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Development ServicesBeing a recruiter can be quite challenging. It’s mainly because of the day-to-day employment decisions recruiters have to make. In fact, the future of the company depends upon the recruiters’ decisions.
It’s because recruiters are in charge of hiring or firing employees. And we are all well aware that the company is worth as much as its employees. In fact, employee turnover can cost the company up to $15,000 per worker. And that’s just the average! We can all assume that within the IT industry those numbers are doubled or even tripled.
To make the burden even bigger, recruiters are the ones who have to make crucial decisions concerning the employment of the management members of a company. So, who the next project manager will be depends mostly on the recruiter.
Therefore, to help recruiters make better decisions when it comes to hiring a project manager, we’ve prepared a quick guide. In this article, every recruiter can get clear directions on how to distinguish a great project manager from a bad one.
We share the 6 traits that every great project manager would have. Therefore, these 6 points are what recruiters should look for in every potential project manager candidate.
#1. The Project Manager Should Be Trustworthy and Honest
Recruiters should look for a project manager who is trustworthy and honest. These two traits are essential. If the project manager is not honest, they can bring the project to a collapse.
So, a good project manager would speak up if there are obstacles or errors throughout the project. A bad one would decide to keep quiet and risk the whole work. Being dishonest is equal to being irresponsible in project management. Therefore, straightforward project managers should always win the candidates battle.
Great project managers would also trust their team members and encourage them to be honest if they make a mistake. This is the right approach towards project completion. Also, if mistakes happen the good project manager would accept the responsibility as their, regardless of who made the mistake.
#2. Resilience as a Trait to Cope with the Competitors
Every project manager is good as long as the project runs smoothly. However, what helps us make a difference between a good and bad project manager are the times of hardship. The good project manager will be resilient and surpass the obstacles along the way. They have the ability to withstand difficult times and provide positive results respecting the deadline. Being resilient is also a perk in coping with the competitors. Sometimes project managers have to fight their way through to the top.
#3. Recruiters Should Look for a Project Manager with a Vision
Project managers with a vision have the ability to anticipate project delays or obstacles. Having a vision is also important to effectively plan every milestone and task that needs to be completed. Leaders that have this trait are more future-oriented and can see the big picture. A good project manager is intuition-driven and makes decisions according to his experience. Therefore, when projects don’t go as planned managers have to trust their gut to make the right choice.
#4. Project Manager Who Is Versatile and Adaptable
The ability to adapt in every single situation is a trait of good project managers. Individuals who are versatile and can quickly adopt the new changes have the greatest chance for success.
Throughout the project, the manager would have to play different roles concerning the type of project they’re leading. In addition, the project manager should know what the exact work of every team member is. So, a great project manager would be an engineer, marketer and salesperson all at once. Having the knowledge into every field and aspect of the project will help accelerate the work of every team member.
#5. Every Leader Has to Go Beyond Micromanagement
Good project managers believe in their team members and never lose their energy or time with micromanagement. Instead, they go beyond the small stuff and appreciate the effort of the team. Therefore, brawls over why an employee was late for work wouldn’t happen.
Bad project managers often let themselves be sucked in this downward spiral of micromanagement. So, instead of looking at the big picture, they are risking to fail the project because of constantly supervising every team member.
#6. Leaders Have a High Level of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence represents the way we interact with others. It also depicts the power of communication, empathy, and emotion expression. Leaders who have a high level of emotional intelligence are liked by both the team members and the higher management.
Project managers should learn from the successful leaders that harnessed the potential of their emotional intelligence. Some of the most renowned are: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group; and Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, what distinguishes a great project manager from a bad one are some core personality traits. However, we’re positive that even bad project managers can transform into good ones, if they work on changing the flaws in their working style.
It’s integral that the project manager knows that he is a part of the team and they are all working together instead of against each other. Just by accentuating the importance of trust and honesty, every project will have a successful outcome. This way also, every manager has a potential to excel in their careers.
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