The IT sector is relentlessly replenished with new professions, although it is already rich in all sorts of specializations. Many of them become pretty popular, and one of the – project managers (PM). This person coordinates the team’s work on a specific task and is responsible for the quality and timely result.
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Unlike the usual heads of departments and companies, this specialist is only responsible for a particular project at the time of its implementation. However, its functions involve solving many problems, which require remarkable efforts and deep knowledge. But all this can be learned if you want to know.
What should a PR manager be able to do?
Any large-scale business project requires an experienced manager to bring it to a logical and practical conclusion. His competence includes a wide range of responsibilities:
- The selection of performers
- Develop a technical task
- Setting up a workflow
- Providing feedback to the manager
- Control of the quality of work;
- Solving the difficulties;
- Compliance with budget deadlines and frameworks.
This specialist has a lot of responsibilities and powers. His work is subject to constant control, and in this regard – and stress. But for an experienced manager, he works on without unnecessary emotions and experiences.
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Once you’ve figured out what it is and why you need it, you can consider the skills that he should have. And then there will be an impressive list:
- A clear understanding of the scope of the product trusted to manage
- Good knowledge of general management;
- Team management and planning skills
- Possession of tools to conduct an order;
- The ability to build relationships with people;
- Risk management and force majeure.
It is essential to apply the correct management methodology, which is presented several years today. In particular, the Agile model, which refers to a relaxed look, has become popular. It is actively used in software development.
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It is also essential to be able to use Internet tools in your activities. These are planners, smart cards, tas trackers, and much other helpful software. If we name specific programs, the most popular among the projects are Slack, Basecamp, YouTrack, and Trello.
To become a successful PM, you need to have an extraordinary character, be responsible, attentive, and discreet. Communication is also essential. It would be best if you communicated with people – from performers to the customer, and at the same time be a subtle psychologist. And necessarily – stress-resistant. Without the last quality in this profession, there is nothing to do. Calm and rationality are essential for managing a project and bringing it to its final result.
Pros and cons of project manager
One of the main reasons why it is worth looking at this profession is its extraordinary demand. And this can be easily seen by looking into the order section in this direction on our stock exchange.
Project managers work remotely does not require compulsory higher education, but knowledge on the topic will be mandatory. Often, specialists from a particular field apply for this position. Developers, programmers, testers – all of them can retrain as project managers, having completed the relevant courses.
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The next undoubted plus of the profession – potential career growth. Having honed the management skills, you can apply for the company’s top manager. Starting with small orders, you can gradually move to larger ones, thus gaining new experience and increasing financial earnings.
Another advantage is the ability to work at home, as the project manager’s activities imply flexible working hours. Freelance for such specialists is convenient and profitable. It allows you to work each time on different tasks, choosing them according to their requirements and interests. In addition, remote work opens up vast opportunities for cooperation with employers around the world.
If we talk about the disadvantages of the profession, it is worth mentioning the high level of responsibility and often irregular working schedule. The issues will have to be solved day and night, without days off and delays. For unprepared managers, such activity can be associated with constant stress, but this condition passes along with experience. In addition, wages in this area are pretty high, which justifies the nature of the work.
Recruitment manager: what do you need to know?
If you decide to become a project manager on a freelance, be sure to try without wasting time. If you have the necessary qualities and feel strong, start by registering on a freelance exchange. There you will find your first orders, which will help develop experience and increase professionalism. It may not be easy, but only at the beginning.
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And for the first steps to be successful, pay attention to the advice of experienced professionals:
- Don’t skimp on recruiting professionals to the team.
- Outline the area of responsibility for each executor.
- Monitor each step of the work.
- Make a detailed TK and clarify all the incomprehensible points;
- carefully filter the information for the customer about the progress of the project.
In this work, it is essential to delegate responsibilities, leaving them in the zone of control. And to do this, you need to cooperate with reliable experts. There is also a need to pay attention to the documenting process – scheduling, schedules, progress reports, etc. All this should be in a presentable, understandable, and accessible form. The same applies to project documentation.
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It is essential to balance the global task and adjust plans to have no flaws and heavy workloads among team members. It is necessary to be a guarantor of security for employees and customers. Most importantly, it is to be for both sides a leader and a bulwark of stability and reliability even in stressful situations.
Ready to be in such a profession?