5) Many information technology project managers come from senior technical positions. What can you do to help them transition into a project management role?

The transition from a technical or developer role to a managerial role can be difficult to make, since the skill sets required for each role differ greatly.  However, there are numerous ways to ease the transition from a technical position to a project management position.

One way to get a head start is to find a mentor, someone who has worked in a project management position for a few of years.  A mentor can give advice and help you to avoid the pitfalls that can accompany a transition to a new job description.

Since being a project manager involves, coincidentally, managing people and personalities, it would be a good idea to spend time meeting with your team members and asking them for input on what their expectations are from a project manager.  It is important to build a bond of trust and confidence with your team members early on, and getting to know the people you are going to work with and manage is an important step on the path to success as a manager.

There are also many training programs offered by various institutions that can assist in learning the fundamentals of project management.  If you have at least 1500 hours of experience working as a team member or a team lead, you can take the Certified Associate in Project Management exam offered by the Project Management Institute.  This exam is tailored for entry-level project managers and is based on the Guide to the PMBOK, a publication by the PMI that contains the fundamental standards and practices used by those in the field of project management.