Are You Looking for a PM… or 🧟‍♂️Frankenstein’s Monster?

If your job description is a mashup of every possible role involved in the project, you’re looking for a Frankenstein monster. And do I really have to tell you the risks of having a monster on your team?

I’m going to start this post with a little rant, but if you’ll oblige me and hang in there, I promise it’ll be worth the read.

I’ve been seeing a lot of job postings for project managers that read like a scavenger hunt for someone who can do everything. Take this gem: the title was Senior IT Project Manager, and the requirements included:

PMP certification
“Deep knowledge” of electrical engineering and architecture
3 years of Python development
Expertise in grant writing and contract law

I mean… WHAT?

Honestly, are you looking for someone to manage your project—or hoping someone has already built you a Frankenstein monster that can perform the exact magic you need?

Rant over.

Now look, I get it. You’re trying to get things done in a purpose-driven SME. You move fast, wear multiple hats, and need people who can flex. That’s the nature of small, scrappy, ambitious teams.

But here’s where things can get off course:

If your job description is a mashup of every possible role involved in the project, you’re looking for a Frankenstein monster.
And do I really have to tell you the risks of having a monster on your team?

More importantly: by writing the job this way, you might be overlooking the exact person who could bring your project across the finish line with less stress, fewer delays, and a whole lot more trust.

So, Who Is a PM, Really?

Let’s get one thing straight: a Project Manager is a Subject Matter Expert – in Project Management. Full stop.

We shouldn’t be expected to double-check your code, write your data schemas, or swoop in with obscure configuration hacks that only 1% of Salesforce super-users know about. (You know the ones. They’re on Reddit forums solving bugs most of us didn’t know existed.)

Could I help troubleshoot something in a pinch? Sure.
Could I hop into a system demo and ask informed questions? Absolutely.
But that’s a moment of support it should not be a requirement before I’m even considered for the job.

Let your Project Manager focus on:

Defining the project’s direction
Aligning the team with the goal
Managing risks and removing blockers
Coordinating across functions and personalities
Keeping everyone focused on the big picture

Think of the PM as the captain of the cruise ship. We chart the course, we know the destination, and the crew trusts us to get them there. The swabber cleans the deck. The cook runs the kitchen. The engineer keeps the engines humming. I trust them to do their part and they trust me to do mine.

When I’m allowed to focus on actual project management – facilitating, planning, anticipating risks, removing roadblocks, engaging stakeholders, and keeping the team aligned – I’m operating in my zone of genius. And trust me, you want your PM in that zone.

Why PMs Shouldn’t Be SMEs (in Everything)

When a PM is expected to also be the system expert, QA specialist, and technical writer, a few things happen:

We spend time chasing down low-level details instead of steering the project
We inadvertently step on the toes of actual SMEs, disrupting trust and momentum
We risk missing broader signals because we’re zoomed into tasks, not outcomes

The irony? You hired us to keep the project on track, but now we’re the ones off course, buried in work that belongs to the rest of the crew.

Why “Must Have Done This Exact Project Before” Misses the Point

Here’s something I see all the time in job listings: “Must have led a Salesforce implementation.”
Or Workday. Or ServiceNow. Or whatever platform the org is currently wrangling.

Knowing a specific platform might help shorten the learning curve, but is it really what determines project success?

What about the PM who’s led successful implementations of various SaaS platforms – HR systems, CRMs, ERPs – across different industries, different teams, and under very different conditions?

Because here’s the deal:
The steps to implement these systems are often similar. But the variables? Never the same.

Different data structures
Different org cultures
Different systems and tech stacks
Different team members with various levels of experience, influence, and attitudes
Different priorities and definitions of success

You try to apply a cookie-cutter approach to projects and you run into problems.
Every project looks simple from a template.
What happens when your dough has nuts, your oven runs hot, and your team is allergic to gluten?

Yup… didn’t think about that, huh?

Project success doesn’t hinge on whether your PM knows the exact platform you’re using. Success comes from knowing how to assess the landscape, engage the right people, manage complexity, adapt under pressure—and steer toward the goal.

The PM who gets that and has done it in different environments, with different outcomes, and still crossed the finish line? Yeah buddy – That’s who you want leading your team.

In fact, the PMI has found that generalists often outperform specialists because they understand how projects ripple across departments—and can navigate complexity better.
And studies show: past performance isn’t always a reliable predictor of future success, because each project is a new context .

So What Should You Be Hiring For?

Ask yourself:

Do I want someone who’s dedicated to managing the project and delivering results?
Or someone who can wear five hats but maybe drops the ball on the one role I actually needed them to lead?

Don’t get caught up in, “Oh, if he hasn’t done this exact project before, we can’t consider him,”
or “Workday isn’t listed on her resume, so she’s not a fit.”

Zoom out. Consider the dynamics of your team. The terrain of your organization. The project’s real needs.

Look for people with strong PM fundamentals, adaptability, and a proven ability to deliver. Look for someone who has: