INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Project Managers & Cost Estimators positions are at a much faster than average growth rate, which is 33%. With that said, there are currently 1,279,390 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 422198.7 to 1,701,589 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Project Managers & Cost Estimators jobs was $66,610 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $39,930, and the highest 10% more than $128,420.
Our conclusion? The Project Managers & Cost Estimators job market is facing competition due to decreasing demand.
Top project controls manager sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a memorable experience section: Project controls manager resume edition
Checklist: ways to make your experience section stand out
- Find balance: use 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Include positions that are relevant to the job you’re applying for;
- Use action verbs when describing your responsibilities and results;
- Highlight your achievements by adding numbers to them (e.g. instead of saying “achieved a steady increase in…”, say “achieved an X% increase in…”);
- Prove that you’re willing to work hard, both individually and in a team.
We’ve gathered the most impressive Project Controls Manager experience sections from real Enhancv resumes. Check them out for some additional inspiration!
- Leading an initiative across the portfolio (40 projects) to enable teams to integrate risk into cost and schedule PC disciplines to more effectively manage their projects against PCT constraints
- Responsible for reviewing portfolio CPR and VARs and challenging project teams on the data and explanations in support of 1 & 2* reviews.
- Developed and delivered bespoke training workshops for project managers on how to view and analyse their project schedules using EPPM P6.
- Developed relationships with contractor PC staff, analyzed contractor PC deliverables, including the contractor schedule, risk register, EVM, and schedule risk analysis.
- When required, lead difficult discussions with contractors to understand project performance and establish recovery plans to ensure delayed activities did not affect CASP milestones, or project dependencies.
- (CR2LEP) Improved overall team morale through recognising a team member's poor performance and utilising the performance management/ HR policies to address the situation discretely and with respect to the individual.
- Launched an initiative across the portfolio (40 projects) to enable teams to integrate risk into cost and schedule PC disciplines to more effectively manage their projects against PCT constraints
- Improved VARs by challenging project teams on the data and explanations in support of 1 & 2* reviews.
- Transformed how PMs view and analyse schedule data by delivering training workshops on EPPM P6 and writing a supplementary user guide.
- Improved overall team morale through recognising a team member's poor performance and utilising the performance management/ HR policies to remove the individual from the team.
- Built meaningful relationships with contractors and used these relationships to hold challenging conversations in order to understand project performance, and establish recovery plans when needed.
- Analyzed contractor PC deliverables, including the contractor's risk register, schedule, EVM, and schedule risk analysis.
PRO TIP
Check the Project Controls Manager job description for inspiration. Look for similarities between your employer’s values and your experience.
Action verbs for your project controls manager resume
Recommended reads:
Project controls manager resume: Crafting a strong skills section
Do this if you want to make your skills section stand out.
- Check the job advert for keywords and add them to your skills section to pass ATS;
- List only skills that are relevant to the position to keep the hiring manager focused;
- Balance between hard, soft, and technical skills;
- Elaborate on some of your strongest skills in other sections of your Project Controls Manager resume, e.g. the experience section or your resume’s summary.
Top skills for your project controls manager resume
Jira
Project Management
SQL
MS Office
Agile
Scrum
Tableau
CRM
Strategic Planning
Planning
Budget Management
Influence
Delegation
Negotiation
Motivation
Conflict management
Adaptability
Resourcefulness
PRO TIP
Avoid getting sidetracked by Applicant tracking software by including a tech skills' section matching the job description and your own qualifications.
Recommended reads:
Project controls manager resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your project controls manager resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your Project Controls Manager resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
How to write an inspiring project controls manager resume summary
Checklist: Writing a resume summary that makes you stand out
- Keep it short and use well-structured sentences;
- Mention your total years of experience in the field and your #1 achievement;
- Highlight your strengths and relevant skills;
- Add keywords from the company’s website or the job description.
Resume Summary Formula:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
Recommended reads:
Making the education section of your project controls manager resume stand out
Education section checklist for your Project Controls Manager resume:
- List your highest education degree: including your major, year of graduation, and the institution you attended;
- Highlight the extracurricular activities that have helped you gain additional expertise;
- Share more about the certifications you’ve got, especially if they are relevant to the job position;
- Entry-level applicants: Mention relevant courses and projects.
Top certifications for your project controls manager resume
The Project Management Course: Beginner to PROject Manager
The Complete Course for becoming a Successful Project Manager
Project Manager's Playbook for Construction - Part 2 of 6
Project execution and control - risk, insurance and bonds
Project Manager's Playbook for Construction - Part 3 of 6
Project execution and control - breach of contract, changes, schedule updates and earned value
Project Manager's Playbook for Construction - Part 1 of 6
Project execution and control - buyout, contracts and subcontractor preconstruction
Project Manager's Playbook for Construction - Part 5 of 6
Project execution and control - Progress Payments, Productivity, Units and Labor, Financial Projections (Forecasting)
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Project controls manager resume: Formatting tips & tricks
Which came first: the hen or the egg? This question reminds us of the thing our resume experts hear most often in their job – which comes first: the content or the format? Well, we advise you to pick the format first and then go on with drafting your resume’s content.
And how do you choose a resume format? Well, based on your applicant profile. In general, there are three basic resume formats for you to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Let’s look at each one of them in more detail:
The reverse-chronological resume format is quite straightforward. Here, you describe all your previous jobs in a reverse-chronological form, meaning your latest job comes first. This resume format is great for people with lots of experience and skills who don’t have any career gaps.
If you are a recent graduate or don’t really have much experience in the industry you’re applying for, go for the functional skills-based resume format. This format focuses on skills and character traits, rather than experience. It makes the hiring manager realize you’re the perfect fit for the role without putting too much emphasis on your work history.
And if you’re looking for something a bit more intriguing and exciting, check out the hybrid resume format. It’s a combination of the reverse-chronological and functional skills-based formats, which makes it great for all types of job-seekers. The hybrid resume allows you to showcase both your professional experience and your skills, education, and additional qualifications. If you’re feeling creative, add a separate section about your typical day or life philosophy.
Our top style and layout resume format tips:
- Go for a standard 12p resume font;
- Choose 1-inch resume margins for a professional and easy-to-read feel;
- ry your best to fit your resume in a one-page template. If you’re a professional with over 10 years of relevant experience, having a two-page resume is also fine;
- Make sure to save your resume as PDF – this will help you avoid unwanted editing and formatting issues.
Read this: How to make your resume stand out
Recommended Reads:
PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Other sections that’ll look good on your Project Controls Manager resume
Do you want to move beyond the traditional skills, education, and experience section? Easy-peasy!
Just choose one or two additional sections to help recruiters get a fuller picture of who you are, both as a person and as a professional:
Adding a splash of creativity to your project controls manager resume
Boring resumes are no longer an option if you’re looking to impress recruiters.
And no matter whether you’re looking to give your old resume a new life or want to start building a new one from scratch, being at least moderately creative is always a good idea. Do this by adding a ‘favorite books’ section or even a pie chart of what your typical day looks like.
What makes a great project controls manager resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
