SOP Sample for MS Project Management in USA - Fresher Profile

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The number of industries and businesses experiencing high competition has increased dramatically over the last few years. The pressure to stay relevant among the constantly changing trends can be overwhelming. The rapid development of technology has also significantly contributed to the drastic changes in business patterns. I have over two years of work experience in the Information and Technology field, and pursuing further education will calibrate my capabilities and prepare me to take on these challenges effectively. Intending to acquire advanced skillsets and global insights to help me establish a strong foothold in my chosen field, I seek an MS in Project Management from [UNIVERSITY], Boston.

Born and raised in a family of business professionals, I opted for a commerce stream in high school and completed my senior secondary schooling in 2016. High School helped me understand the basics of business and management. Further, to gain in-depth knowledge about the same, I completed my undergraduate degree in business administration from [UNIVERSITY], [CITY], a renowned institution affiliated with [UNIVERSITY] [CITY].

While pursuing the under-graduation degree, I was exposed to various facets of Management like Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Human resources, and many other essential concepts that provided me a strong foundation in management as a discipline. Studying in detail about every field helped me understand, compare, and test my potential for each domain.

To put my classroom learning to practice and explore my newfound interest in management a little more, I worked as a marketing researcher with [COMPANY]. It is an Indian multinational electrical products manufacturing company headquartered in [CITY], India. As a market researcher, I was responsible for collecting and analyzing data and information to present to the senior leadership of the marketing team. The exposure helped me explore customers' opinions about the products. The experience became my first ever practical brush-up with the field of marketing. The opportunity allowed me to have a closer look at the area of Marketing and fine-tuned my presentation and communication skills and the ability to innovate and be creative, which I believe are essentials to become a successful business professional. I completed my bachelor's degree in 2019 with an overall score of 77.7% and proceeded towards my goal.

I started working as a Software Associate in [COMPANY] in 2019. Corresponding to the said role, I was responsible for assisting with the technical support to [COMPANY] employees working from different locations, contacting us for any technical issues or faulty devices in the branch. I mapped clients' requirements and provided the best services to suit their requirements and utilized my analytical and technical expertise to provide insight and proposals to support their business improvement. Being a part of the system, Client Relationship Management was an essential part of my key responsibilities, where I was required to maintain a healthy rapport with existing clients and interact with them daily. Following up with clients for feedback and assisting management in taking corrective measures, if required, was another critical area that I was allowed to venture into during my stint at [COMPANY] Project.

However, after 1.5 years, I switched projects and roles. I moved to a Business Analyst role ([COMPANY]), where I managed essential reports relating to the projects significant to the senior leadership. Also, I handled critical SLAs and analyzed the risks associated with them. I worked on data extraction and data mining for accurate reporting. While I was involved in activities like organizing research, coordinating with different teams, analyzing results, preparing concise presentations, and presenting them to senior executives, I became interested in managing the project. And to incline me with the role, I completed various online training (Excel Skills for Business, ITIL 4, PowerBI Report Development, and Agile Software Development), all being part of my job to manage the project.

My exposure provided a logical extension to my academics, and it helped me enhance my analytical skills, business communication skills, and knowledge about the ITIL process. The exercise made me aware of the existing strength of my current professional portfolio. Also, it highlighted the areas I need to work upon to become a successful Project Manager, which pushed me to look for options that can help me fulfill this.

After carefully evaluating my present profile and the growing opportunities available in my chosen area of interest, I have decided to take an academic leap in my career and bridge the gap between my existing knowledge and the proposed one. To meet this objective, I have finalized to pursue a Master's in Project Management from [UNIVERSITY], Boston.

The program is a perfect fit for my aspirations. The industry-oriented coursework will equip me with skills and knowledge relevant to the IT industry. With an emphasis on practical skills, the college encourages studies through work placement, case studies, and group work on real projects that help students practice their classroom learning and identify their talents and strengths. Brainstorming in a group helps one enhance his reasoning abilities and leadership skills as well. The full-time program offers a mix of fundamentals of project management, risk and quality management, Project Stakeholder Management, strategic management, and Integrative Experiential Learning subjects. These collectively provide a range of essential business skills and specialized knowledge necessary to excel in the global business environment. Familiarizing with the focused nature of responsibilities that management takes care of such as organizing, leadership, methodologies, and many other relevant areas, the course would help me sync up with every aspect of project management, making me a specialist in the same. This confirms that my decision to take up higher studies at [UNIVERSITY] will be the most logical step towards my goal.

Moreover, studying in the USA will offer me a competitive edge in my career. Interacting with a diverse range of people while learning in the USA will enhance my ability to interact with people from other cultures and analyze issues from a global perspective. I plan to do it at a place where diversity inspires people's thoughts and creativity and provides them with a peaceful environment where they are taught to embrace differences and develop the ability to adapt to dynamic situations. All these made me finalize the USA for my academic pursuits. I am assured that the exposure gain at [UNIVERSITY] in the USA will act as a catalyst in my academic and professional career.

Upon completing the course, I would like to return to my native country to look for firms utilizing my newly acquired expertise and skills. The proposed Master's program will better prepare me to handle challenging projects. Additionally, the international degree will enable me to garner better compensation. For all these reasons, I am eagerly anticipating pursuing the program and redefining my career path.

My curiosity, resourcefulness, and commitment to excellence will be critical in developing my [UNIVERSITY] skills. In this context, I hope my candidature will be received positively, and I am looking forward to being part of the fall 2021 intake.

[NAME]