This book offers hands-on practice for the most common - and most difficult - project management tasks. Breaking into the field of project management is difficult, and the Project Management Institute requires that Project Management Professionals (PMPs) have on-the-job experience before earning their certification. This handy, task-based resource addresses the most common and the most challenging tasks Project Managers face and demonstrates how to perform these tasks. The Street Smarts series is designed to help current or aspiring professionals put their certification to work for them. Full of practical, real world scenarios, each book features actual tasks from the field and then offers step-by-step exercises that teach the skills necessary to complete those tasks. This book is aimed at anyone looking to gain hands-on experience in the field of project management by offering a unique look at the daily routine of a project manager. It offers a variety of real-world scenarios, covering everything from the most common tasks to the most demanding roadblocks. It walks you through step-by-step instructions of working with a project: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. It demonstrates defining a scope, developing a project charter, creating the work breakdown structure, managing resource allocation, and more. Designed to provide you with an accurate look into the field of project management, this book offers you a unique and insightful perspective on the demands of a project manager on a day-to-day basis.