Sunday, July 1, 2012

5 Tips to Find the Right Project Manager

Are you responsible for hiring a project manager for your organization? The task can be challenging because the project manager is in charge of analyzing organizational requirements, managing team members, and handling the resources to ensure maximum output. In short, the project manager has the responsibility of delivering the final project on time and within budget.
If this is your first time hiring a project manager, there are steps you need to take. In this article, we’ll look into how you can hire the right project manager for the job:
Define the requirements – what exactly do you expect from the project manager? At this point, you may not have the exact scope of the project but having a list of the critical skills the project manager must have can help you shortlist the candidates. Look for candidates with previous experience in the field or have the necessary technical skills to handle the requirements.
Choose someone with leadership abilities – executives and human resource professionals who have worked with project managers in the past knows how important leadership skills are to complete the project. Finding a project manager that meets a specific set of criteria can be very difficult, especially since each project is unique. What is more important is to choose a project manager who is versatile and has leadership capabilities.
Gauge expertise based on previous work – the best way to find out whether a project manager will “work out” is to look at his work history. Were the previous projects completed on time and within budget? Find out whether he handled a small team or a large team as well. Get as much information as possible. It is also important to find out what kind of methodologies he uses in project management.
Assess communication skills – the project manager you hire should have strong written and verbal communication skills. He should be able to get the point across to team members who may come from different backgrounds. The requirements of the project must be understood by all stakeholders, from the management to team members.
Find out his work ethics – aside from the project manager’s professional skills, work ethics should also be considered in the hiring decision. Does he take responsibility for the mistakes committed by team members? It is also important to choose someone who is communicative, punctual, and who pays attention to details.
By doing all of the above, you’ll have a shortlist of qualified candidates who can fill the role of project manager in the organization.

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