Navigating your first 90 days as a project manager: tips for early career success

When you’re starting out at a new company as a project manager, it’s an exciting, but often nerve-wracking time. Whether you are making a career shift, starting your career after leaving school, or are a seasoned professional in the world of projects, the first three months in a new organisation are significant. These 90 days can shape your future; it’s an essential period for you to understand the company, set the foundation for long term success and build meaningful relationships.

How to set yourself up for long term success

Project management is an evolving field, so your ability to adapt, network, lead and motivate teams is crucial. The habits and relationships you build during the first 90 days at a new company will set you up for long term success. This time isn't just about learning the technicalities of the role, but building trust, establishing effective communication, and developing the soft skills that will fuel your future growth.

Let’s dive into how you can make the most of your first 90 days in a new role.

1. Start networking to build relationships

Networking is a lifelong habit, so this is a great opportunity to start practicing. As a project manager in a new place, one of the first things you should do is get to know the people you’ll be working with. Establishing a network of relationships is crucial; you’ll rely on collaboration with others so nurture your professional connections. By intentionally networking, you’ll create a solid base for effective teamwork too.

• Start by scheduling brief one-on-one meetings with your team members and key stakeholders so you can familiarise yourself with their roles, responsibilities, and priorities.
• Listen actively and observe how your team works so you can get insights into their needs and how they might contribute to the projects you’ll manage.
• Clarify their expectations by asking them what success looks like for them, and how they like to communicate.

2. Take initiative in motivational team building

Motivation drives success. Remember, you’re not just managing project tasks, but ensuring your team feel motivated, inspired and engaged. Establishing trust and cohesion with your team is essential to create a collaborative, supportive work environment. Team building takes time and patience, but you can foster openness early on.

• Engage in regular informal conversations to understand team dynamics and individual interests.
• Recognise and celebrate your team’s supportive nature and achievements, with honesty and genuine appreciation.
• Keep a positive attitude and encourage your team to ask questions, share ideas and discuss issues openly.

3. Demonstrate your leadership skills early on

Leadership goes beyond supervising tasks. You guide, inspire and support your team while holding yourself accountable for project goals. When you’re getting settled in, you should lay the foundation for others to understand the type of leader you can be.

• Look for ways that you can take charge, for example setting up meetings, organising project documents or presenting updates.
• Be adaptable where it’s needed and show others in your team that you’re willing to try new approaches with ease.
• Acknowledge any challenges or issues and be the first to take accountability for mishaps so you can continue to build trust.

4. Develop your soft skills with continuous professional development (CPD)

Keep learning and prioritise your growth within the role. Creating a commitment to CPD will set you apart as a project manager. And it’s not just about formal training, CPD can, and should, also focus on soft skills like communication, conflict resolution, and empathy. These are essential competencies for effective project management and successful leadership. The Association for Project Management, and other professional organisations, have lots of resources that you can use to do this.

• Schedule at least one hour a week or fortnight for self-development and CPD in various technical and soft skills.
• Don’t be afraid to ask your manager or company for any free resources, memberships, support or training.
• Stay curious and humble, being mindful that every conversation is an opportunity to refine your skills.

A timeline for your first 90 days as a project manager in a new company:

Day one: Focus on making a positive first impression. Introduce yourself to your team and key stakeholders, set up your workspace, log into any project management platforms and build a habit of continuous learning.

Week two: Start building strong relationships and setting short-term goals. By now you should be familiar with project documents and timelines. Schedule some meetings with your manager to set short-term goals and keep networking with your team to understand them better.

Halfway through (45 days in): You should ready and comfortable to take ownership. Seize opportunities to lead small projects or subtasks and take some time to self-reflect on how far you’ve already come. It might be scary, but how else can you learn?

Month two: Keep on building momentum and strengthen your stakeholder relationships. As the end of month two approaches, refine your project management approach, take charge of project updates and focus on motivational team building.

Month three: Solidify your role and plan for future success. By now you should feel more settled in your role and as part of the team. Take time to reflect on your progress and how far you’ve come, presenting key achievements to your manager. You should start to expand your network, establish areas for CPD and set new goals for the next six to twelve months.

Starting out as a project manager in a new company can feel overwhelming but it gives you opportunities to develop as a leader and drive positive change. Every step you take in networking, CPD, leadership, team building and soft skills, will set the stage for your future successes. Yes, the first three months can be a whirlwind, but when you’re focused on relationships, continuous learning and strategic goals, your confidence will grow. Remember to take it easy, ask lots of questions and enjoy the experience.