Are you considering an IT project management career? This can be a lucrative and rewarding career, but you need to have a suitable skill set. Many project managers find themselves unable to climb the career ladder because they don’t have these skills.
So what skills do you need to be great at IT project management? This article lists five key talents you’ll need to master if you want to be a fantastic manager.
1. Get Certified
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If you want to be taken seriously as a project manager, you’ll need to get some kind of project management certification. If you don’t have the proper credentials, many job positions simply won’t take your application seriously.
In the USA, PMP is a very popular type of project management certification. Of course, being certified isn’t a replacement for experience, so you should also consider getting certified if it backs up your existing skillset.
2. Get Experienced
You won’t be taken seriously as an IT project manager if you don’t have the correct experience to do the job. You’ll need to have a tried and tested reputation for completing projects and delivering results.
You might not necessarily need to have experience with IT projects specifically, but you should be able to demonstrate some instances where you’ve taken the lead on a project.
Of course, this means it can be challenging to get that initial experience. You should be prepared to take on any project management opportunity to get that all-important content for your resume.
3. Understand The Business Aspect
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in project management is to focus too much on the projects and not enough on the bigger picture. If you want to launch a successful career in project management, you’ll need to show you can understand the business aspect.
A project manager who understands how their project fits in with the long-term vision of the company can set themselves apart from the competition.
4. Gain the Trust Of The Team
It’s also crucial that you take steps to gain the trust of your team. If your co-workers don’t trust you, you’ll struggle to deliver quality results consistently.
You can facilitate trust with your team by being a great manager. You need to avoid things like excessive micromanagement, unreasonable deadlines, and excessive workloads.
When a team trusts its management, they’re likely to be a lot more efficient. On the other hand, poor management practice can create resentment resulting in people doing the bare minimum.
5. Social Skills
You won’t go far in IT project management without having good social skills. You’ll need to spend most of the week working closely with your team. With the right kind of people, this can be a great experience.
On the other hand, social issues can cause a project to go off the rails. A good IT manager has the skills needed to create a great workspace.
These Skills Could Help You Land A Project Management Career
An IT project management career is a challenging but rewarding job. If you can master the skills listed in the article, you’re well on your way to becoming a promising IT manager.
If you want to read more about other career-related topics, check out the rest of our blog posts.
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