How to Become an Electrical Project Manager [In 5 Easy Steps]

Project management is one of the most in-demand domain, which requires excellent leadership and organizational skills. They oversee every activity during the project and ensure everything is inching closer to the desired organizational goals. Professionals who plan to work in this domain opt for various Accredited Project Management courses to refine their skills and prove their hold and expertise. Even organizations offering electrical project manager jobs prefer experts who have completed a renowned certification. It assures them that the person can handle the challenges arising in this field to help the organization grow.

It is also one of the most demanding job roles in every industry. No organization would want to risk its ongoing or upcoming projects as it can lead to ultimate shutdown! Hence, they would do anything possible to deliver a product that caters to all the user expectations. The first thing they do is hire a qualified professional to manage everything. So, if you want a monetarily profitable and secure professional career, you can definitely opt for the electrical project management domain. Let us dig deeper to understand what this position is and how to become an electrical project manager.

Who is an Electrical Project Manager and What Do They Do?

An electrical project manager is a person who manages large-scale electrical projects. These projects include supplying power to residential or commercial projects. It includes making safe and effective power connections, and a project manager oversees everything. As the world is drifting towards solar panels in the current times, this kind of project falls under electrical project management. Some of the responsibilities they hold are:

• Checking the plan of action that the engineers have made to make the supply possible and to light up the space.
• Based on the approved plan, they issue the resources to different teams and keep watching them to ensure optimum use.
• These experts also connect with the construction engineers and other workers for smooth functioning.

The role of a project manager may vary for different organizations, but the fundamental responsibilities remain the same.

How to Become an Electrical Project Manager in Simple Steps?

After knowing about the job roles of an electrical project manager, if the position fascinates you, we are here to tell you how to become an electrical project manager. You should know about the technical knowledge, educational background and skills you need to plan a successful professional journey.

Step 1: Master Skills 

No employer will even consider you if you do not have the required skills. When we mention the word skills, it is actually an amalgamation of technical knowledge and interpersonal abilities. Let us segregate the term skills for you for better understanding.

A. Top Skills Needed to Become an Electrical Project Manager

Soft Skills

A project manager is a higher-level management position where you interact with many people. Moreover, as there are multiple teams working under you, your leadership qualities become essential. Some of the soft skills which you should plan to develop are:

• Communication Skills
• Leadership
• Critical Thinking
• Problem-Solving
• Organization

Hard Skills

Hard skills refer to the practical knowledge of the industry. For electrical project managers, a thorough understanding of the project management industry, scheduling and resource planning are those skills. They can use various tools for this task or the techniques they learn in the Project Management Professional PMP certification. A list of hard skills an electrical project manager should have are:

• Time Management
• Knowledge of electric circuits
• Resource Planning tools or techniques

Other Competencies

Apart from soft and hard skills, an electrical project manager should have a fair understanding of the challenges he might come across. He can find timely and effective solutions when he knows what he can encounter.

B. Top Electrical Project Manager Certifications / Degree

You cannot just decide one day and become a qualified project manager. The process actually starts from the time you choose your graduation degree program. The right way to start is to opt for an engineering degree in electrical science, followed by a master's degree in business management. Once you complete your education, next significant thing is to choose a certification program. Some of the certification programs that an enthusiast can decide to enroll on are:

• Online PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner training
• OSHA Safety Certificate
• Master Project Manager (MPM)
• Project Management Professional

Step 2: Determine Your Ideal Timeline 

On the electrical project manager career path, timeline is the crucial aspect. For some, it can take years to reach the desired level of success, whereas for others, it might happen quickly. All it takes is to plan your time and activities according to your grasping power.

A. Start Learning in a Format That Suits You

Do not follow the path that someone suggests to you. Understand that it might not work for you! So, the right thing to do is to plan your format based on your abilities. Learn at what speed you can consume things and follow that speed until you reach your goals. If you want to get hands-on experience in the field before enrolling on a certification, you can do that. At the same time, if you think completing the certification first can help, choose that!

B. How Long Does It Take to Become an Electrical Project Manager? 

You can join in as an electrical project manager readily after you complete the education, attain the required skills and crack the interview. However, you might have to wait a little longer to become a successful electrical project manager. The more experience you gain in the industry, the more familiar you will get to the domain, and success will automatically follow.

Step 3: Begin Building Your Portfolio / Resume

When you are ready, the next step is to build a resume that helps you explore the job market. Understand that your resume is your first impression in front of your employer. So, you cannot put information in a hassled manner in this document. Consider it a project; do your research, check different templates, and then create a resume you can send for the desired job position. The most fruitful tip here is to build a resume that complies with the electrical project manager job description. Ensure you write the skills employers look for in a qualified electrical project manager.

Portfolio Example or Resume Template for Download

Here is a template you can follow to help you figure out how to write a perfect resume for the electrical project manager position.

Download the Electrical Project Manager template here!

qwikresume

Step 4: Where and how to find a job?

Blame it on the market competition or lack of awareness, many professionals still do not know where to find the right jobs. Especially, when it comes to getting into a managerial or mid-level management position, the search can actually be very challenging. Understand that we are living in the era of digital advancements. You can use your professional social media handles, like LinkedIn, in order to connect with the right kind of employers. Such platforms can also help you reach out to people who can provide the best references.

A. Top Companies Hiring Electrical Project Manager

As this position is particularly for electrical projects, companies with such projects are the top hirers of this position. A list of companies you can look up to are:

• BOSCH
• Intel
• Larsen & Turbo
• Capgemini
• Tata Consultancy Services
• Tech Mahindra
• Global Edge

and there are hundreds of other companies that continuously hire these professionals.

B. Job Outlook for Electrical Project Manager

The growth in the demand for an electrical project manager has been commendable over the years. From 2018 till date, there has been 8% growth, and the graph is expected to go high for the next decade as well. Research shows that one can expect more than 4400 new jobs in the coming decade. The best news is that it will continue to increase. So, you can begin planning to start your journey and rest assured of enjoying a safe and fruitful career.

Step 5: Ace the Interview

Getting through with the interview is another step or a challenge any enthusiast would face. It is inevitable to be better prepared to answer all the questions and present yourself in a way that your interviewer is sure about hiring you! Even when you start searching for how to become an electrical project manager, you will see that the emphasis is on acing the interview. Let us discuss the process and a few tips you can use to sail through and start your journey.

Brief overview of the interview process + Tips

• Step 1: Once you find a suitable job opportunity, the first step is to send your resume or complete the application process. The tip here is to build your resume with utmost perfection so that you catch the attention and sail through to the next step.
• Step 2: The next step is your interviewer calling you for the written or technical test. They might give you a case study, asking your strategy to handle the issue. The tip is to use your technical understanding of the domain to attempt the written test.
• Step 3: Once you clear the written test, the next step is a personal interview. You will sit with the interviewer face to face, and he will try to learn about your professional and personal capabilities. The tip here is to stay real, provide all authentic information, and give them a clear picture of how you can benefit the organization. No matter what, you should always hold on to your confidence level.

Who Can Become an Electrical Project Manager?

Anybody who comes from an electrical background can apply for the position. You can explore this professional path, provided you have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a similar field. It is crucial to understand that you should also consider completing a certification, like KnowledgeHut's Project Management course to strengthen your profile and increase your chances of getting hired.

Why / Benefits 

When you start questioning how to become an electrical project manager, you already know it is a promising career option. Listed below are some benefits of starting your professional journey in this field.

• The demand for an electrical project manager is high. Moreover, looking at the market trends, it is safe to say that it will continue to increase. Especially with the technical advancements, market competition is likely to rise even more and having an expert overseeing every project phase will become inevitable.
• The salary package or the monetary perks these professionals get are excellent. Countries around the globe with companies handling electrical projects offer an average salary of $97000 annually. The table below shows the average salary of these professionals in different countries.

Conclusion

After learning about the benefits of starting a career in this domain, it is fair to say that it is a secure career option. Moreover, you can learn a lot in this field, and the monetary perks make it even more desirable. So, it would be fruitful for an enthusiast to plan a career path after doing a thorough research and walking on it until you reach your desired professional level. Furthermore, it is equally significant to select a certification program that can train and prepare you for the projects and challenges you might face. Plan everything well, ensure all your decisions are backed by thorough research, and success will definitely follow.