Project Management

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One single skill that makes you stand out as a project manager...

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Malhar Vishwarupe Associate Manager| Harsco India Services Pvt Ltd Hyderabad, Telangana, India
If an interviewer asks you to tell a single skill that makes you stand out as a Project manager, what will be your answer?
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Anonymous
I am interested in stakeholder management and people management
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Anonymous
If the interviewer understand project management he/she would expect an answer like this "None - there is NO SINGLE skill"; a great project manager must understand the situation and chose the best skill for that specific situation. It could be leadership, communication, seeing the big picture, empathy to team member, ...

Well - at least that is what I would expect the answer to be.
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Malhar Vishwarupe Associate Manager| Harsco India Services Pvt Ltd Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Thanks Mounir Ajam.. That is a very valid point. Interviewer may want to listen that answer.
In case interviewer insist on one skill, he may also want to know what skill we are specifically emphasizing as our strength..
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Anonymous
If the interviewer insist, in my view it could be one of two things:

1. He/She is an idiot and you are better off finding another company to work for,
2. He/she is quite smart and trying to push you to see if you bend under pressure, which mean you lost the interview if you answer with one skill

Again - I am not an expert HR person but this is what I would do
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2 replies by Bill Morgan and Vincent Guerard
Oct 03, 2016 2:53 PM
Vincent Guerard
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Agree
No single skill, it's likely a test. Or a uninform interviewer.
Apr 21, 2017 12:03 PM
Bill Morgan
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Your answer made me laugh. Too funny.
Hello Malhar,

This is a nice question and i will go with the earlier comment from Mounir. Projects and situations are different and to be effective you will have to wear several hats depending on the task at hand.

The other hand may be that the Company is focused on one type of project and a certain skill is needed to make it work then you better have that skill in your 'toolbox' if you will stand out.

My initial understudy of the company will inform me which situation plays out.
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Stéphane Parent Self Employed / Semi-retired| Leader Maker Prince Edward Island, Canada
You can always try by saying soft skills. Technically, it's more than one skill. It certainly encompasses a lot of qualities that a project manager should have.

If they don't like that, you can use interpersonal relationships management.

When you are asked such a question, remember that they don't care so much about your answer but rather your justification and thought process.
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John Caron, MBA, PMP, CSM VP - Technology Project Solutions Consultant| Bank of America Jacksonville, Fl, United States
I agree with Mounir, no one skill. My immediate thought was "Communication" as it has been reported communications sews back to 90% of the PM role, in one capacity or more.

This also reminds me of the current political pulse here in the USA. What would you state the most important issue? Is there just but one issue USA? In my opinion, there are numerous just as there are numerous for a PM to stand out.
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Vivek Arya Senior Project Manager| TopSource Worldwide limited Secunderabad, Telangana, India
As answered by all there is no single skill which would overshadow the rest. A project manager would understand that there are various techniques and tools (obviously utilized skillfully) he has to use and cannot just prioritize one upon the other. The day he does it he would become biased.
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Michael Sampene Project Manager| eni Ghana Exploration and Production Limited Dortmund, Germany
I will consider the project for which I am being interviewed and respond as such. Based on the problem (Project), I will assess the requisite skills I need to succeed and answer the question based on my competences and strengths.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Agree
No single skill, it's likely a test. Or a uninform interviewer.
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