Category Archives: CV Tips

CV Tips, Job Applications, PMO, Project Management

Keeping sane whilst looking for work – Project Management Tips

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Whatever situation you are in – whether you are unemployed, between contracts or just ready to make a move from your current role, the recruitment process can be incredibly frustrating. Searching for roles, applying for them and then waiting to see if you are blessed with any kind of response from the employer or recruiter and when chasing up applications being told you are one of dozens of applications blah blah blah. It is a bit soul destroying, even for the most motivated and upbeat job seeker. So what can you do to ensure you keep motivated and a sense of humour during this period?

Here are a few tips:

  • Don’t be so hard on yourself – I know it’s easy to say, but it’s true. There is a reason you are not shortlisted for some roles, a good hiring manager or recruiter will be looking for specifics in your CV and once they have met their shortlist needs they discard other applications. So it isn’t always just about the best CV, it’s the best CVs getting in there first.
  • Talk to people – whether it’s the recruiters, HR staff or even people in your network who currently work at the organisation. Understand what is going on behind the scenes. As we are currently going into holiday season, applications may be sat on the desk of someone who is away for 2 weeks and will have a back log of work when they return. This could be the “black hole” you feel you have gone into.
  • Call a friend – cliché I know but, talking to someone about how the process is going will help bring you back to normality. I have often bounced ideas off virtual work buddies – we work in different fields but all have an appreciation of what we do and can sympathise with each other’s situations. Bringing the sense of humour back is important.
  • Keep going – don’t pin your hopes on a couple of roles, you may be hearing all the right noises after making your application but for whatever reason, roles do go on hold and can be withdrawn. Make sure you keep plenty of irons in the fire, the worst which can happen is you end up with a few interviews (better for practice anyway) and hopefully, multiple job offers.

As project professionals, you are well used to good planning (or should be) – make sure you plan your recruitment activities and keep up momentum. By keeping to a structured format of applications you will feel more in control of the situation and will free up time for other activities – keeping sane means timeout too!

For further advice and a free CV review – get in touch: www.thecvrighter.co.uk

 

CV Tips

Project Managers Are Not Created Equal

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There is great diversity in the field of project management. Within the field there are varying certification levels and varying competencies. For instance, there are technical, behavioural and context competencies. For the good name of the profession to be upheld there must be honesty and transparency regarding the level of competency of specific individuals. Clients must know what are the levels of knowledge and experience of their project manager.

International Project Management Association (IPMA) Certification

Various qualifications provide the basic knowledge or learning required for project management. For instance, many business qualifications, such as an MBA, will include project management courses. This does not make those who qualify from these programmes project management professionals. To ensure the integrity of certification, so that experienced and competent project managers can be easily identified, the International Project Management Association has developed a competency certification. This is an assessment by two independent assessors that is based on knowledge as well as work experience. There is a heavy emphasis placed on proven ability.

Image credit: Morten Wulff, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, via Flickr

How is the IPMA certification achieved?

The certification process is managed by the IPMA, but the actual assessments are performed by the member bodies. Every country has some kind of Project Management institution which belongs to the umbrella organisation the IPMA. Since the assessments are performed by the local institution there are some variations depending on locality. The IPMA sets the minimum standards, but some Project Management Institutes then add additional requirements or programmes on top of those standards. The process includes a combination of testing and learning variations. These can be self-assessments, written exams, interviews, workshops, submitting reports, submitting lists of projects, references and portfolios, etc.

Levels of Certification

Within the IPMA certification there are four levels. The lowest level is D. At this level the assessment is on knowledge rather than experience. The long title for an individual at Level D is a Certified Project Management Associate. The next level is, of course, level C: A Certified Projects Manager. Here references are required and so too is a written exam. At level B both knowledge and experience become the key focus. A level B certification is referred to as a Certified Projects Manager; at this level individuals have to submit project lists and complete self-assessments. Level A is the last of the IPMA certification and here an individual becomes a Certified Projects Director. This level requires references, as well as a project director’s report.

Conclusion

As a project manager in training it is important to understand the various levels of project management certification. This knowledge and understanding will help you to map your career path and decide where you intend to go as a project manager. It is good to check out the Institute of Project Management relevant to you and get a good understanding of what their certification programmes and assessments involve.

This post was written by Natalie Simon, a freelance writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. Natalie writes on a number of topics, including employment, education and studying project management courses online in Perth, Australia.

CV Tips, CV Writing, PMO, Project Management, Q&A

Should I state my hobbies on my CV? – Questions answered.

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Each week I am addressing questions asked during my consultations with project professionals, via the blog – this week we have an interesting question from a PMO professional who was concerned that stating hobbies may go against him.

“I have been considering whether to add detail about my hobbies in my CV as I do not want to put employers off – some of my hobbies are extreme sports and I have read that such hobbies may be off-putting due to the perceived danger aspect and employers worry about time off due to accidents.” – Simon, PMO Lead; Southampton.

Hi Simon, many thanks for the question – hobbies are an interesting aspect of a CV in that there have always been questions around whether they are actually required. However I have worked with a number of employers who have asked to see CVs of candidates with interesting hobbies – this is because their current teams are varied in backgrounds and interests which they have found works very well for the business. Having hobbies is important to everyone as this demonstrates that our down time is being used productively but also that we have a way of channelling our energy and stresses of everyday by escapism.

Some choose to take a safer approach to hobbies and may develop websites etc where as others as more active and choose to climb rocks at the weekend. Personally I think there are a smaller number of employers which will have an issue with a dangerous sport over no hobbies at all. We can suffer accidents merely walking to the shops so in controlled environments you are less likely to have a detrimental outcome as you are aware.

Hobbies add another dimension to a CV – when choosing potential employees it is important for hiring managers to get a good fit to the team and as such they may look to attract similar to their current team or think outside the box and consider candidates with a more varied background. To make a team we do need to consider varying elements so having colleagues who are very different from each other can address any skills gaps too.

Work does take a large proportion of our time and although it is necessary to ensure you are covering all aspects of the role you perform – adding that personal element is a good idea. We are not robots and it is better to be discarded for a role from the outset if the employer truly has an issue with your hobbies than after interviewing. Save yourself the disappointment and time – be true to yourself as the right role is only around the corner and the hobbies may be the deal breaker or deal maker!

If you have a burning question you would like answering – please feel free to drop us a line at: www.thecvrighter.co.uk

 

 

Careers Advice, Cover letters, CV Tips, CV Writing, News, PMO, Project Management

Professional CV writing service – what can I expect?

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There is a stigma attached to professional CV writing services – candidates being charged extortionate fees for a CV which isn’t true to them, I have seen the result of such work over the years as a recruiter which is one of the key reasons I started this business. It is important that your CV is personal to you, not just a list of skills which reads more like a job description. Having spent a number of years working in project management delivering projects and setting up support systems for project teams and then specialising in recruiting project management staff across all sectors and industries in permanent, contract and temporary roles I have decided to dedicate my knowledge and experience to assisting project people in achieving their career goals. As a consultant in this field and having provided careers advice for 5 years to project professionals and those entering the field I am in a good position to be able to really understand you and translate your background into terminology and information which is sought after in the project management field.

When engaging in our services you will work closely with me to understand the “whys” and together we will create a CV which not only markets you exceptionally in the field – it is true to you and will assist you in gaining interviews for roles which are right for you. I think we’ve all been sent to an interview by a recruiter and wondered why we are there as the role is not relevant to our skills!! By having a clear CV which tells the reader about your abilities in a professional format you will avoid such inconveniences and more importantly – will gain you the interviews for the roles you really want.

At The CV Righter we do not believe one size fits all for CVs which is why all the sessions and the final product served to you is tailored to you and your circumstances. You will never sit in an interview and be asked about something on your CV which you do not understand or have little exposure to. We don’t look to make up information but to take the experience you have and ensure it is understood by the reader. We will go through the finished CV with you (once you are happy with it) to ensure you understand all the terminology and are comfortable with it. In addition to this, based on your circumstances, we will offer you addition advice about taking that next step into securing a new role.

For a professionally written CV which is true to you – not just a template and a list of skills, make contact today to see how we can assist you. We perform a free CV review to get the ball rolling and discuss your circumstances to understand how we can support you. www.thecvrigther.co.uk