5 Must-Have Skills Project Managers Should Mention in Their Resume

The growth of the Internet has given rise to a new generation of project managers, and being hired for a given project is not as easy as it used to be.

Potential clients will have access to dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes for highly trained and qualified project managers. However, you can increase your chances of being chosen to manage a project by mentioning these five must-have skills in your resume.

1. Include Conflict Management Skills in Your Resume

Every project will encounter problems, and disagreements between members of the project management team, skilled worker and upper-level management are incredibly likely. As the project manager, you must be able to resolve these problems in the fastest, fairest way possible. Obviously, your resume needs to touch on your ability to resolve conflicts, not “break up fights.” Finesse is critical in explaining this skill.

2. Focus on Experience in Agile Methodology

Agile processes have become the gold standard in project management, and potential employers will be looking to see if you have any experience in agile methodologies. These methodologies apply to project planning, risk management, project execution and project delivery. As a result, any experience in using agile methodologies should be included in your resume.

3. Demonstrate Your Ability to Manage Scope Creep

Depending on the goals of your employer, scope creep can be the determining factor in how and when a given project is completed. Essentially, a client who wants a project completed must be able to know that his or her budget and deadline will align with his or her expectations. In your resume, you need to demonstrate your ability to manage scope creep through standardized processes and your business strategy.

4. Emphasize Experience With Project Management Software Types

Since different types of project management software exist, mention previous usage and training of project management software types in the resume. If the majority of your experience centers on one type of software, focus that portion of your resume on what level of continuing education you have maintained with the software. For example, annual training on Oracle’s EPPM should be italicized.

5. Use Your Resume to Prove Your Ability to Communicate

Your resume is your introduction to potential employers, and although it communicates why you want the position, you still need to touch on your ability to communicate with staff, upper-level management and members of the project team.

For example, include your preference for conducting team meetings with workers, and define what email policies you plan to follow. Moreover, you can emphasize your ability to determine when communication may be unneeded, such as “discontinuation of duplicitous reports when generated in the same reporting period.”

Your resume needs to stand out from other project managers if you hope to be hired in an increasingly competitive world. By mentioning these skills in your resume, you can help potential employers see why you are the best candidate for the position, and it will stress your level of experience in the field.

Key Ways to Mention Your Skills in Your Resume

• You have experience in resolving conflicts.
• Agile methodologies were used in previous projects with company A.
• Touch on how you handled scope creep in other projects.
• List the type of project management software that you are most experienced in using.
• Showcase your ability to communicate by varying your diction and explaining your plans for keeping everyone in the loop. This is part of your business strategy as well.