Why the IT Project Management Market Is Struggling And How to Stand Out?

“Trevor, is it just me or is the IT project management market really struggling at the moment? 

It seems more and more PMs are looking for work? What can I do to stand out?”

You’re not imagining it.

The IT PM market in Australia is tight right now and many experienced PMs are feeling it:

👉 Out of work for months

👉 Ghosted by recruiters

👉 Watching job ads vanish before they hit ‘Apply’

So… what’s really going on?

1. Infra work has dried up

Cloud, SaaS and Infrastructure-as-Code have reduced demand for traditional Infra PMs.

2. Offshoring is squeezing local PMs

Over 20,000 tech roles were offshored in 2024 - especially in banking and telco.

3. AI is chainsawing the admin

Tools like Copilot and ClickUp AI now generate reports, task plans, meeting summaries - even risk logs.

4. Hiring cycles are slower, competition’s tougher

It now takes 10 weeks longer (on average) to land a role than it did pre-COVID

5. The jobs that do exist call for unicorns

Especially in banking and insurance. Good luck - the unicorn farm is closed to the public!

So what do you need to do to stand out?

Play a different game. The old one’s broken.

- Stop applying with the same resume and hoping something changes.

- Show impact, not activity like “Cut delivery time by 30% across 5 squads.” or “Saved $2M via DevOps uplift.”

- Use GenAI to sharpen your edge

Use ChatGPT or GenAI to:

 • Compare resume to JD

 • Identify strengths and gaps

 • Build mini case studies to show employers and recruiter how you’ll adapt

Then hustle your way into a convo - or apply with a knock-out cover letter and tailored resume.

You don’t have to be a unicorn. You just need to connect the dots for the person reading your application.

Also, how about reinventing yourself to get ahead of the curve rather than falling off it?

✅ Show you’re AI-augmented

“Used Fireflies and Copilot to automate reporting and action tracking.”

✅ Double down on what AI can’t replace - people and change leadership

Strong communication, stakeholder wrangling and calm under pressure? That’s your edge.

✅ Target sectors still growing

Cloud, cyber, ESG, AI governance, compliance, government digital - these are still hiring.

✅ Get active and visible

Your LinkedIn isn’t a CV - it’s your positioning statement, your personal billboard. Show up. Share insights. Be relevant. Tell the world who you are!

The market is tough - but not hopeless.

There’s still strong demand for PMs who are:

✅ Tech-savvy

✅ Value-driven

✅ Adaptable

✅ People-powered

✅ AI-ready

If you’re a PM feeling stuck, I get it.

My advice? Reposition, rebrand and reconnect.

Give it a go. What do you have to lose?

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