Recommendations for Beginner Project Managers

Certifications

Today, the role of a project manager is not exclusive to people with PMP credentials or Agile certifications. Accidental project managers – people who work as project managers without any formal training – are a common sight in many organizations. For such managers, the job can quickly become stressful if they fail to effectively use all the resources at their disposal.

To save your time, we have compiled a small list of the most effective project management books for beginners to help you get started.


Books


Project Management Body of Knowledge

"Calling the PMBOK a famous book would be a drastic understatement. This is one of the most recommended books for anyone interested in the role and is universally recognized as the ultimate guide to the principles of project management.The PMBOK is an authoritative and thorough guide that covers all the terminologies, methodologies, knowledge areas, and everything else you’ll need to get started. The book is published by the Project Management Institute and is considered a requirement for passing a PMP exam."


Project Management: Absolute Beginner's Guide

"Think of this as an easier-to-read version of the PMBOK. This is a perfect book for people who do not enjoy going through countless dry pages. Greg Horine uses a conversational tone to keep the readers engaged and always stays on the point being discussed. This means that you won’t find any on-the-job advice or references to case studies in this book. You may think it’s a disadvantage, but for an absolute beginner looking to learn the ropes, this is the perfect approach."


Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager

"If you’ve heard words like “We should treat this as a project…” or “You’d be the ideal person to manage this project”, you know how overwhelming it can be for someone inexperienced. This book targets those accidental managers and trains them with excellent advice to get started in the role of an accidental project manager.

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager distinguishes itself from other similar books with its jargon-free language and real-world examples. The book analyzes several projects from different industries and lists down the reasons why they failed or succeeded."


Project Management for Humans: Helping People Get Things Done

"Project management is more than tools and processes—though all of that is important too. This book covers the basics elements of project management, with a focus on developing the interpersonal skills and empathy needed to run a project smoothly. Readers enjoy that the book is easy to read, contains good examples and practical advice, and can be referred to again and again as one advances in their career."


The Deadline: A Novel About Project Management

"The Deadline provides beginner-friendly information in entertainment form. As the novel was written in 1997, reviewers point out that much of the information centers around Waterfall project management styles. Still, recent readers find the practical advice on project management concepts like resource allocation, scheduling, and managing teams beneficial, particularly for beginners."

Blogs and Podcasts


The Lazy Project Manager

"This blog is run by Peter Taylor, who is the author of two best-selling books on ‘Productive Laziness’ – ‘The Lazy Winner’ and ‘The Lazy Project Manager’. This blog is created for project managers who may be working a little too hard in their field. Taylor, through his blog, suggests easier ways of getting projects done while balancing work and life."


**nTask Project Management Blog **

"Discover the trending scoops and must-knows of the world of Agile Software development and Management, by paying nTask blog a quick visit each week. The nTask blog features insightful information for agile teams, project managers, developers, and potential entrepreneurs on productivity, collaboration, management tools, and project management."


Yodiz Project Management Blog

"Yodiz is one of the best project management blogs for you if you are looking for a site that has comprehensive information about Agile project management. This site is a source of knowledge regarding Agile frameworks and relevant information on project management or software development. It is an all in one source for everything with reference to Agile (Scrum, Kanban, Lean)."

The Digital Project Manager Podcast

"The Digital Project Manager is a resourceful podcasting channel filled with tutorials, guides, tips, and insights on project management. Each half-hour episode discusses the hottest topics in the field of project management. It's hosted by Ben Aston, who conducts concise yet considerate interviews with thought leaders."

Project Management Happy Hour

"This project management podcast is hosted by Kim Essendrup, a PMP certified project manager, and Kate Anderson, a project manager with over ten years of experience. Each episode covers a specific problem explained through suitable examples and offers real-time advice on project management. Project Management Happy Hour also enables you to earn PDUs through quizzes and tests."

The Everyday PM

"The Everyday PM focused on, well, the everyday parts of project management. Ann Campea and her guests cover tactics, skills, and processes that project managers will use in their day-to-day work lives, as well as larger trends and career-focused topics. Guests bring a variety of experiences and perspectives that listeners can draw on."

Recommendations for Beginner Project Managers
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