1. WELCOME TO MODULE 5 OF WRITING IT RESUMES!
Project managers? The name says it all. 😉 They manage projects and the logistics surrounding them, so there's little mystery to project managers.
That's why writing resumes for project managers can be very profitable for you as a resume writer. You're not required to write about extensive technical details, but rather the...
Scope, Purpose, and Intended Outcome of the Project
The scope consists of the "what" of the project, such as expected length, intended budget, staff needed, and other identifiers.
The purpose is the "why" the project is being built. Is it to add a revenue stream? Add new functionality to the company? Give customers an enhanced tool or experience?
The intended outcome is "where" the project will ultimately take the company. Is the result expected to be increased revenue, time savings, happier customers, less dependency on multiple resources, and migration from relic systems or software?
Everything else project managers do is very similar, and most often identical, to what other managers do.
Managers generally focus on:
- Staff Management/Development
- Resource Allocation/Optimization
- Time Management/Overall Team Performance
- Internal Team & Customer Happiness
- Money - Project Budgeting, Contracts, Salaries
- Getting Results & Optimal Outcomes
Of course, this isn't an all-inclusive list, though it encompasses most of what managers worry about. In fact, you can apply the above list to just about any supervisor, director, manager, and executive role.
It doesn't matter where the manager is on the rung of business. They all have the same concerns and goals.
2. KEYWORDS FOR PROJECT MANAGERS
Actionable Insights
Change Controls
Client Needs Assessments
Client Relationship Management
Client Solutions
Cloud-Based Applications
Cloud-Based Infrastructure
Cloud-Based Platforms
Corrective Action Plan
Cost Controls
Cost Management
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Development Phases
End-User Acceptance
End-User Support
Financial Forecasting/Tracking
Inception to Completion
Issue Management
IT Department Management
IT Initiatives/Projects
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Mission-Critical Projects
New & Emerging Tech
On-Time Delivery
Performance Measurement
Project Acceptance Procedures
Project Backlog
Project Budgeting/Costing
Project Change Requests/Management
Project Communications
Project Coordination
Project Document Development
Project Goals & Budgeting
Project Issue Management
Project Leadership
Project Management Governance
Project Management Logistics
Project Management Objectives
Project Management Standards
Project Milestone Development/Monitoring
Project Planning
Project Resource Management
Project Roadmapping
Project Scheduling
Project Scope & Timeline
Project Scope Creep
Project Standards
Project Team Building
Project Team Management
Project Work Plans
Quality Controls
Resource Allocation
Risk Management
Risk Mitigation
Scope Management
Software Development Lifecycle
Staff Management & Alignment
Staff Scheduling/Monitoring
Staffing Management Plan
System Development Lifecycle
Team Building
Team Collaboration
Team Performance & Enhancement
Technical Resource Allocation
Timeline Forecasting
Work Breakdown Structures
Work Planning & Priorities
3. CERTIFICATIONS
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- CompTIA Project+
- Master Project Manager (MPM)
- Certified Project Management Practitioner (CPMP)
- Certified Project Manager (CPM)
- Professional in Project Management (PPM)
Certifications are available through many online channels, including the Global Association for Quality Management, Project Management Institute, and CompTIA.
4. YUP, ACHIEVEMENTS!
In the last module, we mentioned how writing achievements for technical roles can be challenging, and all-too-often, near impossible. Many technical jobs don't have an impact on sales, cost controls, performance improvements, etc.
Technical project managers differ when it comes to achievements. So in this section, we're outlining where project managers have an impact on their IT departments and the overall bottom lines.
Using the above list, achievements can result from core areas such as:
- Project Cost Reductions
- Resources Reallocation
- Agile Production Environment (Switch from Waterfall)
- Contractors vs. Employees
Here's an example of these results in action:
- PROJECT COST REDUCTIONS = Audited project scope and met with 3 department stakeholders funding the $3.1M SaaS project expected to launch in 9 months. Tapped a developer from another team, thereby reducing the project budget by 8%.
- RESOURCE REALLOCATION = Recruited the IT team to participate in Shave Days, which challenged the staff to reduce tasks and level resources. Shaved 1.5 months from the backend of the project.
- AGILE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT = Introduced new tools and resources to the development team, including Agile methods, reducing the duration of the project from 90 days to 3 weeks.
- CONTRACTORS VS. EMPLOYEES = Negotiated a staffing contract that enabled the company to hire, onboard, and train new developers in less time and at 30% of the cost.
5. AGILE METHODS
Agile methods are changing the world of work.
You may have noticed a reference to Agile in a previous module, so we thought it was time to tell you more about it.
Before we do, let's back up and tell you about another popular project management method, Waterfall.
The Waterfall approach dates back to the 1970s and was vital to project managers for many years. Over the years, other agile frameworks have surfaced, including Kanban and Scrum (familiar with software projects).
Agile has become the clear front-runner of project management methods. The reason for this is because, as Atlassian Agile Coach says, "Teams choose agile so they can respond to changes in the marketplace or feedback from customers quickly without derailing a year's worth of plans."
Agility gives companies and technical teams the structure needed to make great strides on a project by working on iterations (versions). They aren't shooting for "good or great" but "good enough." At least for now.
This might sound counterintuitive; however, companies have learned that they need only a minimum viable product (MVP) with enough features at the beginning that can be enhanced later by using consistent feedback. This feedback helps developers focus on what end-users and customers want and need, not what developers or the company THINKS they do.
The use of agile continues to grow in popularity because of its success record. Companies that use agile are seeing faster project builds, higher success rates from teams, and greater deliverables/enhancements.
We think agile is for technical departments only. Yet, agile methods are being used across many other departments and business areas, including:
- Human Resources
- Procurement/Purchasing
- Marketing/Content Development
- Product Development
- Engineering
As a resume writer, we recommend learning what Agile can do for you and how it can transform your business.
