The Retro: Designing Your PM Career for More Pay and Purpose

The Digital Project Manager

Navigating a career in project management today means wrestling with more than just Gantt charts and stakeholder standups—it means making high-stakes decisions about your salary, your specialization, and what brings you meaning at work. In this panel episode, Kelsey Alpaio brings together PM thought leaders Ben Chan, Mackenzie Dysart, and Elizabeth Harrin for a candid conversation on how to design your PM career with both pay and purpose in mind.

Together, they unpack fresh data from DPM’s 2025 Salary Guide and tackle some of the most pressing questions PMs are facing right now: Should you specialize or stay a generalist? When do certifications actually help? Is it ever too late to take control of your career? And how do you make confident moves when AI and automation are reshaping the role in real time? This is a jam-packed episode full of tactical tools, honest reflections, and grounded advice for anyone looking to take the reins of their project career.

Resources from this episode:

• Join DPM Membership
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
• Connect with Ben, Mackenzie, and Elizabeth on LinkedIn
• Check out Thoughtworks and Rebel’s Guide to Project Management
• Organized Chaos Café – Ben’s podcast
• Managing Multiple Projects – Elizabeth’s book

Kapitel

1. Introduction to Panel and Topic (00:00:00)

2. Understanding PM Salary Data (00:01:32)

3. Balancing Pay and Purpose (00:03:09)

4. Career Decision-Making Tools (00:08:41)

5. Generalist vs Specialist Debate (00:13:36)

6. Certifications: When Are They Worth It? (00:20:12)

7. Navigating Industry Changes and AI (00:27:44)

8. Audience Q&A: Career Challenges (00:34:04)

9. Building Networks in Today's Job Market (00:42:15)