My suggestion would be to prepare youself researching different projects, going to what ever field that you are interested in and see if you could shadow a team, a PM, and assistants, to see if that is what you really want to do. Research what type of education that one need to become a PM. Purchase the PEMBOK book and read it. Look into any certifications are required and what you need to do to maintain the certifications if any. You are on the right track because you are asking questions you will see the answers you are looking for. Good luck. 

My suggestion would be to prepare youself researching different projects, going to what ever field that you are interested in and see if you could shadow a team, a PM, and assistants, to see if that is what you really want to do. Research what type of education that one need to become a PM. Purchase the PEMBOK book and read it. Look into any certifications are required and what you need to do to maintain the certifications if any. You are on the right track because you are asking questions you will see the answers you are looking for. Good luck. 

Do your research, reach out to whatever field you are interested in and go to those facilities and see if they will allow you to shadow an assistant, team member, PM. Find out what education is required, if any certifications are required, and if so, what is needed to maintain the certifications. 

@jbarbee I agree, I think having experience in any field is vital. But there is always the caveat that "in order to have experience, you must get experience." So, to combat this, it is vital to secure mentors that are in the field and have comprehensive knowledge on the best ways to get into it. It is also important to be up to date on knowledge/education within the field so that you are always ahead of the curve.

To get a job in project management you must have organizational skills as well as leadership skills. You have to be able to communicate to different entities about different ongoing issues and have the ability to plan for future events. Problem solving is also paramount as things happen and may occur out of one's control. Deadlines and goals must be met so time management is important as well. 

What you need to get a job in project management.

To get a job in project management, one must first determine if they have the requisite skill set for that position. In addition to obtaining the appropriate training, effective project managers should be able to accomplish such tasks as creating and adhering to a budget or properly outlining the scope and timeline of a project.  One of the essential skills needed by a project manager is leadership.  Project managers are responsible for establishing the vision and guiding the project by assigning tasks and motivating team members to collaborate and communicate with each other to complete the project.  Ineffective or demoralizing leadership could doom a project to failure.  I would recommend that those who want to become project managers work to determine if they have the appropriate temperament to support a team (Simplilearn, 2019).

What skills would you recommend?

References

Simplilearn. (2019, September 20). Top project manager qualifications and career path in 2022. Simplilearn.com. https://www.simplilearn.com/what-qualifications-do-you-need-to-be-a-project-manager-article

I believe formal training in business and project management are essential to  actually pursuing a job in project management and being successful in the undertaking. The management style techniques that have been presented in many of our classes give a deeper understanding of why certain behaviors and management styles can apply in different circumstances. It is great to have instinct or natural ability for planning and management but the training allows for being able to communicate the "how" on a micro level. The how question needs to drilled down on every step of the project and the training allows for the knowledge of how to communicate that to stakeholders as well as to the project management team. Formal training allows you to effectively create a workable plan that will save the most time and budget cost to make a project more efficient. Formal training drills down the levels of risk management that you may not have through instinct. Lastly, training or education in project management helps you to see and understand that all or most things can be viewed as project management and how the planning of a project can be made more successful using the tools that are not usually obtained from instinct.

I think experience is a key factor in a project management position. Education is a requirement based on the field the project is leading towards. You need to know how to direct, guide, and lead your team. So communication with your colleagues is crucial as well. You do not need to be a manager to apply for a manager position as long as you know how to run the department, how to communicate with different people in different ranks, how to solve conflicts that might appear in the project, and anyone that meets these criteria could become a manager. You might not have the position but you already have the knowledge and skills to be treated as such. A brand new manager could lead to negative results from a lack of involvement. But lessons are learned from mistakes and therefore, they can improve with time.

Project managers main characteristic is the ability to lead. The PMBOK guide describes in detail the types of leadership skills and traits a PM might possess. These skills that project managers have comes with time and experience. Project managers need to have skills and experience in leadership, being able to lead a team and be in charge of a project or projects. To prepare for a role like project management it is advised to take on roles that require you to be in charge or lead. This means in academia, be a part of and lead projects and in the industry to take on managerial roles. To become a leader this mean you need experience and putting yourself out there will do that if done correctly

Get a formal education. Obtain relevant certifications. Gain experience. Develop relevant skills. Overall, a combination of education, certifications, experience, skills, and networking can help individuals prepare for a career in project management and increase their chances of success in the field