If your business is experiencing rapid change or growth, it may be time to bring aboard an IT project manager who can guide you through the processes necessary to re-imagine, develop, and deploy your IT systems.
IT project management is constantly evolving; however, there are a unique set of skills to look for that can provide great value.
5 IT project management skills you must not overlook
The most effective project managers in IT have certain skills that they to share. Look for great IT Project Managers to do the following:
They can explain how technology improves productivity and impact.
Every project manager in IT must be conversant in technology. They know IT verbiage, and they can also explain terminology so non-technical contributors understand what’s going on. The tech-fluent Project Manager will also know that IT has its own systemic hierarchy dictating which processes must take precedence. It’s helpful if the IT Project Manager has a keen sense of the norms of your business.
Navigator’s sense of direction.
Project managers understand the company’s roadmap of goals, and they use the company’s compass to align project directions. For example, moving records storage to a cloud-based server might be delayed until other issues are first addressed, depending on the needs of the organization.
A clear sense of where stakeholders’ interests align.
Accomplishing goals takes more than commitment. Project management in the IT world requires bringing stakeholders together to complement each other rather than prioritizing one over the other.
Keen ability to assess, monitor and act.
Strategy is key to successful project completion. Deploying a well-planned strategy depends on the IT Project Manager’s tracking skills and ability to verify, evaluate and adjust to changes.
Loose-tight implementation approach.
Not all process phases go as planned. The expert IT Project Manager will know when to pivot, move forward or pause any steps.
The bottom line
Professional recruiters can help you find candidates with the critical skills necessary for overseeing your IT projects. However, the person you hire for this role will potentially need more than just the IT Project Management skills listed above. Look for two additional critical skills: agility and communication.
Although projects may need a laser-like focus to complete specific goals, agility and knowing how to make key decisions in a short timeframe is an absolutely necessity for IT Project Management. A willingness to adopt agile scheduling may keep projects on track while the manager deals with delays, changes, staffing challenges, and other challenges.
Additionally, as you interview each applicant, explore how much the candidate values communication across multiple levels of an organization. The IT Project Manager you select must participate in real-time and virtual meetings, correspond via email and write cogent reports. This manager must communicate clearly and be a good listener.
If you need help developing interview questions that will bring out the best in your candidates, turn to your recruiter for assistance.
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