3 Tips for Writing an Effective Project Management Resume

3 Tips for Writing an Effective Project Management Resume Are you a project manager? Or perhaps you’re trying to obtain a position in project management? Well, great news! I have some practical advice and specific tips that you can start with right now to increase your resume’s effectiveness. Whether you are a business analyst, IT project manager, PMO, Senior Analyst, or Project Director, the information I’m going to share will help you write a better project management resume. There are three important factors to remember when writing your project management resume (as with almost any resume); be action-driven, use the most relevant keywords, and quantify or show what you’ve contributed (whenever possible). Action-Driven Resumes Don’t get caught up with writing a resume that sounds like a job description. Telling the employer what your duties included and what you were responsible for only communicates that you were able to meet the minimum requirements of the position. Use action-driven phrases to articulate which strengths you brought to your employer. Here are some great examples of action-driven words you can use on your project management resume: engineered exploded invented fortified shrunk (costs/expenditures) installed loaded maintained mapped modified mounted operated overhauled pioneered programmed reconfigured rectified redesigned regulated remodeled repaired Keyword-Rich Resumes Using the right keywords for your position is also critical. IT project management keywords are obviously going to be different from business/financial project management keywords. Even within IT, not every project management keyword is going to apply to the position you’re pursuing. Use only those keywords that are the most relevant to the position you’re applying for. Below I’ve included some IT project management keywords that you can include on your resume: Project Management Resume Keywords: Analysis Design Applications Development Methodologies Capacity Planning Coding Practices Contemporary Testing Methodologies Database Design Concepts Data Modeling Data Warehousing Deployment Management Development Testing High-Volume Solution Development Industry Technology Trends Offerings Information Technology Governance Information Technology Processes Integration Planning Large-Organization Navigation Major Third-Party IT Services Provider Multi-Tier Development Environments New Technology Development Quality Methods Requirements Gathering And may I just state this is not an all-inclusive list by any means … it’s simply a short list of possible IT project management keywords that you can incorporate into your resume if they’re applicable. Do your own research to determine the best keywords as they relate to the project management position you want. Showcasing Successes It’s important within any resume to show the employer your contributions, results, and accomplishments. I use a framework to provide context to my clients’ results. I focus on a challenge my client faced, an action he or she took to address the challenge, and what that outcome was. Here are five starter questions you can ask yourself to help articulate your successes on your resume: What role do you play in leading and managing projectsâ€"or as a team member within the numerous phases of the project life-cycle? How many projects do you manage simultaneously? Annually? How do you define the size and the scope of the projects that you manage? How do you manage the competing demands and needs of each individual project? What part do you play in contracts and proposals? What’s the outcome of the role you play? There are many more questions you can ask yourself to gather the critical information you need to write a successful resume; these are just a few to get the ball rolling and your creative juices flowing.   Remember, when writing your resume, a project management resumeâ€"just like any other resumeâ€"needs to be solutions-focused, brand-driven, and full of accomplishments. It’s important to ask questions that provide context and framework for your contributions to the organizations you’ve worked for. If you’re uncertain whether your resume successfully addresses the three areas I’ve shared above, feel free to e-mail it to me for a complimentary review. My name is Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, and I’m the President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast.  My passion is giving job seekers who don’t have the experience, expertise, or time the tools and resources they need to find their next great career!  My specialty is resume writing, and I use my 12+ years’ experience as a recruiter and HR manager to create interview-worthy resumes for my clients.