Without a dedicated project manager tasks are underestimated, schedules become tighter, and processes are accelerated. The result is always an inferior product. Dedicated project management ensures that a project not only has the time and resources it needs to get done, but that the quality of the project is evaluated at every stage.
Good project management requires closed-loop phases where teams can evaluate the outcome in terms of quality, applicability, and profitability. Before that, it is necessary to think about the process of hiring and selecting top performers. Let us explore the best tips for hiring a high performing professional.
The top 8 strategies for getting the best Project Manager
1. Make sure they know latest data analysis systems
A good project manager should be familiar with the latest data analysis systems. With the help of these systems, companies can improve the information at their disposal to make optimal decisions. And transforming data into visual representations can help managers move forward and stay on track.
Microsoft Power Bi is probably the most widely used and utilized tool for large projects, so you’d do well to have a leader who is well-versed in it. If you are considering this, be sure to include an assessment of how well you can handle this tool. You can learn more about the power bi-test and start the selection process from soft skills to hard skills.
2. Create a high-level role profile
A good project manager’s competency-based role profile stems from the need to determine when a person is competent. Specifically, it involves leading and being responsible for efficient and successful work teams.
The quality of a manager’s leadership lies in the competencies and skills they can exercise. In this sense, the job description according to managerial competencies is of paramount importance in selecting the most suitable professional. This manager role profile is a document that defines and describes the competencies, skills, knowledge and behaviors of a manager.
It is key to the hiring and competency assessment processes. This, in order to find the ideal candidate to perform the managerial tasks correctly and successfully. This means finding qualified talent that meets the requirements of the organization. At the same time, it must be clear what is expected of them.
3. Focus on key performance skills crucial for the position
Once the job description is formulated and you receive resumes from applicants, you should evaluate the candidates who apply. The skills of project managers are not always transferable to other industries, so companies looking to hire a project manager should evaluate applicants based on their experience and knowledge in their particular field.
For example, a project manager in construction may have some skills that apply to software project management, but many of the expectations and parameters are different. You may even choose to put candidates through a skills or personality test before considering them for the job.
If you find that the candidates applying for your project manager position are not the kind of people you want to hire, either because they do not have the right experience or because of other factors, you need to ask yourself how clear the position is.
If you work in a competitive field or there are not many project managers with the qualifications and skills you need, you may need to actively seek out candidates rather than waiting for them to find your job posting.
4. Be sure to ask the right questions
Before you begin interviewing applicants, it may be useful to formulate a series of questions that will allow applicants to demonstrate their understanding of project management and best practices for managing a project in your industry.
This could mean asking for details about past projects and identifying when an applicant demonstrates effective project management. You can also present hypothetical project scenarios and ask the applicant how they would respond.
If you are unfamiliar with project management processes, terminology, and best practices, it can be helpful to do some research before the interview to know what to look for. The candidates you interview should answer any project management questions in a way that demonstrates they understand how project management works and what new contributions they can bring to the table.
It’s also important to ask about each applicant’s certifications. Especially in the technology industry, project managers may have special certifications or training in certain methodologies that can add value to the job.
If your industry is one of them, you’ll probably want to know what certifications are available, how they impact project management, and what would be best for your company.
5. Don’t skimp on paying for excellence
Once you have found the candidate who you think best fits your top-performing company culture, you should quickly make them an offer. Project managers are in high demand in many industries, so it can be helpful to act quickly when you are ready to hire someone.
It’s also helpful to research the average salaries for this position in your industry, especially depending on location and experience, to make sure your offer is reasonable.
Be prepared to pay for experience. In many industries, “project manager” is a title that comes after years of experience. So qualified project managers may have extensive experience in your industry. This may cost you more in salary, but it’s probably worth it if they have the skills and experience you need.
Any research you do to calculate an appropriate salary should be specific to your industry. Since the title “project manager” is used in many industries, doing research on job duties, qualifications, and salaries for industries you do not work in is not helpful. Paying wisely, although you may not believe it, is a smart way to reduce costs in the long run for the company.
6. Search for solid skills in remote team managing
This is of great importance in post-pandemic times, as many projects have been carried out remotely. It also gives you the peace of mind that you do not have to constantly keep track of progress, because a manager who is used to working remotely knows how to organize and coordinate work.
In addition, thanks to communication technologies, many companies choose to contract big hiring and management services internationally. A company may well be based in Ireland and hire a team leader in Denmark, for example.
Project management requires not only methodological skills, but also the use of technology through digital tools such as Trello, Asana or Slack to coordinate teamwork and monitor compliance with deadlines and assigned tasks.
Ask the candidate if they have experience working remotely and what tools they use. If you already work with any of the existing tools in your company, ask specifically if they are familiar with them.
7. Don’t lose sight of formal qualification
Nowadays, there are many sources of management information, but it is essential to align this information with business plans. Therefore, it is important that you look for candidates who have extensive technical and formal training in their respective fields.
As time goes on and changes impact businesses, management training becomes more important. Nowadays, information reaches consumers very quickly, so managers must constantly think about strategies that affect the market.
The challenge for a manager is to use company resources wisely. It is about analyzing the available information. It’s not enough to have information, you have to know how to manage it properly. Problems occur in every business, either as an isolated event, and a good manager must be able to solve them by first thoroughly analyzing the situation to understand its causes and effects.
8. If the project is short-term, hire to the same extent
The characteristics of a leader must be in line with those of the undertaking, so it makes a lot of sense to limit their tenure to the duration of the project. For some companies, it may not make sense to hire a full-time, permanent project manager.
Instead, you could hire a freelance project manager or a contract manager who is paid only for working on a specific project from start to finish. This might be more cost-effective for some companies that only do short-term projects and prefer to vary their management staff.
Successful projects rely on clarity in the choice of project manager
As we have seen, hiring a top-performing project manager requires considering the operational, human, and logistical dimensions of the task to be accomplished.
The most important thing to consider is for they to:
- Be proficient in current data analysis systems.
- Have a profile that fits each skill set stipulated in the job description.
- Be open to change. Lead by example.
- Skills in remote team management.
- Have a high level of academic and professional training.
Also, for you to:
- Design a specific, optimized job description
- Review profiles thoroughly, ask confident questions, and ask about hard and soft skills.
- Boosting resources in order to afford to pay the best talent.
Author’s Bio:
Guillermo is a venezuelan SEO Content Writer, currently living between Uruguay and Argentina. His articles have reached more than two million people across the Americas. He firmly believes in love, dulce de leche and Kelly Clarkson.
