Sometime back, I was a technical guy. Exploring design, architecture, getting hands on experience on new technologies. Today I am a pure Project Manager. For long time I have been in two minds. Whether I should move to project management or not. I always felt that management is not my piece of cake and I am more a techie than a manager.
Some of the questions I wanted to find answers were:
1. Project Management is all about people and technology is all about code, design and so on. Will I have to leave all the technical matters and manage only people, resources?
2. Overall impression is managers do not understand technology. Will I ever become like them? If it happens it is like seeing death of my own self. Will I be comfortable in this new borrowed skin?
3. Any management job is more generic and has longer usability. Specially in India, where all the technical profiles are dominated by young generation, will these people be willing to work with me when I turn 50? Or will they be more comfortable if I am their project manager?
4. In this world everything revolves around money and there is more money in management than technology. If I have to get a technical job at the age of 50 will it pay me the same money when there is a young engineer willing to take up the work at may be 50% of the cost?
5. Does gray hair really matter in technology? Can a younger person be a full replacement for an experienced developer/designer/architect?
6. Will project management be as interesting as development? What keeps the managers going? Where does the job satisfaction in management come from?
As I move on this track I will be exploring to get answers to these questions. If you have any please post comments on this blog.