I was fortunate to sit down with Daniel Hemhauser recently for a casual catching-up conversation. We touched on the current status of the employment struggles faced by many skilled project managers and the mixed signals we seem to be getting about their future. PMI has said that we’ll need millions more PMs by 2035, but currently the people we talk to are sitting at six, nine, or even eighteen months without work. We get real about what that feels like, why it’s happening across industries, and why even highly skilled project managers and PMO leaders are seeing job posts that demand impossible “everything roles” for entry-level pay.

We also dig into where movement still exists. Some regions show more hiring energy, especially where construction, distribution, data center build-outs, and AI infrastructure are growing. We share simple, practical tactics like setting targeted job alerts and thinking in terms of project funding and active build cycles, not just job boards. If you’re trying to plan your next move, this is about reading the market with clearer eyes.

Then we shift to the opportunity hiding in the chaos: AI for project managers. Many people claim they “know AI,” but many are only scratching the surface with basic prompts. We talk about what actually stands out, from building useful workflows to experimenting with AI agents that can take repetitive PM work off your plate, like summaries, status updates, and draft communications. We also cover how to learn faster by having AI create a 30 to 60 day study plan and how to write prompts that force clarity by having the model ask you the right questions first.

If you’re worried about the future of project management, this conversation is a reminder that fundamentals still matter and new skills can compound quickly.

Share this episode with a PM friend who needs it, and leave a comment with the toughest hiring trend you’re seeing right now.

Links:

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielhemhauser/
Website: https://www.thepmplaybook.com/

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