Project manager, John Bard, has been with Encorus for five years this month. Let’s get to know him a little better!
How did you get started in your career?
I went to work for a hydraulic shear and press manufacturer early in my career. It was a small company, not a 9-5 job, and so often you would need to work long hours or weekends in order to get a project out. As I rose through the ranks and gained more responsibilities, my decisions began to directly affect how many extra hours my coworkers and I had to put in. This caused me to invest quite a bit of my free time in learning how to run the operation more efficiently and avoid that. Little did I know, that at that time I was learning project management, and it would become my career.
What advice would you give someone hoping to enter your career field?
One of the most important and overlooked parts of a person’s career is the culture fit of the company they work for. If your approach doesn’t mesh with theirs, or vice versa, the friction caused can dramatically increase stress and decrease productivity. Project managers need to constantly interact with dozens of people, which amplifies the effect even more. Do some real reflection on what your priorities and goals are, then find a company that shares that view. You will be happier, which makes you more productive, which helps your company and therefore your career.
What is one professional goal you have?
For the rest of my career, I want to train talented and driven younger people to replace me and do the job better than I did.
If you had three wishes, what would they be?
Besides more wishes?
- To see the world like Mike Wittenberg.
- The change the world like Joe Lowry.
- To mess with the world like Mike O’Neill.
What is one thing on your bucket list?
To take my wife on a month-long cruise to Antarctica. I love nature and hate crowds so it seems like the perfect idea!
What is your favorite way to spend a day off?
After spending so much time in an office, I want to get outdoors. Anything peaceful with a fresh breeze such as hiking, boating, hunting, and fishing.
