Welcome to episode 26 of The Everyday PM Podcast where I spotlight Sanaz Sadeghian, MSc., PMP, PMI-SP, PSM I, the youngest person in Iran with a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification and a professional in project management.

Sanaz came to America from Iran in 2019, a country where preference is given to men over women in project management field jobs. Not only is Sanaz the youngest person in Iran to obtain a PMP® certification, she is also a proponent of higher education and continuous learning. Sanaz was in search of opportunity and made the move to America to pursue a Masters degree in project management from Boston University. Her list of accomplishments continues, graduating with a top GPA from Boston University in May 2020 and current President of the Project Management Club at her alma mater.

Many people dream of coming to America for its diverse job market, especially when it comes to project management. With no promises of securing a job in project management, Sanaz knew it was the right move to make to open doors to more opportunities than what was presented to her back at home. However, her journey was not easy. She moved in the middle of the pandemic when all of her friends back home could not find a job. The question Sanaz receives frequently (every week!) on LinkedIn from other internationals is "how did [she] I find a job as an international here on a Visa and in the middle of covid?" For those who find yourself in a similar situation, Sanaz has a lot to share on this experience. I can't imagine how stressful it must have been to find a job in the US as an international whilst your ability to remain in the country is solely dependent on finding a job and an employer to sponsor you. You can find Sanaz today in a Project Manager role for Waters Corporation. She is involved in large scale multi-disciplinary projects.

What do you think of Sanaz's journey? Do you share a similar experience or need guidance on how to navigate the work Visa process? Reach out to Sanaz to chat more about her personal and professional experiences. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:

Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP

Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc.

Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.

Sanaz Sadeghian, MSc., PMP, PMI-SP, PSM I

Project Manager at Waters Corporation

Young project management professional with more than 5 years experience in project planning and scheduling. Works with Agile as well as Waterfall teams to generate an effective time and cost hybrid Master plan for large scale multi-disciplinary projects.