direction, and ensuring team members stay aligned with the project’s goals.
• 4. Execution: Supervising and participating in the hands-on work required to complete the project, ensuring that all tasks are carried out according to the plan.
• 5. Time Management: Keeping projects on schedule by anticipating delays, addressing challenges promptly, and adjusting plans as necessary.
• 6. Budget Management: Developing and maintaining the project budget, reallocating resources, and controlling expenditures to stay within financial constraints.
• 7. Documentation: Utilizing project management tools to track progress, produce reports, and maintain data records, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• 8. Monitoring and Controlling: Continuously tracking project performance, assessing progress, and making any necessary adjustments to keep the project aligned with its goals.
• 9. Maintenance: Providing ongoing support after project completion to ensure the sustainability of project deliverables through troubleshooting and updates.
• 10. Closing: Finalizing all project activities, ensuring deliverables meet expectations, and obtaining client or stakeholder approval to officially close the project.

Project managers must be adaptable, organized, and proactive in handling these responsibilities. By mastering these key areas, they can help deliver projects successfully, meeting both business goals and stakeholder expectations.

What Are Activities That Count as Project Management Experience? 

Activities such as planning project timelines, managing resources, and overseeing project execution all count as valid project management experience, even if you're not officially titled as a project manager. Contributing to tasks like budget management, leading teams, or handling project documentation also qualifies as project management experience.

Basically, any involvement in coordinating and completing project-related tasks can help you log valuable hours toward certification requirements.

Breaking Down Project Management Experience for Certification

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The PMP certification is hands down one of the most essential certifications required to become a professional project manager. Nowhere in the professional world will you be recognized without this certification. If you get this certificate, you will be accepted and acknowledged by the Project Management Institute. Your career will go uphill from this point onward.

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Gaining project management experience is essential for qualifying for certifications like PMP or CAPM, but understanding how to break down and document this experience is crucial. By categorizing your responsibilities across key project phases, you can accurately log the hours needed for certification and demonstrate your project management skills effectively.

Experience Categories for PMP Certification

To qualify for PMP certification, it's important to demonstrate experience across all phases of project management. The PMP recognizes various categories of experience, ensuring that project managers have a well-rounded skill set that covers every stage of a project’s lifecycle. 

The key categories of experience required for PMP certification (referenced above):

• Initiation
• Planning
• Execution
• Monitoring and Controlling
• Closing

By gaining experience in these categories, project managers can confidently demonstrate their ability to handle all aspects of a project. Mastering each phase is essential for obtaining PMP certification and succeeding in the field.

How to Gain Project Management Experience

Gaining project management experience is essential for building your career and qualifying for certifications like PMP or CAPM. Whether you're just starting out or transitioning from another field, there are several ways to acquire valuable project management experience through formal roles, volunteer work, or internal company projects.

Work Experience

Look for opportunities within your organization to assist with or join ongoing projects. Volunteering for cross-departmental initiatives can help you develop relevant skills and build valuable experience. 

Participation in any phase of a project, whether it’s planning, execution, or monitoring, allows you to log hours that count toward project management certification requirements.

Volunteer Experience

Volunteering in leadership roles can provide valuable project management experience by allowing you to manage teams, coordinate resources, and oversee project outcomes. 

Activities like organizing community events, building websites, or setting up infrastructure such as Wi-Fi networks are excellent ways to gain hands-on experience. These projects not only help develop your management skills but also count toward the required hours for certifications like PMP or CAPM.

Side Projects

Taking on side projects or freelancing in project management is a great way to build experience outside of a traditional role. These opportunities allow you to manage key elements like budgets, timelines, and teams, providing practical, hands-on experience. 

Side projects also offer flexibility and the chance to develop your project management skills at your own pace while contributing to certification requirements.

Document Your Experience

It's important to document all hours spent on project management tasks, categorizing them into phases like planning, execution, and monitoring. 

Keeping detailed records of your contributions will make it easier when applying for certifications like PMP, where specific hours in each phase are required. 

Additionally, request references or endorsements from project leads or supervisors to validate your experience and strengthen your application. This helps ensure accuracy, but it also helps establish credibility when presenting your qualifications to certification bodies.

Experience Isn’t Just About Management

Experience in project management is not solely about leading an entire project from start to finish. Even if you haven’t held the formal title of "Project Manager," tasks like managing timelines, coordinating teams, overseeing budgets, or tracking project progress are all valuable and count toward certification requirements. 

Roles such as team leader, coordinator, or even individual contributor on projects provide opportunities to gain relevant experience in critical project phases like planning, execution, and monitoring. The key is to focus on the specific responsibilities you’ve taken on, demonstrating how your contributions helped guide the project toward its goals.

Every bit of experience in managing project resources, mitigating risks, or ensuring deliverables meet quality standards can be logged as project management experience for certifications like PMP or CAPM.

Character and Experience Matter

In project management, technical skills aren't enough to guarantee success. The ability to lead effectively, communicate clearly, and think strategically are qualities that set great project managers apart. 

Strong leadership and decision-making capabilities, combined with relevant project experience, help ensure projects stay on track and deliver value to stakeholders.

Leadership and Communication

Effective project management hinges on strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. A project manager must be able to guide their team, ensuring that everyone understands their roles and is motivated to achieve the project’s objectives. 

Communication is key—whether it's conveying the project’s vision to stakeholders, providing feedback to team members, or managing client expectations. 

Additionally, the ability to resolve conflicts and navigate challenges with a calm, solutions-oriented approach will greatly impact project success.

Strategic Thinking

Beyond day-to-day management, project managers must also be strategic thinkers.  They are responsible for aligning project goals with the organization's broader objectives while managing constraints like timelines, budgets, and resources.

This type of ideating requires foresight and adaptability, as project managers must anticipate risks, reallocate resources when necessary, and adjust strategies to meet evolving demands. 

A strategic mindset ensures that not only are tasks completed on time, but that they also drive long-term value and meet the project’s overarching goals.

Start Building Project Management Experience Today

To begin building your project management experience, seek opportunities within your current role, take on freelance projects, or volunteer in leadership positions. Make sure to document your experience in key areas such as planning, execution, and monitoring to meet certification requirements.

Complement your hands-on experience with a PMP certification course from QuickStart to enhance your skills and boost your qualifications. We’ll help you take the first step — or the next step — toward the project management role you know you deserve.