Application as IT Project Manager

IT Project Manager is a profession in IT / Project Management, typically entered via BSc Business Information Technology FH. Anyone applying here should know these requirements and pitfalls - specific to the Swiss job market, not generic.

Technical Requirements

• HERMES 5.1 for public sector clients, IPMA or PMI in the private sector
• Budget and resource planning
• Vendor management and contract understanding
• Risk management and escalation skills
• German at native level, English fluent in negotiations

Personal Requirements

• Leadership without formal authority
• Composure in escalation situations
• Clear communication towards management and the steering committee

Common Mistakes in the Application

• Project size is missing - without budget, team size and duration, 'project management' says nothing
• HERMES knowledge is missing for applications to the Confederation and cantons, where it is practically a prerequisite
• Only successful projects are mentioned; how a failed project was handled often convinces more in the interview
• Certificates are listed without a level - IPMA Level D and Level C are not the same

Typical Employers in Switzerland

Federal Office of Information Technology FOITT, cantonal administrations, SBB, Swiss Post, Swisscom, Axpo, BKW, cantonal hospitals.

Excerpt from a Cover Letter

Dear Mr. Frei Over the past four years I have been responsible for introducing a patient portal at a cantonal hospital: a budget of CHF 1.4 million, a core team of seven, two external vendors, and a HERMES-based approach. The project went live three months late - the delay traced back to an interface with the clinical information system, whose effort we had significantly underestimated at the start. What I take from that is a different way of verifying interfaces early instead of merely planning them.

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