Being a project manager, assignments follow one after another and are not alike. Since it is often impossible to detail all the projects, how do you build a relevant project manager’s résumé?
A juggler of tasks par excellence, project managers work in all fields: engineering, computers, construction, finance, marketing, pharmaceutical, media, etc. His role is to analyze the project’s needs, plan and develop the necessary resources, meet deadlines and ensure the project’s delivery. “A project always has an objective, a purpose. The project manager must therefore arrive at the finish line by managing all the different elements that constitute it,” explains Jessica Gohier, résumé expert and founder of the Profilia company.
Considering the diversity of the fields, what strategies should be adopted to write a relevant and personalized project manager’s résumé? The first step is to understand who is your reader, that is, the position and the industry. “From there, the résumé’s visual side can be adapted,” says Jessica Gohier. “So we will generally go with a more creative style for marketing and more traditional for engineering, for example.” From a technical point of view, it will be interesting to highlight your skills with easily identifiable keywords, she continues.
Another aspect which is highly attractive to employers are measurable values. For example, mention that you were able to save a certain amount of money for the company, specify the monetary value of projects managed, make a factual demonstration of continuous improvement, etc. These are elements to put forward explicitly!
How to take advantage of your diverse experiences
It is obviously impossible (and not recommended) to name all your professional experience. However, project managers usually have a lot to say! “Your CV is not the story of your life,” says Jessica Gohier. “A project manager’s CV should be limited to two pages at most. The goal is not to tell everything you have done, but what supports your objective. And go back at most 15 years.”
Note that regardless of the industry, there are so-called transferable skills, explains the Profilia founder. Considering, for example, that negotiation is an important quality to have, this skill can be highlighted in the context of a professional experience that is not directly related to the desired field. Among other qualities sought are: planning, financial management, risk management, human resources management, communication skills, leadership and change management. Technical skills and the methodology used (for example, PMBOK, KANBAN, AGILE) are also excellent expertises to put forward!