Project Managers: I seek advice
 

I'd like to get to know the fundementals of Project Management, in a professional scope. Overall I know it would make me more effective. I'm hoping some PMs might pick this up and recommend a good book concerning this topic. Thanks in advance!

Clear communication is probably one of the corner stones of good project management.
The abbreviation PMs means in the context of this forum personal messages.

Knowledge of the deliverable area, good general management skills, good communicative skills, and the ability to meet numerous stakeholder needs.

Communicative skills are necessary to inform all pertinent stakeholders of project changes, updates and new requirements.

Prince 2 is a good place to start:

PRINCE2 Foundation & PRINCE2 Practitioner Project Management Training - ILX Group, UK & worldwide

I'm Prince 2 certified - Foundation and Practitionner - and didn't find it so useful. It's a lot of big fat common sense, and it's not applicable to all projects. It works well for stable, structured projects, not for new ventures like highly innovative industries, company creation... In a small team, a Prince 2 structure would be a huge waste of precious time. But if you don't know how much of that common sense you already have, sure, reading through a Prince 2 manual can be useful. Look for it in a business school library or second hand.

There's a wide gap between knowing the principles of project management and knowing how to apply them, because some things, like the ungoldy amount of communication you have to do, are counter intuitive or will even rub you the wrong way.
My advice is to practice, to manage a couple of projects, either at your job or on the side. Create a non profit, a club, offer to manage one (or part of one) that you've been active in... If you want to stay in the business sphere, maybe your local chamber of commerce needs someone to organize things? A local networking group? There are tons of opportunities waiting to be grabbed.

That's good to know because it's on my list of things to do to become a business analyst. I guess it's a bit like ITIL and a lot of other certifications - not very applicable in real situations but necessary to get the CV noticed :p

look at the Project Management Institute (PMI). You can become a certified project manager (PMP certified).

PMI - the World?s Leading Professional Association for Project Management

Get PMP certified - from Project Management Institute. Read PMP book by Andy Cowe or Rita Mulcahy

Certs are becoming more and more imp in this time and era. For PMs, the more important question is to do PRINCE2 or PMP. I'm more of a PRINCE2 fan. But I do think PMP is equally important. I'm going to be doing PMP in the next 12 months.

If you want to try self study, for PRINCE2 I'd suggest reading "Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2" is a very good book.

Any questions, ask! :)

I just booked myself onto a 1 week classroom course for foundation and practioner in December. Doing ITIL and ISEB Business Analysis foundation the following weeks. Taking the exam at the end of each course week.

That's December booked up...

But in January I'll have all 3 on the CV and can hopefully get a very nice new contract :D

I started my training this week and take the foundation exam tomorrow then practicioner on Friday :eek:

An expert of skillfully coordinating between experts.

Prince 2 certified! :d

Took practicioner today - was a pretty gruelling 2.5 hours...

Just leaves ITIL next week and business analyst foundation the week after and I'm ready to hit the recession with all guns blazing :D

I did CAPM (from the PMI) recently, and it has been beneficial.

Is that part of PMP? That's on my list as well. Did Business Analysis Essentials today and that is it for exams for 2011. Might have secured my first full project manager contract as well hopefully, should find out tomorrow :d