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 director sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a job-winning experience section: Project Director resume edition
Project Director Resume Experience Section: Dos and Don'ts
- List 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Include only relevant job experience;
- Make sure to highlight your strongest skills by focusing on the challenges you’ve faced and the results you’ve achieved;
- Don’t use buzzwords that carry no meaning;
- Don’t share confidential information about your previous employers.
If you prefer to be led by example, check out some great Project Director resume experience section snippets below!
- Project value at least 1 million USD, with a typical duration of 9m to 2y. Internal project team size of 20-60 people.
- Contributed to define TCB project management framework.
- 1 flagship project won The Asian Banker award.
- 3 years recognized with the company's top performance ranking. Often considered as standard setter among co-workers.
- Management of a multidisciplinary team of 8 people with international profiles.
- Direction of the digital transformation of key processes in quality.
- Implementation of decision-making tools for the supply chain, assembly center, Canadian manufacturing, engine programs and finance (Power BI)
- Supervision of artificial intelligence projects to deal with non-conformities of parts.
- Development of best practices in user experience and interface (UX / UI), critical metrics and database to facilitate user decisions.
- Manage process for 29 member regional housing coalition
- Facilitated 10 partner meetings, 30+ Tiger Teams, 2 community workshops
- Published five policy papers
- Created first regional map of publicly owned lands
- Participate on Town of Truckee General Plan Advisory Committee
- Collaboration with Business Units management and strategy teams
- Manage the digital portfolio of Telenor Brands across Business Units
- Leading the Digital Channels (web, app, social) workstream and performance to ensure the adoption strategy to divert volumes from call centres and physical stores to the online touch-points
- Following up quarterly business reviews prioritisation process and progress tracking for large cross-functional programs and investment decisions
- Implement a strategy to ensure profitable growth with our partners and via our own channels
- Operational design and development including budgeting, headcount allocation, and process and workflow mapping
- Led the digital analytics and co-coordination of the 12 Business Units strategies
- Developed Telenor digital capability framework defining objectives, KPIs, goals and roadmaps
- Identification of new tools and digital competences to uptake customers
- Coordinated team and led the digital channels community
- Director and leader of Telenor Digital Academy In 3 areas: Social media, digital marketing & Digital Academy
- Identified best practices, trends and customer journeys moving people from physical stores to online digital touch-points
- Developed a set of new tools and KPIs to measure customer experience (NPS) and customer behaviour (analytics)
- Launched Telenor Expert Training Program including the Analytics, Digital Marketing and Social media management
- Coordination and performance follow up of all Head of Digital across Business Units
- recruitment of 13 engineers, external resources management, annual performance reviews, team meetings animation, daily team support
- IT projects roadmap definition and publication
- Completion of 30 IT projects since 2015
- Tenders answers, SLA validation, Steering committees, Clients audits
- Projects methodology and document templates definition : SLAs, KPI, Project Quality Plan
- International environment : India, Brazil, Germany, Spain
- Collaborated with co-worker to streamline administrative work resulting in increased efficiency and 15% cost reduction
- Recruited, trained and led team of 50
- Assisted in the arrangement and operation of 20+ incentive events, conferences, team buildings
- Managed team of 14 developers, designers, and marketing staff
- Implementation and Development of a new concept in an existing local cash&carry retail brand
- Definition of Business Strategy, Communication and Marketing Plans
- Definiton of strategic Commercial Plans
- Managed and grew Valtech's most valuable client by 100% to $5m within the first year of ownership. Continuing to stabilize and grow the account furter in the third year of ownership.
- Delivered hybris based cloud business platform prototype, e-commerce platform and adobe experience manager based dotcom site within one year of engagement
- Overseeing globally distributed program of 3 major work streams, 3 project managers andup to 75 team members
- Contributing to Valtechs tools and processes to improve large scale program delivery. Leveraging my professional network to hire and contract resources and driving change in offshore delivery model
- Continuously adjusting delivered services to the current client challenge from strategy to operations
- Leveraging my technology background to actively trouble shoot, lead arcitecture discussion and contribute to technology decisions
- Established a new team of Project Managers for the Experience Design Practice. Currently lead a team of 5 PM's (Senior & Mid) with a focus on delivering customer led projects.
- Defined a common operating model within the practice utilising a Hybrid Agile delivery approach.
- Responsible for driving delivery excellence and standards across the team by implementing best practices and supporting the team with day-to-day delivery.
- Directly manage projects of a certain complexity and size (currently managing an iOS & Android app build for the worlds largest beacon deployment. $500k+ budget).
- Responsible for managing team capacity and utilisation by driving delivery efficiency, conversions and new business pipeline.
- Frequently lead the pitch process for New Business opportunities within the practice.
- Reduced number of fasteners by 25% through component standardization.
- Completed 3 multinational projects resulting in commendation by client for exemplary work.
- Used 3D Printing technology on a daily basis as part of the prototyping process for products I designed.
- Finished installation Mechanical work in Waste water treatment Plant (140,000m3 /d) in HCM City.
- Created a 3 month plan to induct 12 new graduates into the business.
- Project Director of the £1.3Bn multi-phase regeneration of three existing housing estates in Merton, South London
- Delivering 3,200 new homes and 10,000ft2 of retail and commercial space
- Clarion's regeneration representative with the London Borough of Merton, local MP's and key stakeholders and stakeholder groups
- Day-to-day role as the internal client, leading and managing the inputs from the Development, Project Management and Commercial, Design and Technical, Regeneration, Sales and Housing Management teams
- Wholly responsible for the project's approved financial position and betterment targets
- In the role as National Head of Residential for the Cost and Commercial group, Chris led the residential developer service line for clients including:
- Canary Wharf Group (Wood Wharf G7), Argent Related (400 homes in three phases), Mace Developments (1,860 homes across seven phases), Clarion Housing Group (3,200 homes across 15 phases), L&Q (750 homes)
- Led the team providing assurance to local and central government in relation to the Commonwealth 2022 Athlete's Village and its legacy conversion to residential
- Managed a team of 25 in London and was responsible for an income of £3m, the largest target within the UK business and the driving force behind its annual performance
- To support explosive growth of the company from over 30 people to more than 110, I set up reporting and management standards. I demonstrated the benefits of those methodologies by improving our delivery time and quality.
- I set up an incentive-based contracts to align RioDeFi interest in time and quality deliverables with the supplier financial interest.
- I supported the creation and signature of a joint venture contract. I promoted purchasing the intellectual property over renting it. I advocated an engagement locking partnership of the partner with our company only for business involving blockchain.
- Defined and followed technical roadmaps using agile methodology
- Managed teams of 8 persons: UX and UI designers, developers
- Led key accounts and global projects up to 500 k€ (+20% turnover)
- Created methodological tools to choose the right mobile strategy and maximize business value
- Led our chatbot initiative with the back-end team
- Conducted training sessions for audience of 50+ digital experts
- Trained the team on mobile KPI and analytics
- a) Nine twisting towers, overall responsibility of all phases of construction, international investor’s (Black Stone) and Client’s single point of contact, dealing with Authority, Architects, contractors and vendors. Responsible for P&L and project delivery.
- b) Hilton Hotel Refurbishment (from office building to Hotel)
- c) Private High End Villa construction (Finishes and Fit-Out)
- General management of asset value in excess of £100M
- Plan refurbishment startegy with Board of Directors
- Project delivery with 50 plus contractors, consultants, surveyors within strict COVID compliance
- Achieved cost savings of c. £1M in the last 12 months
- Animation of the Project Managers community (15 persons),
- In charge of the compliance topics of the regulation (policies, procédures, controls, training)
- Holding of many follow up committees (opcos, steercos, workshops)
- Defend & Protect Idewell interests
- Ensure proper management for all administrative, financial & technical activities
- Responsible for contracts execution performance
- Develop Idewell's Turnover
PRO TIP
In writing your Project Director resume, you will no doubt want to list your previous duties - as you should. But steer clear of just listing your duties, instead of your achievements. Make your resume stand out by communicating what you have done, and not merely what the job needed you to do.
Action verbs for your project director resume
Recommended reads:
an impressive skills section for your project director resume
Writing a skills section that stands out:
- Check the job advert for keywords that you can use: this will help you pass ATS;
- Focus on relevant and valuable skills that will support your application;
- Make sure to include both hard and technical skills, leaving soft skills for other sections of your Project Director resume;
- Don’t list skills you don’t have.
Top skills for your project director 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
Add a Talent Section to your resume, where you can pick your top 3 soft skills and describe how you used them to complete a project or balance departmental communication.
Recommended reads.
Project director resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your project director 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
Some companies, states, and countries have non-discrimination policies about what kind of information can be included on your Project Director resume. This might include a photo (which is often included in a resume header and might be on personal web pages you link to). You can always email the company’s HR department to ask about their policies before you apply.
The Project Director resume summary: tips and tricks
Making a strong first impression.
- Keep your summary section short and easy to read; avoid long sentences;
- Highlight your total years of experience in the field;
- Mention 1-2 of your biggest achievements and strengths;
- Add a couple of keywords from the job advert.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
When writing a resume summary or objective, avoid first-person narrative.
Recommended reads.
Project director resume: a strong education section
What to include in your education section:
- Your highest education degree (incl. major, duration, name of institution);
- A bit more about the certifications you’ve got (if they are relevant to what you’re applying for);
- Some extracurricular activities that have helped you develop and strengthen your skills;
- If you’re an entry-level applicant: Relevant courses and projects.
Top certifications for your project director resume
The Project Management Course: Beginner to PROject Manager
The Complete Course for becoming a Successful Project Manager
Project Management Fundamentals: Run projects effectively
Learn how to effectively analyze, plan, execute, and manage projects that consistently accomplish company objectives
Beginning Project Management: Project Management Level One
Project Management: Growing a Successful Career as a Project Manager
Deeply Practical Project Management (Earn 16 PDUs)
How to apply the PMI project management processes in the simplest and most practical way, with a professional example.
Project Management Essentials
A crash course in the essentials of project management for new project managers.
Recommended reads.":
PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Project director resume: how to choose the right format
The content of your resume is necessary for showcasing your expertise, skills, and education. Great formatting, on the other hand, is essential for highlighting your attention to detail, creativity, and ability to stand out.
There are three basic resume formats to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Which one of these you choose depends on a couple of things, but most importantly: the industry and your level of experience.
The reverse-chronological resume format, for example, is great if you’re a Project Director with many years of experience and no career gaps. It doesn’t really matter if your company of choice is a multinational corporation or an early-stage startup – this resume format is considered to be a safe bet.
If you’re someone with little or no experience, however, we advise you to go for a functional skills-based resume format. It focuses on skills, competencies, and education, rather than experience. This makes it great for entry-level applicants, career changers, and graduate students.
And if you’re tired of traditional formats and want to go over the top when it comes to your application, the combination or hybrid resume format is here to help. Here, you can focus on both your experience and your skills, there’s even space for you to highlight your most spectacular personality traits. If you want to give a modern feel to your Project Director resume, this resume format is just what you need. Add a ‘my life philosophy’ section for additional bonus points!
Looking for ways to perfect your Project Director resume layout and style?
- Don’t risk it: choose standard 1-inch resume margins;
- Go for traditional resume fonts (sized 10-12p);
- Match the length of your Project Director resume with your years of experience – choose a one-page template if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- To be on the safe side, save your resume in PDF. This will help you avoid formatting issues and unauthorized editing.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Test your draft Project Director resume by sending it out to peers and mentors in your circles. Ask them to review it as if they are hiring you for a project and implement the feedback afterwards.
Your project director resume: Other sections to include
Tired of resumes that focus only on your professional side? Want to show you’re an actual human being with a real personality that goes beyond your work experience? Then add some other sections to your Project Director resume!
Depending on the industry, company, and position, you can go for a more creative or less creative approach. Choose 1-2 of the following:
Making your project director resume shine
In a pile of boring black and white resumes, a creative Project Director application feels like a breath of fresh air. And trust us, recruiters love this.
There are two ways to add a splash of creativity to your resume. You can either go for a creative layout (bright colors, modern fonts, etc.) or add some creative sections (e.g. ‘what my typical day looks like’).
It’s up to you! Just make sure to keep the position, company, and industry in mind. Otherwise, you risk going over the top. And that’s not always a good idea.
What makes a great project director 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.
