Technical / IT: Hands on to hands off?
 

For you technical folks out there...

I've got a broad IT background, including sysadmin, management, etc.

I'm considering a move to project management for IT, which is process-based, but not hands on.

Anyone made this transition? I think the PM path opens more opportunity, but wondering if I'll miss the day to day hands on stuff..

Thoughts?

Thanks!
-Brad

I've considered the same transition. I'm not a people person, and I think I'd be a crappy manager.

I imagine you'll still get to roll up your sleeves here and there... Just don't do it so much that you'll get in the way...

I made this same transition many years ago. Having a technical background will do you well in understanding exactly what needs to be done. But, it can often be very frustrating when you can't reach out and fix things. You need to rely on the people that are now your hands-on engineers.

One of he biggest changes that you will experience is that working in a PM role is a thankless job. You get all of the blame and none of the credit. This is completely different than being in the postion of a technical expert/troubleshooter that gets lauded with adulation when they fix something that is faulty/broken.

Is this a path to more opportunity? Yes, it can be. But you need to step up to take advantage of all of the opportunities that may be presented. Those in a PM role are often viewed as administrative dolts by higher-ups in organizations.

As a CM PM (yes, different industry then IT), but I have to agree with Paul Henry RE: "a PM job is a thankless role". BTDT & doing it. However, if you know what you've accomplished has/is/will contribute to the successful project (on time, at budget etc) and you aren't the type of person that solely survives off of the praise of others (most here aren't) then you will do well in your career change.

PM is tough, at least tougher then most people who aren't a PM recognize. Met a lot of great IT PMs at my UCLA PMP classes.

What about OaaS? (Outsourcing IT operations)
Know several senior operations IT guys who have been snatched up by new companies (disclosure: wifey works for one of the top firms as RSM) offering OaaS.

OaaS, which has been getting traction here in SiliconBeach seems to be more efficient and considerably less expensive then staffing (salary/benefits/HR etc) an IT dept.

Maybe a move to one of these OaaS firms would be worth looking into?
Just a thought.

Good Luck

Thanks for the replies. This PM position is starting from the ground up and will be driven by implementing the Agile/Scrum process, which is also used in development. The company has a great team of IT folks and should be easier than 'herding cats'. Interesting about the 'thankless' part. I've always seen a good PM as the glue which hold things together. However, I am a bit concerned having the responsibility without direct authority. I think I could play a mentor role as well to Jr. team members.

Interesting thought on the OaaS companies...

-B

It depends, i do both but what do you really like doing? i love keeping hands on but have no problems leading teams to deliver "things", it also depends on you....you have to be a leader and motivator to be a PM and a leader is not something you can really learn, it has to be bred into your personality.

My only recommendation is to picture the worst team you can think of to deliver something with, then figure out how you would motivate them, keep them in a long term driving project, and come out with everyone feeling they have been the biggest contributor to it's success. Then you are the droids they are looking for :)

Hearing Agile/Scrum mentioned makes me think buzzword city, which in my book is a bad thing. I hate buzzwords. If you want to go to a rapid release cycle, fine. But don't hide it behind this years set of buzzwords.

If you do go in this direction, I'd strongly recommend adopting the Unix philosophy behind programming - one program does one little job well. Lots of those, then some glue code. Need to replace a part? Replace that one part. Basically build yourself up a collection of programs that provide something like an API. I'd also recommend reading "The Cathedral and the Bazaar".

Depending on what your degree is in and what level, have you considered going into education?

25% of my job is getting stuff done, hands-on.

75% of my job is fighting process, so that I can get stuff done.

No way I will ever become a process cop. ;)

I am looking at project management for IT, not development. Would simply be applying Agile processes. It's not "buzzwords". It actually a very dynamic and effective process. I've been in IT/technology in some form or fashion for 23 years. No desire to teach. Just looking at another possible way to apply my skills.

And....unless you are using pen and paper, pretty much everything technology-related has some buzzword wrapped around it.....

I went from engineer to architect about eight years ago. I do miss the "hands on," and I jump at any opportunity to get some console time. But I'll never go back on an IT on-call rotation again.

I was a full time developer/architect from 2001-2007, then tech management 2007-2010, then slipped back into a partially hands on role 2010-2012 and now I'm a technical program manager. While I do miss the rolling up the sleeves aspect of dev work, there was never any question in my mind that I would not be a dev for the rest of my life and overall I am pleased where I have landed.

I still get to work with the devs all day long but as a collaborato... I no longer have to deal with keeping up to date on the latest languages and the headaches of source control and stuff like that. It helps that I work at a technology driven company where my role is both common and respected, the same type of position in my old industry (financial services) would be a lot more thankless. Personally, I think this type of role plays far more to my natural strengths (problem solving, understanding complex systems and processes, straddling the business and tech worlds) whereas as a dev I was using a learned skill set... I was good at what I did but not because it came naturally.