15 important project management skills (and how to assess them)

Project managers are some of the hardest-working people around. After all, they juggle deadlines, budgets, and even people.

The best project managers are self-starting, organized, confident, and great at communicating. However, that’s not always easy to spot when hiring purely on resumes.

Recruiters who test for project management skills are more likely to find creative, proactive talent faster than anyone else.

In this guide, we show you:

• The most important project manager competencies

• How to test key project management skills

• How to develop these traits

15 fundamental project management skills and competencies

Many HR departments rely on resumes and experience checks when hiring a project manager.

What if, however, the perfect candidate with all the essential project management skills simply doesn’t have the experience they’re looking for? They get passed over – that’s hardly fair.

Hands-on experience is important for any job, especially a project management role. However, that experience can come from any number of sources, many of which don’t translate well to on-paper work experience.

It’s on recruiters to find the best possible talent based on skills rather than experience. After all, around 11.4% of project investment gets wasted because of poor performance.

All the more reason, then, to prioritize the following project management skills and competencies:

1. Project planning

2. Brief and technical writing

3. Project scoping

4. Budget and cost management

5. Risk management

6. Quality management

7. Negotiation skills

8. Software skills

9. Leadership skills

10. Organizational skills

11. Communication skills

12. Time and schedule management

13. People management

14. Adaptability

15. Critical thinking

Let’s explore these in more detail.

1. Project planning

Project planning is all about managing budgets, setting clear goals, and understanding where different people make up the bigger picture.

It’s here where good project managers need to include the following in their plans:

• Details on roles and responsibilities

• Budget required

• Project scope

• Checkpoints and milestones

• Timeline and workflow

• Goal metrics

• Communication points

Top project managers are comfortable with creating plans to establish what success looks like in practice. This can be challenging and take a lot of educated guessing and critical thinking.

2. Brief and technical writing

Brief and technical writing in project management means simplifying complex details so everyone on the project team understands them.

A project manager’s job involves writing overviews, reports, and analyses in such a way that keeps everyone on the same page. 

Talented project managers aren’t afraid to dive into the details and think objectively about what to present and how.

Brief and technical writing skills require good attention to detail, effective communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to break down data.

3. Project scoping

Scope creep occurs when projects keep changing and growing out of control, often leading to missed deadlines, increased costs, and team conflicts.

Around half of all projects suffer from scope creep. All the more reason, then, to hire a PM with project-scoping skills.

PMs with project-scoping skills are keen researchers. They’re not afraid to dive deep into details and communicate with others to set limits and establish project goals.

Project scoping continues long after projects start, too. PMs can use points of reference to rein in projects and deny requests.

4. Budget and cost management

Without budgeting, projects are doomed to rack up costs until delivery.

Look at the financial problems facing megaprojects in the construction industry – around 98% of these projects overrun their budgets by at least 30%!

Therefore, talented budgeters are highly sought-after. To keep costs down, project managers need to:

• Carefully allocate money to different project areas

• Negotiate budget needs with business leaders

• Manage scope creep with clear boundaries

• Plan projects within the company’s financial means

• Set clear checkpoints to review spending

5. Risk management

All projects carry potential risks, whether unseen costs, time delays, or health and safety concerns.

Project managers should create clear risk templates and forecast the potential worst-case scenarios for each action or checkpoint.

They need to ask themselves:

• What risks are likely to occur?

• What’s the worst possible impact of these risks?

• What is our response to this impact?

• How can we mitigate these risks from happening?

• Who is responsible for overseeing the risk area?

6. Quality management

Project managers must balance quality and timely delivery, which means they need to assess progress at milestones.

That could mean ensuring a software developer’s code works as expected or that a construction project is safe and fit for purpose.

Measuring quality across projects is a constant process, which means PMs might need to check in on their teams by using:

• Internal audits and evaluations

• Checklists

• Charts, such as pie, flow, and Gantt charts

• Benchmarking deliverables to industry standards

A PM with exceptional quality control skills:

• Shows attention to detail, meticulously checking work

• Provides constructive feedback and support

• Creates templates and guides to help people stay on track

• Regularly checks in with teams without micromanaging

7. Negotiation skills

Project managers negotiate with project stakeholders, team members, and suppliers to achieve the best results. 

Therefore, negotiating means coming up with resolutions that are fair and help the project move forward with minimal disruption. 

A project manager might find stakeholders pushing scope creep or employees asking for more budget leeway. Sometimes, that means having to say “no” with diplomacy and presenting counteroffers. Is there a way to combine stakeholder requests without increasing budget and effort?

Negotiators are comfortable handling conflict resolution. They communicate clearly and aren’t afraid to think outside the box.

8. Software skills

A PM uses all kinds of project management tools to get projects moving in the right direction.

Project management software such as Microsoft Project, Kanban, Wrike, and Basecamp help PMs track the project roadmap, assign tasks, and monitor team performance.

Many use Google Docs to share templates and feedback or Microsoft Excel to build budgets and charts.

Software-savvy PMs are quick and eager to learn how to use different tools, explore features independently, and think critically about how they can solve problems.

9. Leadership

It’s safe to say a project manager needs strong leadership skills to keep teams on track. 

An effective project manager and leader:

• Motivates others

• Delegates work efficiently

• Resolves conflicts quickly

• Maintains a positive attitude

Leadership means making difficult decisions when needed and remaining calm in challenging situations. 

Project managers should also be collaborative and open with their team. Leaders set the example for the team to follow, so acting as the ideal team member goes a long way toward strong team building.

A talented project leader should be a good listener, think critically, and have strong problem-solving skills – more on these shortly.

10. Organizational skills

Since projects involve many moving parts, a project manager must prioritize tasks, maintain a clear timeline, and make sure projects stay within budget.

The project manager should understand the project’s milestones and objectives well, which means taking time to research and analyze data to map out the project lifecycle.

They’re self-starting, focused, and communicate openly with others. For example, they might need to set schedules for other people, which means understanding the project’s needs, sharing details with teams, and listening to their needs.

11. Communication skills

Successful project managers are great communicators who boost teamwork and productivity. They are adaptable, approachable, empathetic, and optimistic.

The best PMs communicate their vision and goals of the project to teams, listening to any feedback to address issues efficiently.

Communication covers the ability to spot nonverbal cues and listen actively to what others need. Great PMs know how to use software to communicate openly with their teams and superiors, too.

12. Time and schedule management

Time management skills help project managers meet deadlines and manage resources efficiently. 

PMs must be comfortable with:

• Multitasking

• Setting realistic goals

• Breaking down tasks into manageable chunks

• Monitoring progress

• Ensuring projects are completed on time

Like all good organizers, PMs with time management skills should be able to think critically, communicate openly with people, and lead by example.

13. People management

Let’s face it – teams are full of varying personalities, skills, and ideals. Project managers need to be able to: 

• Manage these diverse teams

• Build consensus

• Prioritize and allocate people with certain skills

• Resolve conflicts quickly

• Motivate people to work to the best of their abilities 

Team management requires understanding the strengths and weaknesses of individual team members and recognizing how they can best contribute to the project.

Good PMs with the right people skills should be comfortable giving feedback to others, finding new ways to inspire and motivate people, and listening carefully to individual needs.

14. Adaptability

Projects rarely go exactly according to plan, and it’s important that project managers can think on their feet and adapt quickly to the unexpected.

That means troubleshooting problems, developing creative ideas, and switching gears when necessary.

Deadlines could change midway through a project, or budget cuts might occur. A PM should, therefore, be comfortable sharing bad news and changing gears without letting bias or emotion get in the way.

Around 44% of people aren’t even aware they’re adaptable. All the more reason, then, for recruiters to test this skill.

15. Critical thinking

Project managers need critical thinking skills for quick decision-making and keeping projects on track. 

Thinking critically in project management means looking at the objective facts under pressure. For instance, if a department is running behind schedule, what’s causing the delay? Instead of leaning into bias and chastising the team, they could look into:

• Whether or not they need extra support

• If there’s enough funding for a project area

• If it’s a departmental issue, or one or two employees are struggling

• If deadlines set were realistic, and if more time is needed

Critical thinkers solve problems without bias or emotion, look carefully at the facts available to them, and think clearly about the bigger picture at stake.

How to assess skills for project managers: 7 tests

That’s a lot to take in – so let’s pause for a moment.

Now you know more about project management key skills, let’s explore how HR professionals can hire for them with project manager tests.

How to test the skills of a project manager: In brief

We’ve rounded up seven skills test ideas recruiters can use to assess project management competencies, all available from our Test Library.

Use TestGorilla to unlock the power of talent assessments

Getting started with TestGorilla is easy and 100% free. All you need to do is sign up and start planning your project manager assessment.

Get your free TestGorilla account

1. Project Management Assessment

Our Project Management test grades how well a candidate can manage projects while following concrete business goals. It’s great for measuring project management hard skills.

It focuses on how candidates:

• Manage and estimate project schedules

• Estimate and create project budgets

• Communicate with others

• Deliver and manage high-quality work

Here’s an example scenario from the talent assessment:

People who pass this test should be able to handle tight deadlines, manage teams, and communicate effectively. 

Why not explore this test further before starting your next PM hiring drive? Take a look at some more example questions.

2. Time Management Test

A candidate who manages their time effectively frees up resources, saves costs, and delivers quality results.

Our Time Management test poses common workplace scenarios that check how well people can:

• Reflect and communicate with stakeholders

• Prioritize tasks

• Execute tasks

• Plan schedules

A candidate who scores highly on this test can prioritize urgent tasks, monitor outcomes, and reflect on their actions.

3. Critical Thinking Test

TestGorilla’s Critical Thinking test measures a candidate’s ability to make informed decisions in various problem-solving scenarios. 

The test explores how an applicant:

• Considers data and resources

• Analyzes any information at hand

• Uses logic and reasoning to solve problems

• Draws logical conclusions from arguments

It challenges takers to recognize when they make assumptions and show they understand contradicting and supporting statements.

If you’d like to see this test in action, book a free 30-minute demo with us for a private tour.

4. Leadership & People Management Test

Our Leadership & People Management test checks a candidate’s capacity to maintain morale, motivate team members, and ensure everyone works together towards an end goal.

The test checks an applicant’s ability to:

• Delegate tasks and responsibilities

• Provide guidance and feedback

• Plan and support team development

• Recognize and reward achievements

• Accept ideas and opinions

• Propose creative ideas to complete projects

With excellent leadership skills, your manager can successfully steer projects from start to finish.

5. Communication Test

Given that project success relies on clear messages and idea sharing, testing applicants’ communication skills is important.

Our Communication test assesses a candidate’s ability to: 

• Use professional communication etiquette

• Understand and express ideas clearly

• Adapt communication style

• Listen and understand non-verbal cues

• Summarize messages

6. Software tests

Project managers need to use various tools. Therefore, we recommend you check out our library for tests that match your in-house software.

For example, many project managers use Microsoft Excel to manage budgets, plan deadlines, and track quality with charts.

TestGorilla’s Excel (General) skills test assesses a candidate’s ability to:

• Construct formulas

• Create and format data

• Analyze and interpret data

Here’s an example question:

You might use Google Docs for creating and sharing documents. In this case, our Google Docs test measures an applicant’s ability to:

• Create documents

• Use formatting features

• Use collaboration tools

• Edit, review, and present ideas

7. Personality tests

Personality assessments are great at narrowing down candidates based on their attitude and behavior and assessing project management soft skills.

For example, adaptability is an important skill to assess when interviewing a project manager candidate, but cognitive ability tests make this process easier.

We suggest using our 16 Types Personality test, which assesses how applicants think and process information.

Then, use it as part of a five-test assessment through our platform and test the other project manager skills listed above. This way, you can measure the many different talents your ideal PM needs.

Take our work with INMATEC as an example. The company adopted TestGorilla’s assessment builder and now confidently offers custom assessments for complex roles – meaning its HR team can better understand its applicants’ skills.

Discover how TestGorilla helps you hire better project managers

Speak with our friendly experts to learn all about the proven benefits of using talent assessments to hire highly skilled PMs.

How to develop project management key skills

Let’s quickly refresh with some simple tips on developing PM skills as a professional and as an HR manager.

• Assess skill sets: As an individual, test yourself on any of the key skills of a project manager listed above to find strengths and weaknesses. As an HR professional, test for the above skills when hiring and regularly assess your workforce.

• Study project management methodologies: Consider learning more about specific project management styles, such as Waterfall and Agile, to build project templates. If you’re in HR, consider offering these materials to your employees.

• Always ask for feedback: As an individual, don’t assume you naturally should know best. As projects continue, ask for open and honest feedback from others on what went right and what needs improvement. As an HR professional, establish a culture of feedback by encouraging 360 and blind reviews.

• Provide training and learning resources: Doubling as both job training and career development, consider enrolling PMs in online classes so they can learn and obtain certifications, such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification provided by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Hire proactive project leaders: Assess project management skills with TestGorilla

You can be a great project manager with all the right skills and not necessarily have any experience managing projects in a professional setting. HR can’t tell who’s skilled and who isn’t purely by checking resumes – they need to assess project management skills first.

As you have seen, there are plenty of PM skills you can test for, and TestGorilla can help you narrow down the best talent through skills-based hiring.

Start by booking a free 30-minute demo and seeing how our builder and assessment engine work in practice.

Then, sign up for a free forever plan – and easily build assessments from scratch. 

Project management skills FAQs

Let’s close this guide with some common queries about project manager competencies.

What are project management competencies and skills?

Project management skills help you create, build, and run projects successfully. Some important PM skills include managing budgets, thinking critically, communicating with others, setting project scope, and setting schedules.

There are project management hard skills, such as being able to use certain software and negotiating with others, and project management soft skills, such as being adaptable and understanding non-verbal cues.

Why are project manager skills and competencies important?

Project manager skills and competencies ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. Hiring project managers with the right skills also ensures effective team management.

Organizations can become more efficient and boost project quality by testing people on their project manager skills and competencies.

What are the 3 critical project management skills you need to succeed?

1. Organization and time management

2. Adaptability and flexibility

3. Communication and collaboration

These are the three basic skills all PMs should possess to run successful projects. However, there are several more that complement the most talented managers. Read our guide to learn more.