Check your project manager CV against the job advert
Project manager adverts want proof you've delivered: what the project was, how big, what you were accountable for and how it ended. Give them that for each project.
Start with your advert
Every project manager advert is different. The list below is what adverts for this job usually ask for, not what yours does. So start with your advert:
- Read the advert and copy out every "must have" or "essential" line, then the "desirable" ones.
- For each one, find the line in your CV that proves it. If you can't point to a line, that's a gap.
- Fill the gap with something true: a duty, a setting, a qualification or a result you really have. If you don't have it, say what you have that's closest, or leave it out.
Our guide to matching your CV to a job description goes through this in more detail.
What project manager adverts usually ask for
End-to-end delivery
Why they askEmployers want to see projects you led from start to finish.
How to show itFor each major project: what, size, your role, outcome.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Led [project] from [start stage] to [delivery], with a budget of £[amount] and a team of [number].
Budgets and planning
Why they askAdverts ask for budget control and scheduling.
How to show itDescribe how you planned and tracked.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Planned and tracked [project] in [MS Project / Smartsheet / Jira], reporting progress to [board or sponsor] [how often].
Risks, issues and change
Why they askManaging RAID logs and change control is standard.
How to show itGive an example of a risk you managed.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Kept the RAID log and managed [a specific risk or issue] by [action].
Stakeholders
Why they askPMs keep sponsors, suppliers and teams aligned.
How to show itName the kinds of stakeholders.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Managed [internal teams, suppliers, clients] on [project], including [steering groups / supplier reviews].
Methods and qualifications
Why they askAdverts often ask for PRINCE2, APM, PMP or Agile experience.
How to show itList qualifications and say how you applied the method.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- [PRINCE2 Practitioner / APM PMQ / PMP / Agile certification], [year].
Sector knowledge
Why they askMany adverts want experience in their sector, such as construction, IT or the public sector.
How to show itMake the sector of each project clear.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Delivered [type of project] in [sector] for [kind of client].
Only use a line if it's true for you. Swap each [gap] for your own detail: the setting, the number, the tool or the result. If you can't fill a gap honestly, cut that part of the line.
Mistakes that cost project manager applications
- Listing the project but not your role in it.
- No scale: budget, team size, length, number of sites.
- Claiming a whole programme's results as yours.
Questions
Do I need PRINCE2 to be a project manager?
Not always. Many adverts list it as desirable. Delivery experience usually matters more.