Project managers are pivotal in driving projects to success in today's business world. Their leadership and management skills are essential in ensuring the smooth execution and completion of projects.
Whether you're aspiring to become a project manager or looking to hire one, it's crucial to understand the complexity and responsibility of their role. A PM (the abbreviation for Project Manager) is not just a leader and mentor but also the driving force behind transforming business strategies into actionable tasks and steps.
In the following article, you will delve into the role of a PM, their diverse responsibilities, the skills and qualifications required, the steps to become a PM, and even the salary potential in this position. This comprehensive guide aims to provide you with a complete understanding of the project management field.
A project manager is a professional responsible for planning, executing, and completing projects. They oversee the whole process, ensuring the allocated budget and timeline are respected while also meeting the agreed-upon quality standards.
They act as a middleman between upper management, constantly informing the stakeholders about progress and the team/teams executing the project. All these are limited by the company’s mission, vision, and goals.
Project managers are needed in many industries, such as construction, IT, healthcare, finance, marketing, and HR.
The main duties of a PM involve devising the project plan, clarifying the scope, scheduling, budget allocation, people management, and risk management. They start with a plan, and by monitoring progress, they can make adjustments when needed to ensure the project arrives at the finish line as intended.
They also oversee the project documentation, ensuring it always stays compliant.
Communication is crucial for a project manager. This person will constantly motivate the team, inform upper management, and solve issues that arise and threaten the project's success.
This role is very sensitive and challenging because the PM must oversee the project from start to finish.
Here are the most important responsibilities a PM is tasked with:
One of the primary responsibilities is thoroughly planning the project. This includes defining the project’s scope, objectives, and deliverables, all in accordance with the stakeholders. The designed project plan should draft the tasks, schedules, budgets, other resources, and milestones needed for the project to reach its goals.
Depending on the industry and specific project, such plans can be devised in the long or short term.
Any project has financial limitations, and it’s the PM’s duty to meet budget limits. A project manager must estimate costs, control spending throughout the project, and remain within the constraints of the approved budget.
The stakeholders usually want to be updated regularly regarding the financial resources so that the project manager will handle this. This is crucial proof of transparency.
Resource management refers to both human and material resources. Financial resources are difficult to handle, but the human factor is even more so. A great PM must excel at assigning tasks to the right people while offering them the needed material resources to succeed. This involves hiring, scheduling, and keeping track of what the team does.
Another essential duty of a project manager is to ensure the project stays on schedule. To do this, it’s important to prioritize tasks, design the perfect schedule, reduce any delays, and set deadlines. Issues can sometimes appear, and schedule adjustments may need to be applied.
Another key responsibility of a project manager is identifying potential risks and proactively creating plans to mitigate their impact. While it's impossible to predict every issue, having strategies in place for the most likely risks demonstrates a proactive approach to project management.
The project manager also upholds the quality of the work within the project. He establishes quality standards and guarantees that those standards are met. Along with the PM, a special quality assurance team is usually assembled to identify possible issues and remedy them.
Project management only exists with effective communication. A project manager is in constant communication with the team and stakeholders, clients, and upper management. This involves holding meetings and offering all kinds of status reports. The stakeholders will provide feedback, which is important for potential future projects.
A PM communicates by providing updates to both the team and the stakeholders. While the team requires comprehensive reports to complete their tasks and track progress, stakeholders typically receive more general reports that provide a broader perspective on the project.
Another responsibility for the PM position is maintaining correct and complex documentation, which involves all contracts, plans, financial statements, and technical documents. This is of great help when discussing project continuity and adhering to specific laws and regulations, depending on each industry.
There are some industries, such as construction, healthcare, manufacturing, or financial services, where regulatory compliance is closely controlled. The project manager is in charge of this aspect; he needs to ensure the project and all the actions taken within it are compliant with all laws and regulations.
The skill set a PM possesses will determine how successful he is; therefore, let’s take a look at the most essential skills a project manager should have:
Leadership skills
This is a critical skill since a project manager is a person who guides, inspires, and motivates the team toward the project's targets and achievements. Moreover, they have to instill respect and collaboration within the team.
Communication
Another crucial skill for succeeding as a PM is effective communication. This involves both a clear way of conveying ideas and an openness to receiving feedback. A great PM will know how to adapt the communication style as needed for stakeholders, teams, clients, and upper management. Communication can be achieved through different channels, like email, live meetings, or others.
Problem-solving and decision-making
Many and various issues may arise in project management, yet the capability to swiftly identify and act to solve them is another important skill a PM should possess. During these challenges, making the right decisions and assigning the right people to solve issues are crucial.
Organizational skills
Project managers are in charge of countless tasks. A robust set of organizational skills will help them run things smoothly by effectively managing the team, the resources, and time.
Time management skills
A project manager is in charge of delivering results on the desired time, as agreed with the stakeholders or upper management, which means time management skills are another set of abilities required.
Technical proficiency
Depending on the industry, project managers will need to master some technical skills related to the project they are overseeing. For example, understanding construction methodologies is crucial for a construction project. Plus, knowledge of certain tools, like Asana or Jira, is of great help.
Flexibility and adaptability
Project management is a dynamic environment, so the person handling a team and a project must be adaptable to change and flexible. Any challenge may arise, so strategies must shift, plans must be adjusted, and so on.
Interpersonal skills
A project manager should possess strong interpersonal skills, such as understanding and managing other people’s emotions and empathizing with them. These skills will benefit both the team and the stakeholders, helping to solve conflicts and build good relationships.
Negotiation
Another vital role a PM has is negotiating various aspects, from prices and terms to timelines, which means being a good or even great negotiator is a plus in project management.
Thanks to its dynamics and opportunities, project management is a very desired area in 2024. Here is a list of the steps you may need to take to become a project manager:
It’s common for project managers to have a bachelor’s degree in fields like business, leadership, engineering, project management, or computer science. Although a degree is not always mandatory, it can be a solid foundation for the knowledge a PM should have.
Working as a junior or in an assistant position for a PM can be extremely valuable in your journey. Try to understand the responsibilities of a PM from A to Z and be proactive in helping solve issues, as this will help develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
When working and gaining experience in a project, focus on developing aspects like leadership, effective communication, risk management, or budget management.
Earning certifications is a way to improve your chances of being employed, so here are some courses that will help you:
Being proficient in project management software will get you one step further. Tools like ProjectManager, JIRA, MS Excel, and Asana will boost your capacity to design, execute, and monitor progress.
Getting in touch with other project management professionals can open new doors and career advancement opportunities. Mentorship is also a great way to gain insights.
Project management tools and methodologies change over time, so a great PM must constantly evolve. To stay up to date, attend seminars and workshops, and read the best articles.
Ensure you highlight the experience you gained, certifications, and PM skills in your resume. Adapt your resume to every job you apply for to improve your chances of earning that position.
Find below an example of job description for a project manager, that you can use whenever needed to recruit a PM in your organization.
Company Overview
[Company Name] is a leading [Industry Type] company. We seek a skilled Project Manager to lead essential projects that will drive our strategic objectives and continue our success.
Job Title: Project Manager
Location: [City, State, Country]
Job Type: [Full-Time/Part-Time], [Permanent/Temporary/Contract]
Key Responsibilities:
Qualifications for Project Manager
Project Manager salary expectations
The average base salary for a Project Manager in the United States is $89,812 per year.
The Project Manager's experience usually dictates the exact salary, the size of the projects the company handles, the industry, and the geographical location.
Takeaway
If you’re an aspiring project manager, you have several paths available to enter the field of project management. If a bachelor’s degree seems like a very long road, consider earning a certification and start applying for an entry-level position as soon as possible. And don’t forget, keep learning and stay updated constantly.