CV Example Project Manager
If being in charge of projects, resources and people and working to deadlines doesn’t faze you, then project management might be the career for you. As a project manager, you'll be responsible for keeping track of the work that needs to be done, setting deadlines, and delegating tasks to your project team, as well as identifying obstacles and setbacks.
Depending on your qualifications and skill set, you could work in a range of different sectors, including construction, retail, marketing, engineering, etc.
With all the challenges of project management, it can be a difficult job. You need to be able to juggle lots of responsibilities, stay organised and communicate with stakeholders at all levels of this business.
We show you how to convey all this with our writing tips and project manager example CV.
Personal statement or profile
In a project, the vision statement sets out what an organisation or project team wants to accomplish with the completion of a project. It is a clear and concise paragraph that captures the project’s objectives and requirements.
The same applies for your CV personal statement or profile. Serving as an introduction to your CV, your personal statement should highlight your project management expertise, qualifications and skills:
Profile
I am a detail-oriented project manager, with a PRINCE2 qualification and more than 10 years of experience in the construction industry. My experiences range from leading the construction of housing developments in London to major rail projects. My achievements include saving more than £50k on a building project by sourcing more cost-effective materials and negotiating new contracts.
Work experience
The project manager CV shows managers that you’ve worked on a wide range of projects, using a variety of skills from planning and risk management to budgeting and negotiation.
As the success of projects is very often measured with quantifiable metrics such as cost reduction, time saved, revenue generated, etc., describe your achievements for each project rather than just listing responsibilities:
Aug 2017 - Sep 2021 Construction Project Manager, Skale Care Homes, Sheffield
- Managed and delivered a project to build 5 care homes across Sheffield, each worth up to £50k and 3,000 sq ft in size.
- Oversaw the construction and installation of housing foundations, including roofing, water and heating systems.
- Managed approx. 50 contractors for the project.
Sep 2012 - Jul 2017 Rail Project Manager, Severn Rail, Bristol
- Led a team of 60 to install a new £1M rail system in Bristol.
- Created a risk log and safety protocols.
- Reduced £50k budget overspend by negotiating new supplier contracts.
- Completed project two months ahead of schedule.
Aug 2008 - Aug 2012 Housing Development Project Manager, ACT Company, London
- Project-managed the development of a housing estate in Greenwich, including the strategy, site assessment and construction.
- Communicated with property owners and suppliers to gather requirements. Established safety and standard operating procedures.
Education
While you can get into project management roles with any degree, senior or specialised roles will usually call for undergraduate or masters degrees in economics, finance, business administration or supply chain management.
This is because as a project manager, you often need to understand how a business is run:
Sep 2007 - Jul 2008 MSc Supply Chain Management: Distinction, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- Modules included: Financial control, inventory management, human resource management, sustainable business management
Sep 2003 - Jul 2007 BSc International Management: 1st class, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Modules included: Accounting for business, principles of marketing, foundations of data analysis and operations management
Skills
As mentioned, project management requires a whole host of skills. Tackling daily project management challenges requires good communication, organisational skills, an ability to see the bigger picture and more.
Of course, if you can demonstrate an understanding of the principles of popular project management methodologies such as PRINCE2 or Agile, this will also let recruiters know that you understand what it takes.
Here are some skills to include:
- Methodologies: PRINCE2, Waterfall
- Software: JIRA, Confluence
- Cost control: Avoided budget overspend by £50k on a construction project by monitoring costs
- Time management: Prioritising the most sensitive tasks according to business requirements
- Communication: Negotiated new supplier contracts on housing development projects
EXPERT TIP
Include keywords related to project management throughout your CV to show recruiters you understand the foundations and principles of project management. This also boosts the odds of passing the ATS: project management, change and transformation, budget management, project governance, risk and issue management, process improvement, project documentation, project planning, requirements gathering, stakeholder engagement.
Certificates
There are many certifications that demonstrate competence as a project manager. While you don’t need to take a course to get into project management, doing so shows recruiters that you’ve taken the time learn more than the basics.
Some of the more popular project management certifications include:
- PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments)
- APM (Association for Project Management) qualifications
- Project Management Institute Qualifications (PMI)
Certificates
Jan 2021 PRINCE2 Practitioner
Comprehensive course, learning how to manage projects or to work in a project environment using the most internationally recognised project management methods.
Professional Affiliations
If you’re applying to senior roles or in specialised sectors (e.g. engineering, construction, healthcare, etc.), listing your professional affiliations could give you an edge over other candidates.
Many project managers choose to join Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading project management institute for professional development and networking opportunities, all of which demonstrate career dedication and commitment;
Professional Affiliations
Jan 2015 – Present Member of the Project Management Institute
Languages
If you choose to specialise in the translation sector or work for a global company, language skills can make you more marketable as a project manager.
Language skills demonstrate cultural sensitivity and reassure hiring managers that you’ll be able to pick up the context of what someone is saying, even if you don’t speak the language fluently:
Languages
English - native
German - fluent
Spanish - basic
Hobbies and Interests
A skill-based or project-based hobby can be a great addition to a project manager CV, especially if you’re lacking project management experience in a professional setting.
For example, if you organise events in your spare time for charity, Meetup or any other club, it shows recruiters that you can plan, budget and make use of resources.
Any kind of activity that requires strategic thinking such as chess, gaming or quizzing also demonstrates essential project management skills such as tenacity, patience and problem-solving:
Hobbies and Interests
Hosting Meetup events for expats: Organising quizzes and parties, managing all bookings, venues and participants
Format and layout
Format
The best format for a project manager CV is either a chronological CV (which lists your most recent work experience and education) or a combination / hybrid CV (which focuses on your work experience and skills).
This is because these formats are the ones which recruiters are most familiar with and which allow recruiters to quickly see whether you have the relevant experience. As project manager roles carry a lot of responsibility, recruiters want to know that you’ve handled this level of responsibility before.
Layout and design
As a project manager, you need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely. To convey these skills in your CV, the layout should be clean, structured and organised.
This means clearly headed sections in 16 or 14pt with plenty of white space in between. While it’s fine to make use of colour to bring your CV to life, neutral colours such as blue and gray convey professionalism better than garish colours such as red, yellow, pink or purple.
Choosing the right fonts can help get the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. With its clear and crisp appearance, Arial is a popular choice. Calibri also makes for a pleasant reading experience as it allows you get a lot of text on the page without your CV looking cluttered. Use one of our cv templates and resume templates to ensure a professional presentation of your skills and work experience.
Hopefully, you now have everything you need to create your own project manager CV.
