How to Be an IT Project Manager and Enjoy Steady Career Growth

If you were to look up the fastest-growing, highest-income, and most promising outlook jobs in this day and age, the IT Project Manager career path is always on the list. According to the Project Management Insitute, “Demand over the next 10 years for project managers is growing faster than demand for workers in other occupations. Organisations, however, face risks from this talent gap”.

It means that the market for IT Project Managers is looking for jobseekers to get qualified and fill roles that will provide lucrative long-term opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to build your career path and bring home a sizeable salary for the years to come.

Are you cut out for one of the most promising jobs of a generation? IT Project Managers are problem-solvers who are comfortable calling the shots, possess impressive organisation skills, and showcase attention to detail. They have the grit to see a project through its entire lifespan, from the client brief to its turnover. Now, you see why this role is so valued. It can be challenging to fill, given the high standards and varied skill sets expected of jobseekers. The stakes are high, but with determination and the right trajectory, the IT Project Manager career path is well within your reach.

The Job Description of an IT Project Manager

An IT Project Manager oversees the operations of an IT project, from the product to the team members to the clients. Now that nearly every industry has its own IT department, IT Project Managers have become more necessary for planning, strategising, and implementing the software and applications that a company needs. 

Responsibilities

IT Project Managers may have different tasks depending on the industry they work in, but here are their typical duties:

• Managing the operations of an IT department.
• Hiring and training staff for the IT department.
• Setting project budgets, timelines, and task delegations.
• Conducting quality assurance of all deliverables and outputs.
• Complying with data privacy laws for projects.
• Testing, troubleshooting, and updating company software.
• Liaise with clients and management to meet industry standards.

Software

Proficiency in various software is a must for aspiring project managers to work and coordinate information efficiently. These include, but are not limited to:

Project Management Software

• Asana
• Trello
• Jira

Project Management Frameworks

• Scrum
• Agile
• Slack

Although IT Project Managers do not program software, a basic understanding of code may be helpful in understanding projects and solving problems.

Soft Skills

IT Project Managers work in a dynamic industry where not one day is the same. Certain traits are required for the professional to create solutions for ever-rising problems, coordinate a smooth relationship from client to the team, and motivate each individual in the IT department to get the job done. Effective IT Project managers have the following soft skills:

• Time and budget management
• Mentorship and camaraderie
• Oral and written communication
• Organisation and attention to detail
• Resilience
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Conflict Management

What Is the Salary Range of an IT Project Manager?

According to the Jobstreet Salary Report 2022, 53 per cent of IT job ads increased their salary. Moreover, IT Managers are #1 on the Top 10 Salary Growth list by position level, bringing home a median of $7,300. It is a 2.8 per cent increase from the previous report so you can only expect it to grow every succeeding year.

The technology sector is the fastest-moving among all industries, with innovations developing daily and the demand for entire departments to be hired for the creation of new software. As the value of technology continues to increase at rapid levels, so will the market value of all IT professionals, especially those in managerial positions.

The Project Manager Career Path

This role is a managerial position. It requires at least three years of relevant work experience in the IT industry, plus a proven track record of spearheading successful IT projects. 

Previous experience in the IT industry will prove just as invaluable as management experience, as effective project managers have equal technical and leadership expertise to manage a project smoothly.  

To be an IT Project Manager in Singapore, formal education, leadership experience, and Certification in IT Project Management (CITPM or PMP).

Education

Completing a bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Information Systems, or Business Management is advantageous for this career path. Jobseekers with postgraduate education are highly preferred, so consider getting a Master in Business Administration (MBA).

Experience

Gain at least three years of work experience in the IT or Project Management field. Leadership experience, such as supervisory or managerial roles is also advantageous. Some roles that may prepare you for the job are IT Project Coordinator or Assistant Project Manager.

Certification

The Singapore Computer Society provides the Certification in IT Project Management (CITPM) for eligible college graduates. One needs at least three years of experience to qualify for an associate certificate and eight years of experience to qualify for the full certificate.

Another certification is the Project Management Professional (PMP) provided by the Project Management Institute. It provides project managers the qualification across a broader range of industries. To get certified, one needs at least three years of experience as a project manager and to renew their certification every three years.

Career Ladder

Before rising to the IT Project Manager role, you must go through a trajectory of entry and mid-level jobs to enter the managerial ladder. From the first rung of IT Project Manager, they then progress to higher roles until they reach the top industry position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Entering the IT industry is most advantageous for an aspiring IT Project Manager, although there are some IT Project Managers from other industries with a strong background in management and leadership. Gaining experience in the IT industry provides one with much credibility and valuable experience in IT functions, which will help them understand and solve problems for IT projects.

According to the Skillsfuture Framework , the strategy and governance ladder of the IT industry consists of the following rungs, with years of experience counted from when they enter the managerial level.

According to Jobstreet’s IT Salaries Report IT professionals’ salaries double from entry-level to management, triple from management to senior management. With technology only speeding up, we can see how these numbers are projected to soar in the future.

If technology is the future, then building a project manager career in the IT industry is one of the most sound investments one can make with the promise of a lucrative, ever-growing career.

Are you an aspiring IT Project Manager? Upload your profile on Jobstreet to find a job match for your skills and expertise. You can also download Jobstreet’s app available on the App Store and Google Play and visit our Career Resources Hub for more tips to help you build a steady career path in the IT industry, look for job openings, and compare salaries.