Mariusz Augustyniak, IT Senior Project Manager DXC Technology talks about his work and what competencies he is looking for in candidates for his team.
What is the job of an IT project manager?
As a project manager list of armenia cell phone numbers I am responsible for delivering IT solutions ordered by clients. These are usually dedicated solutions, the implementation of which takes even more than a year. During this time, requirements are confirmed with the client, directions are set for the team and all tasks are carried out within a specified time. This is mainly coordination of work and communication with stakeholders.
What are the main tasks of an IT project manager? Who do you work with on a daily basis?
This is ensuring the implementation of IT solutions with the appropriate functionality and quality, within a previously agreed time and budget. During the project, I work with my team of IT architects, analysts, developers, testers and specialists in various SME systems, as well as with the client’s team.
What are the challenges in this role?
A sign of the times, also when working on projects, is the dizzying pace. This means more and more tasks and less and less time. The project manager is the “face” of the entire undertaking, as well as a representative of the company that delivers the project australian companies are using ai to develop marketing strategies for this reason so he or she often takes on the task of explaining to clients delays in deliveries or other situations that occurred during implementation. It is also often the case that we work with access to limited resources. So there are situations that threaten the success of the project. The manager must then react appropriately.
How to become an IT project manager and what key competencies must a specialist in this position have?
There are many ways to start working in this position. Currently, many companies are looking for people for the position of junior PM, offering training and first experience on projects, working directly with a project manager. This is a good start.
An IT project manager should have the entire project management workshop “at one finger” (going through all the stages: planning, initiation, supervision, closing, as well as those key areas: scope, schedule and budget). In addition, there are also skills in confident team management.
So what should the ideal CV of such a candidate look like? Does it differ when applying for a position in a higher position?
The CV depends on the candidate’s profile and the projects they are applying for. We can distinguish the CV of a starting junior PM with, say, one year of experience from the CV of a senior PM with ten years of experience, because what is expected from a senior role compared to a junior one.
A junior PM candidate should have experience in assisting in a larger project and in managing, for example, a subproject or a small IT project . Additionally ej leads education in the field of IT and/or management is welcome, or at least a project management course and one certificate, e.g. AGILE PSMI – Professional Scrum Master. In this CV, the candidate should honestly present their experience in managing a specific project: name the employer, client (if such information can be provided), their greatest contribution to the success of the project. It is also worth mentioning the specialized education and courses related to project management.
On the other hand, a candidate for a senior PM should attach a portfolio of their projects to their CV , presenting each of their roles, scope of responsibilities, and contribution to achieving the result. Additionally, it is worth including a short description of the project, its duration, team size, and budget (if such information can be shared).
Do you have any advice for people who are preparing for a job interview or wondering what to do next with their career?
For the position of junior PM, it is enough to talk about one or two projects during the interview in such a way as to convince the employer that you actually have an idea of management. It is also a demonstration of the desire to continue developing in this direction. It is worth showing enthusiasm and openness.
The best preparation for a job interview is experience and knowledge of the area and terminology in project management. It is worth mentioning the courses you have taken and the certificates you have obtained. You could say that a year or two of solid work is the period of preparation for a junior PM for a job interview for a dream company or a desired project.
However, in the case of senior PMs who have successfully independently managed several to several dozen large and complex projects, it is worth considering what they want to do next . How do they want to capitalize on their experience? One way is to stay in the same position and acquire new skills by entering different areas every two or three years (so-called horizontal promotion), e.g. managing cloud projects in banking or public administration.
There is also nothing to prevent you from being promoted to a department director in a company, e.g. responsible for all projects or projects in a given industry or for a specific client. Positions such as Delivery Director, Account Delivery Lead, Business Unit Manager / Director are mid-senior level. One of the development paths is also managing a project management department or a project support office (PMO). More enterprising senior managers or project managers can start their own business and work as freelancers, obtaining orders for themselves or even start their own company and obtain projects and implement them with the help of employees or associates and subcontractors.
What skills are companies currently looking for in candidates for project managers?
The basic features of this role, contrary to appearances, have not changed for years. A project manager is a person who analyzes the situation well and makes good decisions. Communication skills are also important. Coordinating work and communicating appropriately with the team and outside of it is, after all, the main task of a PM. Every project manager, regardless of the level in the organization, should be well organized, because this is what stakeholders expect from us: taking care of chaos, setting direction and prioritizing tasks.
If we are talking about methodologies and certificates, more and more projects are implemented in AGILE, so the basis is Scrum skills, the most common AGILE framework in IT. Obtaining the PSMI certificate – Professional Scrum Master should be a priority for every candidate who is serious about this development path. For more experienced people, the next step is the PMP certificate – Project Management Professional, issued by PMI – Project Management Institute. This will certainly give candidates an advantage on the market.
Additionally, with the development and popularity of cloud projects, there is a growing demand for PMs who have experience in migrations to the Cloud. Due to the increasing number of projects in the area of automation, artificial intelligence and analytics, PMs with knowledge of RPA, AI, Analytics and Big Data issues and methodologies are sought.
I also have one last piece of advice for junior and senior PMs: focus on a high level of English and German, because then you will have more opportunities, i.e. working directly with foreign clients at higher rates . Expanding into the international market also means to some extent reducing dependence on the domestic market, which can be important in times of recession. A project manager in IT with international experience and recognized certificates such as PMP is a competitive candidate, considering the high qualifications, as well as the lower rates applicable in the German-speaking region: in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and also in the English-speaking region, which includes Great Britain, Ireland, the USA and Australia.