How To Hire A Project Manager for Your Company? [Job Description & Important Skills]
Effective project management helps improve efficiency by coordinating workflows, resources, and communication with stakeholders. Companies that regularly apply project management practices achieve a remarkable 92% success rate in meeting their project goals. Hence, selecting the right project manager is crucial in ensuring successful project execution for your company. In this blog, we will explain how to hire a project manager in India and important skills to look for while hiring them.
Who is a Project Manager?
A project manager is a professional who directs and manages projects from start to finish. Some of their typical responsibilities include:
- Establish and cultivate a strong project team by setting clear goals, providing guidance, and keeping team members motivated.
- Take charge of projects from beginning to end. This includes planning schedules, budgets, and costs while also managing potential risks.
- Maintain effective relationships and keep all stakeholders updated on any changes related to the project.
How to Hire a Good Project Manager in India?
Hiring a good project manager involves several steps to ensure you find the right fit for your team. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to hire a project manager in India:
Step 1: Outline the Objectives
- List your goals and objectives.
- Clearly define what needs to be achieved, the timeline for completion, and any specific requirements or constraints.
- Next, define the specific role and responsibilities of the project manager.
- Consider what skills and experience are necessary to fulfil these duties successfully.
Step 2: Create a Compelling Project Manager Job Description
- Creating a detailed project manager job description is another crucial point.
- A well-written job description not only attracts suitable candidates but also establishes clear expectations.
- It facilitates selecting an accomplished project manager who aligns with your company’s needs.
Step 3: Post Jobs on Hiring Platforms
- When seeking out a skilled project manager, it is beneficial to utilize dedicated job boards, such as Internshala. You can also check out this guide on the best job portals in India to find the right candidates for your company.
- These platforms provide access to a diverse pool of talented individuals.
- Use these platforms to post your job requirements, clearly outlining responsibilities and expectations.
Step 4: Evaluate Project Manager’s Skills
- Once you start getting resumes of potential candidates, look out for important skills.
- For hiring a good project manager, assess their experience and expertise in your industry.
- Evaluate factors, such as previous workplaces they’ve been part of, types of projects they’ve handled before, and how long those projects lasted.
- Some of the skills you can look for while hiring a project manager are:
- Budget management
- Risk management
- Effective communication skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Team management abilities
- Time management skills
- Negotiation skills
- Leadership skills
Step 5: State Your Company’s Values
- When choosing a project manager, prioritize finding someone who aligns with your company’s values.
- Assess candidates based on their fit within your organization’s culture, leadership qualities, and support of the company’s mission.
- Check out this blog on interview questions for culture fit and get insights on what questions you can ask.
Step 6: Make a Formal Offer
- Once you have identified a good candidate that meets your requirements, the next step is to make a formal job offer.
- Craft an offer letter that provides details on compensation, benefits, work arrangements, and other terms of employment.
- Outline the salary, paid time off, start date, remote work options, and any equipment or technology that will be provided.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Project Manager?
The cost of hiring a project manager in India depends on factors like industry, location, project scope, experience level, etc. However, the average salary of a project manager ranges from ₹10 LPA to ₹25 LPA.
The following table showcases the average salary range for different types of project managers:
| Type of Project Manager | Salary Range |
| Marketing Project Manager | ₹8 LPA – ₹15 LPA |
| Senior Project Manager | ₹19 LPA – ₹40 LPA |
| IT Project Manager | ₹9 LPA – ₹22 LPA |
| Construction Project Manager | ₹5 LPA – ₹15 LPA |
| Engineering Project Manager | ₹13 LPA – ₹22 LPA |
| Systems Project Manager | ₹20 LPA – ₹40 LPA |
How to Hire a Project Manager?: Important Skills To Look For
Assessing the right set of skills is crucial while recruiting for project management roles, where a variety of abilities are needed across different areas. Some of these skills include:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite: They should be able to use programs like Excel and PowerPoint efficiently for tasks such as scheduling meetings, sending important documents, and recording actions.
- Familiarity With Project Management Planning Tools: They should have experience working with the specific project management software your business uses.
- Logical Thinking Abilities: A project manager can solve problems using logic even under stressful situations, contributing to smooth project execution. Therefore, look for individuals with good logical thinking abilities.
- Strong Presentation Skills: They need the ability to effectively present ideas to key stakeholders and gain support for their projects with strong presentation skills.
- Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Abilities: Clear communication is crucial, whether it’s explaining plans, conveying information over email, or fostering teamwork within the project team. Hence, make sure they have good business communication skills.
- Patience: When working with different people, tight deadlines, and multiple tasks, it’s crucial for a project manager to remain patient and professional.
- Organizational Skills: Project managers have to handle various responsibilities, such as managing people, organizing documents, scheduling meetings, and ensuring deadlines are met. Therefore, having strong organizational skills is essential.
Conclusion
Knowing how to hire a project manager in India is crucial for achieving success in any project. The process entails defining your hiring goals, creating precise job descriptions, using hiring platforms, and evaluating the candidate’s skills and experience. By following these steps diligently, you will be able to hire the best project manager for your organization. Also, read how to create a perfect job advertisement.
FAQs
Answer: You can look for the following skills in an ideal project manager:
1. Candidate’s experience in managing projects.
2. Proficiency in project management tools and processes.
3. Attention to detail, time management abilities, and communication skills.
4. In-depth knowledge of the relevant industry.
Answer: Companies should hire project managers when they start retaining clients or have large-scale projects to work on. Large-scale projects require a manager to handle the resources, processes, and deliverables within a schedule. Therefore, hiring project managers for such projects is essential. Additionally, if your workforce strength has increased, you may need a project manager to guide and lead these employees to achieve the overall project objectives.
Answer: Here are the steps to appoint a project manager:
1. Identify your hiring objectives and requirements.
2. Draft a detailed job description that mentions the qualifications, skills, and experience required for the role.
3. Post the job ad on multiple channels like hiring platforms, social media, and your company website.
4. Review applications and shortlist candidates.
5. Interview the candidates to assess their technical and soft skills.
6. Make a job offer with a professional offer letter.
7. Onboard new hires to familiarize them with the company culture.
