Want to be an International Project Manager?

Editors Note: Translated from French

If the following list does not phase you, you might be this industry’s next great International Project Manager! I have been working internationally for a number of years and I have learned that these are the skills required to manage this lifestyle. Check them out and see if this is the life for you!

Negotiating your own contract as well as you can with your future bookers and partners.
Relentlessly boarding planes, day after day.
Making sure that your passport is always on you and as far as possible from its expiration date.
Knowing your new project inside out and remembering every detail of it in a matter of hours or of a few days.
Assessing a project’s technical, logistical, financial and human needs.
Being as productive at sunrise as at nightfall.
Functioning with only a few hours of sleep.
Managing both your stress and others’.
Stepping back when faced with a difficult situation or other complication that compromises your schedule.
Finding quick and efficient solutions regardless of the country and conditions you are in.
Having and maintaining a good survival instinct.
Working with a variety of foreign accents and languages.
Asking for and getting the right helpers.
Being beyond diplomatic with your colleagues.
Keeping discouragement and momentary loss of motivation out of the workplace.
Nothing more than a few sporadic minutes to talk to your family per day.
Eating whatever and whenever you can.
Constant changes in habits.
Having a smile on your face at all times, regardless of how tired you might be.
Spending long hours sitting in international meetings.
Being unable to say “yes” all the time.
Wearing security shoes, a construction helmet and a yellow jacket that will ruin your look… Forever!
Kissing that libido goodbye.
Working in the dust.
A taxi ride in the deepest corner of the darkest woods to find a shop that can fix that one prop.

Only a true Project Manager at heart and soul will not let this list faze them. Come join us!

Also by Aurelie Gandilhon:

10 Tips for a Props Manager Running an International Team

What Do You Do For A Living?

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ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Aurelie is in 1982 in Marseille, city open to the Mediterranean world, city of light and cultural diversity. She participated in major projects in France and abroad putting all her passion into her creative works. She worked with ‘Opera Garnier’ in Paris, the ‘Theatre Royal de la Monnaie’ in Brussels, the ‘Marseille Opera’ and the ‘Festival d’Art Lyrique’ in Aix-en-Provence. Since 2009, she has travelled across Asia, collaborating with Franco Dragone on “The House of Dancing Water” show, as well as being involved in other creations such as TABOO 1, TABOO 2, TABOO 4 in Macao. With the Hong Kong Theater Association, she designed “Le Père Noël est une Ordure”, “Les pas perdus”, "Musee Haut Musee Bas " and "Je Dance Toujours" sets. Alongside the singer Mouron, the choreographer Anne Tournie and Terry Truck Tournie Pianist, she realized the set and props creation for the show "Le cabaret des annees folles" at the "The French May 2013′′ Festival in Hong Kong. In 2013, she joined the UNIPLAN Luxury Event creative team in the Shanghai and Hong Kong as Performance and Show Production Expert. Working for “Louis Vuitton”, “Maserati” and “ Moet et Chandon” events. She is also involved in The Shanghai Pride organisation and collaborated with "Cirque le Soir" Club as creative consultant and special party organiser. In 2015, she worked with the Franco Dragone team on "The HAN Show" in Wuhan, "The LIDO" in Paris, "The Dai Show" in Xishuangbanna and other creations in Dubai, Moscou and China. In 2016, she joined the famous Worldwide company Balich for the Special Olympic Games Flag Handover between Austria and Abu Dhabi, designing the set and the large scale props. In 2017 She start a new collaboration with SOKOL Show and Wanda in Harbin China. In charge of the prop design and the props department during the conception, the creation and the artistic production; Aurelie has also started a collaboration with STUFISH designing and creating the "Holiday On Ice" show in 2018. She is designing and managing the massive stage for the new Stunt show produce by SEP production in Haikou China. 2018 is also a year where she illustrate some show concept and artistic project for SEP, WANDA and other concept in developement in CHINA and EUROPE. A great new collabortation in Marseille is starting with the new Concept Club BONBONNE, not as a DJ this time, but as interior designer and artistic consultant. Giving to the town a new trend and unique place for a new experience.

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