If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “What is a RAID log?” after your first day in the job, you’re not alone.
My journey into project management wasn’t carefully plotted. Like many in the NHS and wider public sector, I stumbled into it. From taking meeting notes on my first day as a temp, to leading digital health transformation programmes across community care, the learning curve has been steep and constant.
When I was recently asked to deliver a keynote to a room full of MSc Project Management students, I decided to share seven lessons I wish someone had told me earlier. These are drawn not just from my own experiences, but also from watching countless NHS projects succeed or stall depending on how well people apply the basics.
Let’s talk about the 7 tips I wish I knew about project management at the start of my journey.
1. Papers: Qualifications Still Matter
In a world where influencers talk down formal education, it’s tempting to think qualifications are optional. In reality, they open doors.
Before I had my first PM certification, I was applying to dozens of roles and getting radio silence. After getting certified, interview invites followed. According to the APM’s 2023 salary survey, 72% of project professionals held at least one formal qualification, and the majority saw a salary benefit from it.
Especially in NHS and public sector environments, qualifications act as a basic credibility filter. They don’t guarantee the job, but they get you in the room.
For those of you juggling full-time work and study, that investment is already paying off. You’ve built a strong foundation that not only proves your knowledge but trains your thinking. Own it.
Related post: [How to Build a PMO Career Without “Traditional” Experience]
2. Positioning: Frame Your Experience Strategically
Early in my career, I applied for roles with a one-size-fits-all CV. The response rate was dismal. It wasn’t until I started tailoring applications, mirroring job description language and highlighting transferable experience, that things shifted.
Worked in a charity and helped plan an event? That’s stakeholder engagement, budget management, and risk handling. It’s project work, just in different clothing.
Positioning isn’t about stretching the truth. It’s about learning to describe your work in language that resonates with recruiters. A well-crafted elevator pitch, a tailored CV, and confidence in your story can go a long way. According to LinkedIn data, candidates who customise their CVs are 71% more likely to get interviews.
3. Profile: Show Up Where People Are Looking
If you’re not on LinkedIn, you’re invisible to most recruiters. And if you’re on LinkedIn but not active, you’re missing the best bits.
Only 1% of LinkedIn users post regularly. That means simply sharing a lesson learned from a recent project, a course you completed, or a takeaway from your dissertation can set you apart instantly. I’ve had connections lead to collaborations, mentoring opportunities, and even job offers, all from short posts I nearly didn’t share.
A 2024 Health Service Journal article noted that NHS trusts are increasingly using social media as part of their informal vetting process. If you’re applying for digital health roles, especially in transformation, having a public footprint that reflects your voice and interests can tip the scales.
4. Practicality: The First Job Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
I arrived in the UK expecting to pick up where I left off, as an engineering graduate with some industry experience. Reality had other plans.
It was a junior Project Support Officer role that gave me my first break. On paper, it looked like a step back. But it gave me visibility into how NHS projects run. That role taught me more than any course ever could.
Don’t get too hung up on titles. “Change Analyst,” “Transformation Officer,” “Business Support Lead”, these might not say “Project Manager,” but the job descriptions often contain the right mix of exposure and experience.
In digital health, project roles often sit under different labels. The key is access. Once you’re in, you can build the skills, network, and portfolio that take you further.
5. Presence: Confidence is a Skill, Not a Trait
Coming from Zimbabwe, I was taught to defer to authority, avoid eye contact, and be quietly competent. In UK workplaces, those behaviours can be misread as lacking confidence or disengagement.
Add imposter syndrome into the mix, a common thread among minoritised professionals in healthcare leadership, and the result can be silence in the moments that matter.
But presence can be learned. I’ve seen it in myself, and I’ve coached others through it. Preparation helps. So does speaking up before you’re fully ready. Because you’re probably more ready than you think.
The NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) data consistently shows that staff from ethnic minority backgrounds are underrepresented in senior roles. Showing up with presence isn’t just about personal development, it’s a quiet act of disruption.
6. Proof: Evidence Beats Hype
When you’re going for your first or next project role, it’s not enough to say you’ve delivered. You need to show it.
Use the STAR method, situation, task, action, result, to prepare examples for interviews. Keep an ‘evidence file’ of past projects, problems solved, and stakeholder wins. When you write your CV, quantify everything.
“Supported implementation of a new virtual consultation system across 12 community clinics, resulting in 40% reduction in missed appointments” sounds much stronger than “Assisted with system roll-out.”
If you want to stand out, make your impact measurable.
7. Persistence: Keep Showing Up
Here’s the truth: even with qualifications, experience, and positioning, things will still go quiet sometimes. Roles you’re perfect for won’t call back. Applications will disappear into black holes.
Don’t take it personally. Silence isn’t rejection, it’s often just noise. Feedback, when you get it, is data. Use it to adjust. If something isn’t landing, test a new approach.
Set achievable weekly goals, apply to five jobs, comment on two posts, message one new connection. These small actions compound. Eventually, something gives.
My first PMO role came after a series of knock-backs. I kept applying, kept learning, kept tweaking. That one “yes” changed everything. I’ve never looked back.
Final Thoughts
If you’re starting out in project management, or transitioning into digital health, remember this: your path won’t look like anyone else’s. But it will move if you do.
Get qualified. Position your experience wisely. Build a visible profile. Take practical steps, even if they’re not perfect. Show up with presence. Offer proof, not promises. And above all, persist.
The NHS is in the middle of one of the biggest digital overhauls in its history. From electronic patient records to virtual wards and AI-assisted triage, we need project professionals who understand both systems and people.
If you’re reading this, you’re already on the right track.
So keep showing up. That next opportunity could be closer than you think.
