Recruiting for IT Project Managers

Agenda

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Breaking Down the Requisition Clarifying Requirements Interview Questions How to Skill Market Solid IT PMs The 6 PM Personality Types

Breaking IT Down!

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What type of IT Project Manager are we looking for: • Infrastructure

• Technical / Hands-on • Risk Managers• Security (PCI, HIPPA, SOX)

• Software or Application Development• ERP• Technical Development Managers• Project Planning and Budget Experts

• PMO / Scrum Master• Methodology Expert

o ITIL o Agile o Waterfall o SDLC

My suggestion on this type of position is not starting with an expected salary range… but rather coach and explain that for this type of pertinent role we want to find the right talent. Run analytics for your area.

On the IT Community page, under Recruit/Hire/Train… You will find a number of position overviews including: Project Management. There is a lot of great information here as well regarding this important IT role.

Clarifying Requirements

• What is the Client trying to accomplish? o Is the currently project underway, in trouble, etc.?

• Will this PM manage both budget and resources?o What size is the budget this person will manage?

o How many people are on the team and what are their roles?

• What Project Planning tool are they using?

• Is certification required?

• Technical Environment:o Software Development - Languages and Databases that are used

o Infrastructure - Workstations, Datacenters, Servers, Security, Network

• Is the salary reflective of the work this person is to do? o Try running an analysis to verify (Wanted/CB)

Interview Questions / Prescreen

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Try basing a majority of your questions on the conversation you had with the client….

Keep in mind, we need a superb communicator! Internal/External Customer experience? • Has this person grown up through their career path to become Management level?

o Were they a Programmer or Network Analyst previously?• What size are the budgets this person has managed?• How many people has this person managed and what are their roles?• Are you certified, PMP or ITIL?• What Technical Environment does the candidate feel comfortable in –or- are they not technical:

o Software Development - Languages and Databases that are usedo Infrastructure - Workstations, Datacenters, Servers, Security, Network

• What methodology are they comfortable with?• What project planning tools are they comfortable with?

o Can they manage both budget and resource planning?• What diagramming tools are they familiar with? • Can they manage diverse teams/offshore resources?

Find this Project Managers area of expertise:• Is it within a certain Industry?• Is it within a certain technology?• Are they a methodology expert?• Are they ready for the next step in their career?

This is how we start to identify the right positions to market this candidate to.

Skill Marketing

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PM Personalities – Who have you found?#1. “Perfectionist”A micro-managing nightmare but this person will get the job done “and then some”.

#2. “Chess King”Has the next project planned out before it even kicks off. A true strategist!

#3. “Hands Off”

Most decisions are made by the team and as long as things are on track, he/she is perfectly happy.

#4. “No Nonsense”

Tasks are executed and delivered in a military style fashion,

on schedule of course!

PM Personalities – Who have you found?

#5. “Guru”

Provides guidance to the team (whether

they want it or not)!

Wise and Patient.

#6. “Super Hero” This person put in 85 hours last week.

PM Personalities – Who have you found?

Q & A

March 2015

Thank You!