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Project management skills are trained and innate strengths that make a person effective at leading teams to complete projects on time, on budget and on spec. Project managers need a precise mix of people and project skills, as well as mastery of supporting methodologies, structures and software.
So how do you list project management soft skills onto your CV? First, by establishing what they are, and what makes each of them important to employers. Different industries and companies will require a different balance, and this guide will help you navigate the skills required for project management.
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Personal Info
Jayden Stanley
07732 223334
jayden@stanley.com
linkedin.com/jaydens
Summary
Dynamic IT Project Manager with 8+ years of experience managing teams of 25+ staff, both on-site and remotely using Scrum methodology to execute 95% of projects within budget and on-time. A track record of execution without scope creep, while managing monthly spending budgets of £1m+. A strong communicator with patience and a gift for listening, I was able to coach 13 colleagues to advance in their careers, two of whom are now also project managers at my previous employer.
Work Experience
IT Project Manager
visionLabs, Manchester
January 2013–Present
Independently managing 25+ staff of front and back-end developers, designers, testers and other support staff.
Withstood periods of managing up to 5 concurrent software and front-end projects, amounting to £600k revenue monthly.
Effective communicator, played a key role in multiple client negotiations—in 2020, secured £3.5m worth of backlog for the next 2.5 years.
95% of projects over the tenure delivered on-time and on-budget.
A track record of fighting scope creep through meticulous planning of trajectories and boundaries.
Mentored 13 employees to advance at least one level in their career, two of whom now also work as project managers in the company.
Education
1st B.Sc. Management & Computer Science, September 2009–June 2012
University College London
Key Project Management Skills
Fighting Scope Creep: In the instance of building custom business software for a high-street retailer, spent 50 hours more in the planning stage to clarify and iron out the exact requirements, before presenting them to a client through a rapid prototype, which allowed further narrowing and clarification of boundaries, and saved us an estimated 750 hours of development.
Interpersonal Skills: Reduced the annual staff turnover rate from 25% to 3%, meaning we lose only one person a year on average. Also promoted a culture of advancement and improving, leading to 13 colleagues being promoted at least one rung.
Certifications
Certified Disciplined Agile Coach (CDAC) — PMI, June 2017
Certified Disciplined Agilist (CDA) — PMI, June 2015
Project Management Professional (PMP) — PMI, May 2013
Languages
French (fluent)
German (basic)
Managing projects would be difficult enough without the people, and you have to do both. It is not possible to do this job without decent interpersonal skills. In the same way, being great with people won’t cut it by itself. Skills needed for project management fall on both sides equally.
Here’s a list of examples of project management skills that will put you ahead of every other candidate. Some of them may be transferable skills, so you are sure to find something.
Many persons suddenly increase their expectations and level of perceived authority upon reaching a managerial position. They suddenly start ordering people around with a ruthless lack of leeway on their expectations. They forget that work is not a duty, and therefore should not come through orders.
A captain of a ship needs to have an understanding of their team’s strengths and weaknesses individually, to make sure the collective is working as efficiently as possible. Effective delegation comes from listening, understanding, and knowing your team. It allows you to have the best specialist on each task.
Great project managers don’t just focus on the project side, they focus on the people side too. Building rapport and trust through honesty, transparency, and support makes the bedrock of a well-gelled team.
Assigning work, and not giving orders. Building a team, instead of subjugating. Supporting, instead of blindly expecting. Being clear, transparent and willing to own up, instead of being infallible and holier and thou. That is what makes a leader.
Communication skills may overlap with interpersonal skills, but they also encompass the way you communicate impersonally, in briefs, presentations, and pitches.
And remember, communication isn’t only about output. Active listening and empathic patience build the two-way street that creates great teams. Being heard is far more important than being told. Criticism must be constructive, but at the same time marking a clear path to improvement.
Sometimes you’re wrong. That’s okay. It’s up to you whether you own up and make good on it. People instantly lose trust in a holier-than-thou person that they know is wrong. Your team knows. They talk. They can work it out. You can’t hide.
Integrity is one of the most essential project management skills, or maybe even a key principle. A leader unwilling to admit a mistake sinks deeper into their own lie until they believe it themselves. And when that happens, there is no fixing it for next time.
It applies as much when you’re looking up as when you’re looking down, your clients and stakeholders won’t suffer your lack of integrity either.
Whether it’s Trello, JIRA or Asana, you need to masterfully leverage maximum efficiency out of the tools you have. Instead of listing the name of a software almost everyone uses, try to highlight the magnitude and volume that you have handled while using it.
What is the highest number of projects, tasks, and staff you managed at the same time? List them, add a ‘+’ after each number, and you’re good to go.
What used to be a cutting-edge term is now pretty much a bog-standard requirement. The sheer volume of information, communication and planning requires a consistent methodology. And since the Manifesto for Agile Development was published in 2011, it has risen to the top spot and defined the basis of a multitude of other approaches.
Different workflows and challenges may require one of the off-shoots of Agile principles, or a different approach entirely. Make sure to list the depth and flexibility of your way of working, focusing the most on the one most relevant to the job posting in question.
Project managers that keep a leash on everything are invaluable to companies. The ability to execute the scope statement without tangents and unnecessary side quests are key project management skills that will make you worth your weight in bitcoin.
It’s a skill made up by even parts leadership, assertiveness, vision, conviction, and resourcefulness. You must fight vagueness and set out clear boundaries, and keep your team in check and on track at all times.
It also requires clear communication and a use of some agile methodology. If you don’t keep the users updated from day one, letting them in at a late stage will only create a boatload of feedback to bloat your scope at the 11th hour.
Being a teacher and mentor is better than being just the brain of the command centre. Your subordinates and contractors may not know something or be familiar with something—but 99% of the time they want to improve on that. The choice is yours.
Teaching is the highest level of mastery of a subject, and being a good teacher ranks high on a list of good project management skills.
A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.
You now have a good grasp of what it takes to make a star project manager. Understanding how to write a CV filled with project management skills is a slightly different art form to master.
Wondering what to include in your CV? A CV summary, also known as your CV profile, should kick things off by summarising yourself into about 6 lines so that you can grab the recruiter straight from the header. For some, that’s all they’re going to read, so don’t wait to start listing your project management skills.
Dynamic IT Project Manager with 8+ years of experience managing teams of 25+ staff, both on-site and remotely using Scrum methodology to execute 95% of projects within budget and on-time. A track record of execution without scope creep, while managing monthly spending budgets of £1m+. A strong communicator with patience and a gift for listening, I was able to coach 13 colleagues to advance in their careers, two of whom are now also project managers at my previous employer.
Your job description, or the work experience section, makes the most important part of your whole CV. You are in luck, some of your competitors will be vague and wait until their skills section to focus on them. Not you. Here are some CV tips.
IT Project Manager
visionLabs, Manchester
January 2013–Present
If you’re aspiring to a project manager job from a lower rung, the job description section is not the only one that could be bolstered. Your CV education section can provide value by listing relevant modules or extracurricular activities that prove you have good project management skills.
If you’re an experienced PM, then just stick to writing your degree on your CV.
Education
1st B.Sc. Management & Computer Science, September 2009–June 2012
University College London
Relevant Modules: Project Management, Project Management in IT, Introduction to Management Psychology
Extracurricular activities: Treasurer and President of the Philosophy Society, organising 4 yearly conferences.
Most CV skills sections are clueless. This is why your CV will stand out. Instead of listing random nouns:
Key Project Management Skills
The perfect CV does not contain an ‘Additional Info’ section with a jumble of random facts about you. Keep it relevant. If you’re including a CV hobbies and interests section, make sure it somehow relates to project management skills.
List Languages, Certificates and Awards under separate, clear headings rather than bundled all together. A clear structure helps the hiring manager find all the information that you need them to find.
Certifications
Languages
While being an efficient project manager is something that comes with time, there are certifications that you can acquire to put the stamp of quality on your skills. The Association for Project Management has courses ranging from Fundamentals to Professional.
And of course, write the best cover letter you can. It gives you far more room for being specific and impressive with your key project management skills. Your CV just doesn’t have that room—and you need it.
You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.
If you’re still struggling with examples of project management skills, or you just need some advice on how to include them in your CV, then let us know in the comments section. We’re here to help.
Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.
About the author
Since 2005, the LiveCareer Team has been helping job seekers advance their careers. In our in-depth guides, we share insider tips and the most effective CV and cover letter writing techniques so that you can beat recruiters in the hiring game and land your next job fast. Also, make sure to check out our state-of-the-art CV and cover letter builder—professional, intuitive, and fully in line with modern HR standards. Trusted by 10 million users worldwide.
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