Hiring the Right Project Manager for Your Implementation

When it comes to hiring, regardless of industry or position, the ideal candidate is based on your business’s needs and goals, and this is no different when hiring a project manager. Before beginning the hiring process, you need to prepare, research, and outline exactly what the position entails and what kind of individual would be best suited for the role. Project managers are typically brought on to ensure project success and to unify the team. As such, hiring the right project manager is crucial to ensuring said success.  

Tips on Hiring the Right Project Manager

Be clear and specific when searching for candidates

For any position, the job description should be detailed. A decent job description will set expectations on daily duties, list required skills and certifications, and ultimately weed out unfit candidates. For project management positions, there are typically a few must-have skills and traits to possess, like excellent communication skills or a proactive mindset. But when searching for a project manager for your implementation, you want to be more specific about what industry the project is in, what experience is preferred, what certifications are required, and so on.  

Say you are a retail organization trying to hire a project manager for an SAP implementation. The job summary should accurately describe the day-to-day duties; for example, it may say: “serve as the central point of contact for all assigned IT projects across the 10-person team,” or “oversee day-to-day project management activities for various active integration projects.” Job requirements may be something like, “Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or a related field,” “experience with SAP and similar ERP systems,” or “5+ years retail project management experience.” Being as specific as possible throughout the entire recruiting and hiring process is essential in finding the best candidate for your implementation. 

Be prepared to pay more, whether hiring a contract or full-time project manager

Top-notch and high-performing candidates typically come with years of experience. To receive a project management title, this individual would have spent years building their career. As such, they will expect accurate compensation. If your organization has not appropriately set aside funds, consider looking into contract or freelance project managers. Sometimes looking elsewhere can turn out to be more cost-effective. Nonetheless, a project manager position is a more senior position, so pay should and will reflect that. 

Be open to working with a staffing agency

The easiest way to ensure you are hiring the right project manager for your implementation is by consulting a staffing agency. Recruiters exist to take away the stress and time associated with hiring for new positions. It is important to fill positions with premier talent, especially for positions as important and impactful as project managers. Here at BCTG, we work with our clients to find the right resources to suit their needs. To learn more about our staffing and recruiting capabilities, contact our team today.