Top Project Manager Skills Employers Look For

Who Is a Project Manager?

A project manager is a professional who oversees projects from initiation to completion. Building a career as project manager involves taking responsibility for planning, executing and delivering projects on time, within the budget and up to the required quality standards.

Project manager roles and responsibilities:

• Planning projects and a timeline

• managing budgets and resources

• Assigning responsibilities to team members

• Communicating with stakeholders

• Identifying and managing potential risks

• Overseeing the progress of the project

• Ensuring that the project meets quality standards

Project Manager Skills

Project managers serve as the primary communication point between team members and stakeholders. They ensure that the project aligns with the organisation’s objectives and is successfully delivered with a focus on quality. To do this effectively, a project manager needs a diverse Project Manager Skills list that includes both technical and soft skills.

1. Leadership Skills

Good project managers can guide their team to perform efficiently and complete projects on time. A project manager skillfully coordinates a team by planning projects, managing budgets, distributing tasks and overseeing project progress

By building strong rapport and providing clear guidance, they motivate team members to work toward the success of the project. Hence, leadership skills are one of the essential skills for project manager role.

2. Communication Skill

A project manager needs to resonate with the team members to effectively facilitate teamwork. A project manager needs to communicate for various needs, whether it is training a new employee or resolving a conflict or managing an entire team. Thus, the skills needed to be a project manager are an absolute necessity to convey goals, instructions and feedback effectively to the team members.

3. Adaptability and Flexibility

A project manager must be adaptable and flexible in dynamic environments. Whether adjusting to hectic working schedules, coping with unexpected tasks or meeting tight deadlines, a project manager must be ready to confront challenges. Moreover, staying updated with the trends and industry demands helps a manager to carry out their role effectively, making these essential skills required to be a project manager.

4. Technical Proficiency

While not all project managers are technical experts, having a strong understanding of relevant tools, platforms, and technologies is one of the key project manager skills. In the IT field, for instance, familiarity with Agile or Scrum enables the project managers to perform effectively. Thus, technical expertise can help to fill the gap between technical professionals and stakeholders.

5. Decision Making

The ability to make decisions quickly and consciously is among the crucial skills needed to be a project manager. This decision-making process involves analysing the scenario, considering the opinions of others and then making an informed decision. Therefore, the ability to make decisions quickly and consciously is crucial for a project manager role.

Project Manager Salary in India

Project Manager Salary in India depends on various factors such as qualification, work experience and location of the job. On average, a project manager in India earns around Rs 4.8 Lakhs - 31.2 Lakhs annually. The monthly salary range of a project manager with an experience of 4 to 15 years is Rs 99,000 - 1 Lakh.

(Salary source: Ambitionbox)

Conclusion

With an in-demand skill set and relevant industry experience, a project manager can secure well-paying positions in the industry. By combining key project manager skills such as leadership, communication, decision-making and technical proficiency, aspiring project managers can build a stable and successful career.