There are many attributes you should look out for when sourcing a contract project manager.
Personal and professional qualities such as leadership, communication skills and initiative are of course important. However, what is the one key ingredient every project professional should have?
The answer is experience. Put simply, work experience can't be bought and is something that can only develop over time.
You should aim to hire project managers that have stacked up years of successful project management experience. The best professionals will have managed a range of projects over time, having gone through both highs and lows – hopefully more of the former – throughout their rich career history.
In addition to collecting valuable skills over the years, experienced project managers will have amassed a substantial knowledge of their field of expertise and industry. This wealth of knowledge is something that doesn't come overnight – it's something only those who have been in the business can boast.
Years of experience will also equip your project manager with the ability to approach a problem from multiple angles and perspectives, thinking outside of the box to provide a solution to even the toughest problems.
So how do you separate the experienced project managers from the rookies when you're sourcing your next talent? A traditional agency is likely to give you access to candidates from both ends of the spectrum – and with CVs to sort through and references to check, it's certainly not the most productive or efficient way to go about it.
Instead, tapping into an exclusive project management network is a much more effective solution. Such networks only invite the most experienced project managers in the country, making it much easier to find someone with the requisite expertise to lead your next project.
With stringent entry requirements – such as a minimum of eight years' experience – you know you're dealing only with the best in the industry.
