Whilst having the right qualifications for a career in project management is incredibly important it is vital that you never underestimate the necessity of having the right skill set as well. The combination of good project management training and a carefully honed skill set will make you a very desirable employee for any company looking for a strong project manager.
1.Leadership
By its very definition, a project manager is someone who is managing a project, and that means that there will undoubtedly be a team of people working with you. Having the right leadership skills to lead from both an operational and strategic point of view is vital. Goo leadership is no t just the ability to ensure that your project is going smoothly, and everyone is keeping to deadlines, it is also about stepping in and helping when there is a need.
2.Communication
Possibly the most important skill that any project manager will need is the ability to communicate. Communication is a two-way street and it is really important that the rest of the team feel able to come to you with any issues that have arisen; especially those that may make meeting project deadlines difficult. Good communication skills also mean being able to listen to other people’s points of view.
3.Planning
The ability to schedule a project effectively is a core skill that every project manager should have. Unfortunately it is one that is all too often given little attention. Without a properly planned project however there is a good chance that everything could go array and even the best communication and leadership skills ay not be enough to put things right.
4.Time Management
There are some people who don’t consider time management to be an essential skill, but without it your project deadline can pass without each element of the project being completed Being able to work out which tasks need doing first and by who in order for other elements of the project to be completed is a very necessary skill that should not be underestimated.
5.Risk Management
When a project does not go to plan it is the project manager who is the easy target. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, everyone will wonder if there were risks that the project manager could have seen and possibly prevented. Good risk management is a way of avoiding nasty surprises and working around them when they do occur.
6.Negotiation Skills
Negotiation is more than just communication, and a good project manager will be able to bring together a bunch of people to work on the project whilst negotiating with them to ensure that they get the best from every member of the team for the good of the project.
7.Subject matter knowledge
Putting all of those skills you learned on project management courses into practice is really important when it comes to being a good project manager. The knowledge that you learn is only good if you actually use it.