Test managers and project managers are experienced officials, and they are paid well for the services they render. The services provided by these officials can vary depending on the organization they work for. Most of the time,they’re concerned with management-oriented tasks and they assure proper execution of work by different teams. That said, test managers and project managers are both management level jobs, but they differ in their execution process. So, let us talk about them one by one and explain each job separately.
Project managers are usually charged with the task of carrying out projects with the most efficiency by managing budget and resources well. Project managers usually carry out tasks analytically and distribute the workload for maximum optimization of resources. They distribute labor, resources, and teams according to the importance and resource intensity of the projects concerned. Management level positions are usually taken up by experienced individuals in the field and it is a job that requires not only management skills but also subject knowledge.
Project managers can come from various industries with different experiences. For example, some of them can be engineers with ample knowledge in their field, therefore, companies decide to place them in management positions for carrying out project execution seamlessly. Another common field of origin for project managers is sales and marketing. Sales representatives, marketing coordinators, and other workers from sales usually progress their careers and are able to place themselves as Project Managers in SMEs and MNCs (Small and Medium Enterprises and Multinational Companies).
A project manager is good at a lot of things - especially bringing people, projects and outcomes together. Let us talk about a few skills that a project manager or an aspiring project manager must have.
Accountability. A project manager takes charge of multiple projects and therefore a lot of responsibility is placed on their shoulders. Somebody aspiring to have this job must be greatly accountable for the tasks that they set out to achieve. Accountability must not be limited to the term itself - a good project manager must go beyond their limits to keep track of tasks and projects that the management and the clients have assigned to them. Accountability in this context also means being accountable for the accomplishments and failures of the team that works under the project manager.
Accountability is actually crucial when it comes to a major expectation of this job. The projects assigned to you by the management or the clients/partners of the company must be handed over on time. Deadlines are a major part of both outsourced and in-house projects. There are teams from multiple companies working on a project alongside outsourced individuals, and failure to deliver on contractual deadlines can be a major issue for your company. A good project manager must be able to align resources, deadlines, and commitments together to finish the work that is expected of them. This position carries great responsibility, and project managers are also highly paid workers due to this very reason.
Analytical Mindset. A project manager does not just take things at their face value. An ideal project manager will analyze each situation, every detail of the tasks concerned before they approve any project. Their outlook is to create something that does not need any revision. Essentially, if a project manager of a product company has been assigned the total responsibility of launching a new product for the company - they will make sure that the product is error-proof and works seamlessly. Carrying out tasks half-heartedly is not what a good project manager would do.
In service-based companies, the responsibilities amplify further. When clients of the company ask for a specific project to be carried out - there cannot be any revisits and revisions. The clients expect quality and so do their consumers - the stakes are even higher. An analytical project manager will optimize deadlines, quality, resources, and talent according to the final desired outcome. A lot of analytical thinking needs to be had because a lot of responsibility carries some amount of stress with it.
Time Management. For Management level jobs, you are managing not only your personal work time but also the time of your subordinates and teams that work under you. A project manager must have great time management skills to be able to do this. Optimizing resources, workers according to their own pace will not help out the motives of the project. Instead, the project manager must emphasize the time sensitivity and the priority level of each task for the projects, so that there is no rush or piled-up work when the deadline is near. Optimizing time for the efficient completion of a project can be one of the toughest aspects of this job. Not being extremely strict for each task can cause the project to get delayed which inevitably causes the company to fail the committed deadline.
Balanced Communication Skills. A good project manager usually has extremely good communication skills. However, he or she must not only be a good communicator, but also communicate in an objective-oriented manner.
An ideal project manager is a friend to the team members, but also a manager and leader primarily. He or she must motivate the team members to do their tasks well while ensuring that they carry out the tasks at a given time. A good project manager must be with the team throughout the service/product development process, and make sure the projects are complete and foolproof. A project manager must also be there during the error testing process and the bug discovery process.
Basically, a good project manager is always working with the team and is one of them - but never forgetting that he or she is their leader and is accountable for their failures and achievements. A good project manager is an efficient worker who is a good colleague, but also a very accountable and productive boss.
Now that we know a few things about the job of a Project Manager, let's talk about test managers. The work of a test manager is greatly similar to that of a Project Manager, but a little more “product” development-oriented. Think of it this way, a project manager possesses great management skills and product/service knowledge. However project manager is still a vague term - which requires some context in order to understand what tasks a project manager is eligible to take over.
A test manager is usually a software engineer/developer who has progressed into the role of a test manager. Simply put, a test manager is for a software company what a product manager is for pseudo-tech service/product-oriented companies. A test manager’s job is to manage the tasks for a software project, but also test the code and debug the software to run efficiently.
Test managers also work extensively to make the application secure from vulnerabilities such as information leaks and hacks. Perfecting the software project is the end goal of a test manager while assisting backend, frontend, and full-stack developers. A test manager also designs the architecture for the quality assurance of the software. Quality assurance engineers test the software and look for bugs and vulnerabilities while a test manager is constantly assisting and supervising them to foolproof the software.
Test and project managers are highly sought-after professionals in today’s corporate scenario. Oftentimes, people working in these posts are working for salaries that are below average for the position. If you are a test or a project manager who is aiming for a higher salaried job, we at Tech Consultants can assist you with the process.
We are Australia’s leading recruitment consultants, with the objective to help you find your ideal job with a high salary. We can assist you through the entire process, from applications and interviews to selection and onboarding. Do not delay your future, we will help you find the ideal test manager or project manager job which pays you your dream salary. With ideation and fearless creativity, finding your dream job has never been easier. Contact us today.
Category: Employee
