How to Put Your Communication Skills to Work as a Project Manager

If you are a planner, organizer, team player, or leader, or a combination thereof, project management may be an ideal career for you. The flourishing field of project management is complex but challenging and guaranteed to keep you on your toes. There’s never a dull moment in this type of career with demands in budgeting, managing teams and work cultures, and planning and executing critical company plans. One underlying trait that all successful project managers have is communication skills, which are vital to the role of a project manager.

Why is project management a great career choice?

Project management (PM) is a great career choice for a variety of reasons. From the challenges involved with this role to its potential income, project management is a smart field to get into if you are a recent graduate or an experienced worker looking for a new career. Here are some reasons to take a closer look at project management:

  • Project management positions are available in a variety of industries.
  • This position offers many opportunities for advancement.
  • PMs continually experience growth and learning throughout their careers.
  • Project managers are in high demand, with an expected increase significantly in the Australian IT sector over the next ten years.
  • PMs earn competitive salaries averaging about $125,000 per year for experienced workers.
  • Many PMs move onto CEO-training for a higher level company or corporate position.
  • PMs can make a real difference in advancing their company and the morale of their team.

With the demand for project managers increasing around the country, there’s never been a better time to start a new career in this field.

How do PMs use good communication skills?

While PMs use core skills to complete their projects, such as leadership, negotiation, time management and budgeting skills, there is perhaps no more important ability for a PM than communication. Without strong communication skills, a project manager would be unable to effectively work with and manage teams to see a project through to its completion.

A core component of a PM’s daily work is to share project goals and coordinate the efforts of all the people involved in the process. Therefore, a PM must not only be good at gathering information but also in communicating plans so that team members can understand the project’s goal.

PMs use communication skills to share information both internally with fellow team members and externally with people not directly involved with the project, such as CEOs, executives, or the media. They also engage in vertical or upward/downward communication with employees who operate on different levels of seniority or job roles and horizontal communication with workers who operate on the same level within a company. Diagonal communication, which involves communication between different departments or organizations, is a vital skill that PMs in companies with higher levels of departmental complexity. Finally, PMs must also be skilled at both formal and informal communications, from press releases to internal meetings, to ensure a project’s success.

What personality traits are best for PMs?

To be an effective project manager, an individual needs to possess some key personality traits. Aside from communication skills, the ideal characteristics that a project manager should have or be able to develop are:

  • Leadership in spearheading projects and receiving buy-in from both team members and clients.
  • Coping and problem-solving skills to both handle the pressure, stress, and uncertainties involved with large-scale projects.
  • Team management and team building allow PMs to coach teams both operationally and strategically, using team dynamics to build a creative and friendly working environment.
  • Delegation to share authority when practical and necessary for the good of the project.

While there are other quality skills that an ideal PM will bring to the workforce, these skills, along with communication, are what potential employers look for in resumes and job interviews.

How can ICI prepare you for a job in project management?

If a future as a project manager appeals to you, look no further than the International Career Institute to prepare you for this competitive and rewarding position. Enrol in ICI’s Project Management Courses and earn your diploma in a little as 24 weeks.

We successfully instruct and prepare project managers for a variety of industries, including government, building and construction, media, health, information technology, and marketing, amongst others. Our courses help you develop the critical skills necessary to be a successful and effective project manager. From leadership skills to project evaluation to planning and personnel development, ICI ensures that you will be ready to enter the project management job field to kick start an incredibly impactful career.

Project managers can look forward to a rewarding career.

How can you make a difference as a project manager? If you are someone who enjoys working with other people and thrives on seeing a project through from beginning to end, you can find a rewarding career in this field. Project managers interact with a diverse group of people on a variety of projects; and as a PM, you can experience the joy and satisfaction of creating something from nothing and watching your plan come together. With plenty of room for advancement and excellent salaries, PMs can find the right position in virtually any area of interest.

Plan your future as a project manager with ICI

ICI’s courses on project management will give you the edge you need to earn a diploma and enter this unique and engaging career field. With easy access to ICI’s online courses, you can complete your study for project management anywhere you’d like. Plan your future in project management, and enrol with ICI today.

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Gladys Mae

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Gladys Mae serves as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute. Gladys holds a degree in Mass Communication - Broadcast Media from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. She joined ICI in 2010 and has over the past 12 years been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to staff and students alike. Prior to joining ICI Gladys led a multifaceted career with key roles in the banking and business process outsourcing industries.