More and more college students are choosing to study business in school, hoping to one day work their way up to upper management or perhaps even their own company. But instead of starting their careers by taking on the positions they were hoping for, many business majors are finding themselves stuck in project management offices as PMO analysts, doing work that’s very different from what they thought they would be doing. Suppose you’re a business major looking to make it big after graduation. In that case, knowing what a PMO analyst does and why you might want to consider another position is essential.

What is a PMO Analyst?

A project management office (PMO) analyst creates, monitors, evaluates, and updates the status of a business project or the progress of an IT system. PMO analysts are key individuals on any team, and their functions range from creating project plans to updating and monitoring timelines. 

In short, the job of a PMO analyst can be summed up as directing a team’s goals in a way that is both effective and efficient. Without this role, projects can easily fall behind schedule or suffer from low efficiency. Nobody will review progress, update deadlines, or hold all parties accountable for sticking to schedules.

PMOs are often vital to successful outcomes because they help provide higher levels of leadership by monitoring successes and failures while providing feedback that can improve future project processes.

The role of a PMO Analyst

PMO analysts are responsible for performing administrative tasks related to project management, such as developing and implementing plans, identifying dependencies, tracking and allocating resources, monitoring progress, reporting results, and analyzing and interpreting data. They may also act as a liaison between the project team and management. 

The work of a PMO Analyst is similar to that of an office manager or executive assistant in an organization. They are responsible for handling many administrative tasks so that the project manager can focus on their primary duties.

What are the benefits of having a PMO analyst in an organization?

A Project Management Office (PMO) Analyst has a significant role in the workplace. They are not only responsible for supporting project managers but also for carrying out communication and reporting tasks related to projects. For example, they may help maintain project tracking boards and other tools to help you manage your projects. Here are ways that an organization can benefit from having a PMO analyst:

• The company has become more agile. Since all of their progress is tracked, it will be easier to make adjustments as needed. Moreover, if there are any problems along the way, everyone in the office will know about them in real time so that changes can be made quickly. 
• The company saves money by making fewer mistakes. 
• Having a PMO analyst helps ensure that things go smoothly and without incident, so there won’t be surprises. 
• Having someone take care of your daily needs is much less expensive than spending money on something going wrong later on. A business doesn’t want to get caught up spending thousands or even millions of dollars repairing something when they could have just had a professional do it right the first time.

How to Be Successful in the Field

Do your research on the industry you’re considering. Know what’s happening within that field and be well-versed in its terminology. That way, when it comes time to interview, you’ll show them how much you know about the position and where you could contribute. Review basic project management skills to demonstrate your proficiency in these areas. Project management is a knowledge-based profession; experience matters less than competency in the field’s key principles.

How to survive as a PMO Analyst

In the last ten years, more business majors have turned to Project Management as a career choice. They choose this path because they want to focus on managing projects, streamlining the process, and making it run as smoothly as possible. To survive as a PMO analyst, you should first choose a certification and education program with the right level of rigor for your skillset. Prestigious universities like community colleges can offer these programs. 

You should also set up connections within the industry before you graduate. Making these contacts early will help give you an edge over other new hires in your field. Networking events like conferences are a great way to do this, as is getting out into the field and talking with people who work at companies where you’d like to work someday.

Conclusion

Project management is an important field in business, whether you want to create a new product that will make your company successful or fix a bug in your marketing campaign. Therefore, more business majors are looking to become PMO analysts rather than pursuing traditional career paths.