Project Manager Resume Skills and Keywords

What skills should I put on a project manager resume?

The top skills to put on a project manager resume are Atlassian JIRA, Microsoft Project and Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint), along with administrative knowledge, administration and management, and writing. Employers also look for integrity, cooperation and achievement orientation, which are best shown through results in your bullet points rather than listed.

• Atlassian JIRA
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Administrative knowledge
• Administration and Management knowledge
• Writing
• Integrity
• Cooperation
• Achievement Orientation

What software should project managers know?

Project manager job postings most often ask for Atlassian JIRA, Microsoft Project and Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint). Many project managers also use cloud-based data access and sharing, video creation and editing, and business intelligence software; which products matter depends on the employer, so list the specific products a posting names and you have used.

• Atlassian JIRA
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Office

What hard skills do employers want in project managers?

Project managers need administrative knowledge, administration and management, writing, and time management more than most. Name these in your resume summary and prove each one with a bullet that shows you using it.

• Administrative · Needed more than in most jobs
  Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Administration and Management · Needed more than in most jobs
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Writing · Needed more than in most jobs
  Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Time Management · Needed more than in most jobs
  Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Active Learning · Needed more than in most jobs
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Coordination · Needed more than in most jobs
  Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Compared with the average rating across all jobs in Department of Labor data.

What soft skills do project managers need?

The most important soft skills for project managers are integrity, cooperation and achievement orientation, followed by social orientation and self-control. Show them through results in your bullet points rather than listing them as single words.

1. Integrity: A tendency to be honest and ethical at work.
2. Cooperation: A tendency to be pleasant, helpful, and willing to assist others at work.
3. Achievement Orientation: A tendency to establish and maintain personally challenging work-related goals, set high work-related standards, and exert high effort toward meeting those goals and standards.
4. Social Orientation: A tendency to seek out, enjoy, and be energized by social interaction at work.
5. Self-Control: A tendency to remain calm and composed and to manage emotions effectively in response to criticism or difficult situations at work.

What keywords should a project manager resume include?

A project manager resume should include the exact tool names, skills and job title from the posting. For project managers, common keywords include Atlassian JIRA, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint), Fiber Project Manager and Implementation Project Manager. Applicant tracking systems and recruiters scan for these words, so use them wherever they truthfully describe your experience.

How do I write project manager resume bullet points?

Start each project manager bullet point with a past-tense verb and a core task, such as “Conferred with project personnel to identify and resolve problems,” then end it with a measurable result: what changed, by how much, and for whom. These starters come from the job’s most important tasks.

What are other job titles for a project manager?

Other job titles for a project manager include Fiber Project Manager, Implementation Project Manager, Project Management Consultant, Design Project Management Specialist and HR Project Manager (Human Resources Project Manager). Government job data groups them as “Project Management Specialists.” Search for these titles too, and use the posting’s exact title on your resume when it fits your experience.

• Fiber Project Manager
• Implementation Project Manager
• Project Management Consultant
• Design Project Management Specialist
• HR Project Manager (Human Resources Project Manager)
• Movie Project Management Specialist
• Planning Development Specialist
• Project Administrator (Project Admin)
• Project Controller
• Project Coordinator
• Project Delivery Manager
• Project Management Manager
• Project Management Technical Specialist
• Project Management Technician (Project Management Tech)
• Technical PM (Technical Project Manager)

What education do project managers need?

Most project managers need a bachelor's degree to get hired. No prior work experience is usually required. On your resume, list coursework or certifications in administrative knowledge, administration and management, and English language.

How much do project managers make?

Project managers earn a median salary of $102,320 a year, according to May 2025 federal wage data. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $61,580, and the highest-paid 10% earn more than $167,970. Employment is projected to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all jobs, with about 76,500 openings a year.

What other jobs can project managers do?

Project managers’ skills carry over best to jobs as information technology project managers, management analysts, and computer and information systems managers, which use the most similar skills and day-to-day work.