Career Development of Project Management Professionals

Abstract

The focus of this research is the perception of project management professionals as it relates to behaviors and attitudes for career opportunities that yield extrinsic rewards, including salaries. Career development activities, signaling theory, expectancy theory, and pay transparency are used as theoretical frameworks to examine how country, job position, team size, and PMP certification status impact salaries. I use preexisting salary survey data from 42 countries to show that organizations and individuals may need to consider the signals and expectations they make concerning rewards and the impacts to career development on individual expectations and organizational performance. I further suggest that the use of signaling theory and expectancy theory will support multinational organizations that engage in pay transparency practices.