Project manager jobs are among the highest-paid professions in the world. Many strive for this status because they wish to move forward in their careers and earn bigger salaries. However, the rewards come with some downsides. You’ve probably heard once that managerial roles can be quite stressful and very demanding.
This article provides you with some insights about project manager jobs. With the information here, you will get the full start before jumping into the field. The pros and cons are within your grasp of understanding; hence, you won’t make mistakes in the future. Instead, your career will blossom at the right place.
What is a project manager?
As the name suggests, a project manager is someone who manages a certain project from scratch to its completion. The word “manage” relies on various tasks that are based on the subject fields. A project manager for an IT project differs from the one for a social media one.
Therefore, project manager jobs are flexible. In addition to different subject fields, this role may perform tasks that have various deadline schedules from task to task. Some can take months, while others may need years. Each assignment is unique; thus, a project manager is someone who is equally flexible to handle all types.
Responsibilities of a project manager
A project manager handles diverse tasks, starting with proposing a project to a client. The manager will perform the next duties, depending on the client’s request. And, of course, the roles are different from one business line to the other. For instance, handling digital marketing of a product may take a shorter period to promote an electric vehicle offline.
As such, a project manager is someone who manages the resources so that the team members meet the deadline. The other project manager jobs are bridging between the team and the client in case problems arise. Below are details of the role's responsibilities. Pick one that best fits into your current role.
Planning the project
After sealing a project deal, the first task of this position is planning the task. The plan includes the schedule of the project, the daily tasks, and the goal of every phase of the assignment. The plan is subject to change because of feedback from the client. Therefore, some parts of the project manager jobs are communicating with various parties.
Forming the team
One of the project manager jobs is creating the team. Members of the group depend on the scale of the project itself. Next, the leader must assign tasks that consider the skills of each of the members. While the project goes on, the manager must check the quality of the outputs.
Checking the project progress
A project manager monitors how the task runs. They set the deadline for every phase and inform some employees if they are about to miss the deadline. Moreover, the manager will ask them to fix their tasks if they find some errors. If the client requires revisions, the manager will pass them on to the professionals who handle the tasks.
Controlling the budget
One of the project manager jobs is managing the budget. It can happen that the manager has to adjust the allocation if the client cuts or adds it after some revisions. The financial plans can be used for a lot of activities. For web content writing, the project manager will divide the budget for paying the writers and running Google ads.
Overcoming the problems
Mistakes and troubles can arise at times as the project runs. The same goes for changes and adjustments. One of the project manager jobs is solving all types of issues despite good planning. The role sometimes has to interfere in conflicts that involve the team members and the client.
Assessing the project quality
A project manager has to ensure the quality of the outputs before its due delivery. Another part of the project manager jobs is handling responses from the client if the quality is below the standard. If this happens, the head will communicate with the employees for improvement.
Ensuring client satisfaction
The end goal for any project is to make sure the project's progress and results satisfy the clients. For this, the manager has to update the client every step of the way. The purpose can be a bit difficult when the client asks for revisions. With this, the manager should take the responsibility in explaining the consequences of the revisions to the team and the client regarding the budget or the timeline.
Required skills to master project manager jobs
Given its top position, project manager jobs require at least three areas of competencies. You will need to master the technical side, have vast experience and show soft skills. All of them will make it much easier for you to tackle complex projects from various clients across business lines at many scales.
It’s better for you to eye this role from the start so that you can take the majors that will make you faster to arrive at the position. Check the list below for complete guidelines for nailing at the job. On a side note, you need to study all of these concurrently if possible to shorten the time you become one.
- Formal Education: A project manager must at least hold a bachelor's degree in common subjects, such as business, computer science, and engineering. If you have a master’s degree, then it’s an advantage. Graduates with MBA degrees, for instance, should be able to demonstrate management skills and knowledge. Other master’s degree graduates can also apply for the position.
- Certification: To excel at project manager jobs, you should own certifications. Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and Scrum Master are three popular licenses to prove your management competencies. You can use the licenses to apply for managerial positions at local and overseas companies.
- Soft Skills: Soft skills play fundamental roles in all project manager jobs. You must have strong communication and leadership abilities to lead the team and work with the client. In addition, you must have strong problem-solving and quick adaptation capabilities. The role is prone to stress and anxiety, so you must have good emotional management.
Salaries of the project manager jobs
In the UK, the salaries of project managers vary according to years of experience, location, certification, and business field. On average, the salary ranges from £46,688 to £65,031 annually. For entry-level managers, they can earn around £37,439. Meanwhile, the experienced ones can get £65,031. To break it down a little bit, let’s compare the payments for the managers in London and other cities.
In London, project managers can earn between £57,500 and £82,500 on average. Companies in Winchester will pay this role between £45,000 to £98,748. Project manager jobs in Sheffield are valued at between £35,000 - £40,000 on average. The high earnings are worth the efforts and the tasks every leader has to perform every single day.
Shaping your project manager career optimally with CCM
Project manager jobs can be arduous and even frustrating sometimes if not properly understood. Therefore, the College of Contract Management designs some courses that will assist your proficiency in this role. The lessons consider technical competency, social skills, and years of experience you already have. The college also considers specific projects or cases to provide advice.
Whether at the entry or middle levels, its curriculum can meet your needs. You can share problems that are based on the actual events in your work role. From the comfort spot in your house, waste no time to further your career on this path. Come and join them right now!
