Category Archives: Networking

Careers Advice, Networking, Project management career progression, Project Management Careers Advice, project management jobs, project management recruitment, project management resume

Hidden Project Management jobs – how to tap into them

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Only a small percentage of jobs are filled by recruiters, in fact the percentage doesn’t increase greatly with advertised roles either. The majority of roles filled are through other means – now I have always said that recruitment can be like a lottery, you need to be in the right place at the right time. However there are some things you can be doing to ensure you are likely to be in the right places and highlighted specifically for upcoming roles and roles which haven’t necessarily been identified.

  • The key to successNetworking – personal networking and social contacts are a valuable tool when you are looking to secure a new position, do keep in touch with your contacts regularly and not only when you want something! Update or create a LinkedIn profile and connect with your previous employers, colleagues, friends etc. Make sure you join groups and get involved in discussions, this keeps you at the forefront of people’s minds but also demonstrates your passion for your profession and you can easily gain new valuable contacts through this practice. Go to PM specific events, there are a fair few which are free to attend – go listen to seminars and network with delegates to strengthen your contacts list. Join in social networking discussions beyond LinkedIn – twitter has a regular gathering on a Friday afternoon under the hashtag #pmchat – the topic differs from week to week and it is a great opportunity to talk live about PM related subjects with other Project Professionals.
  • Create opportunities – if you are already in a contract or employed you can take the consultative approach and get involved with other project teams, understand what changes are afoot and identify how you could tap into these changes. Even talking to other PMs over coffee and hearing their challenges can unearth some interesting pieces of work you can take to Head of Projects etc.
  • Direct approach – I can almost hear your sigh at the thought of a speculative application, after all in the past you have done this and received the generic response of “keeping your details on file”, but there is a more effective way to approach businesses.
    • Create a list of companies you would like to work for and know have project management functions.
    • Research the companies, track them online – identify changes, look at anything which might generate jobs, from new product launches to mergers.
    • Identify Heads of Projects – a bit of searching online will soon generate some names and contact details.
    • Draw up a tailored cover letter, talk through the change you have identified and match up your experience to how you have delivered similar change in the past.
    • Tweak your CV to ensure it is relevant to the business and look at other employees’ profiles from that business to grasp an idea at what attracts the business to them.
    • Approach the contact, be assertive but not pushy and ask for a call or to meet for a coffee to discuss.

The direct approach is time consuming but, think about how your chances of securing a new role have increased significantly by demonstrating key skills such as being proactive, commercially astute, good researcher etc. you could also save them costly recruitment fees moving forward and avoid the long queue for a role which has later been adevertised.

guest blogger, Job Hunting, LinkedIn, Networking

7 Tips on Using LinkedIn to Land Your Dream Job

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As a professional social network, LinkedIn has transformed the way business professionals communicate, interact and network. It has also completely changed the recruitment and employment process, shifting the practice online with virtual connections taking the place of networking events.

With graduate employment prospects at an all-time low and an oversaturated and a hugely competitive job market, workers are looking at other means for boosting their job prospects. LinkedIn has become a highly valuable tool for both employers and potential employees.

Here are some simple tips on how to harness the unique power of LinkedIn to get you the best chance of landing your dream job.

Grow Your Network

They say when it comes to the marketplace it’s about who you know not what you know and whilst that may still be true, LinkedIn has made networking and getting to know people easier than it ever has been before. Your entire professional contact book can be managed and controlled online via LinkedIn. Maximise your reach across the business world by building up as large a network as possible. Link up with all your co-workers and friends and then join in discussions through groups, answer questions and generally interact with as many as people as possible. Mine the contacts of every new connection you make to further extend your contact list.

Optimise your Profile

Your profile is your virtual first impression and acts as your online business card. It needs to be as slick and professional as possible. There is no point having hundreds of connections to an outdated or misinformed profile. Optimise your profile to make yourself easy to find using keywords in your job title and bio. Provide clear points of contact and be clear about who you are, what you do and what you are looking for out of LinkedIn.

networking online

Boost Visibility

Now you have a perfectly optimised and highly attractive profile as well as a sizable bank of connections; you need to boost your visibility across the network. Stay front of mind with all your contacts by posting regular status updates, participating in conversations across LinkedIn groups and utilising the question and answer tool. Seek opportunities where you can show off your detailed knowledge and expertise in relevant fields.

Be Clear About What You Want

LinkedIn can be used in a variety of ways by a range of people seeking different results. Be clear from the beginning about what you wish to use LinkedIn for. In this case if you are looking for job opportunities, make sure you are connecting with people in your fields of interest. Follow companies that are in your area and connect with people already doing your dream job. How did they get to where they are now? What route did they have to take? Is this something you can follow?

Be Professional

Possibly the most important tip to using LinkedIn, particularly when job hunting, is to remain strictly professional at all times. LinkedIn is not Facebook or Twitter but a business network for professionals. Maintain a professional decorum in your communications. Personalise messages and adhere to the general practices and etiquette of the site. If you get an invitation to connect from someone you don’t know don’t just ignore them, start up a conversation and take their details, as you would at any networking event or conference in the past.

Seek out the best opportunities

Don’t just sit back and assume that job opportunities will appear now you have a strong connection list and an optimised profile. Take the initiative and find what you want first. Search for opportunities at companies and within sectors which interest you. Reach out to HR managers at companies which are advertising or you are keen to work with. You might find you have much in common (including some mutual connections).

Get Recommendations

There is nothing more credible to your job search than professionally endorsed skills and experience from relevant experts. Endorsements and recommendations from co-workers, managers or clients instantly boosts the credibility of your profile and shows potential employers clear evidence of the qualities you have and can offer.

Now go and land that dream job you’ve always wanted!

Ross Moffat is a freelance writer for Education Consultancy Beattie Communications, who has been writing professionally for over 2 years.

Business Networking, guest blogger, Networking

How to Network at Conferences

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Attending conferences is a great way to stay current with the latest happenings in your industry. While internet research and discussions with partners and suppliers can be beneficial, there is nothing quite like joining a large group of professionals in your field.

Presentations by experts may be infrequent in your area, but at a conference you’ll have access to a vast wealth of knowledge and experience.

Conferences are also great places to be inspired- the simple act of leaving, for example, your cheap wholesale products warehouse, and travelling to meet with others who have done the same can provide you with a grand new perspective.

You will also be in a position to connect with many potential partners in business, as well as collaborators, suppliers and, most importantly, new clients.

However, going to a conference and attending seminars is not enough. In order to make the most of the experience you’ve got to network and make the rounds. So how does one meet new people and forge the right connections at one of these events?

Before the Conference

Try to define your goals for this event. Instead of just having a vague idea that you’ll be going to learn new things about selling cheap wholesale products and maybe meet a few people, make it your mission to connect directly with potential business partners and clients in your industry.

Connect with other conference goers and presenters as much as possible. See if your conference has a hash tag to follow on Twitter, or an official Facebook page. Contact speakers on their websites and let them know that you are looking forward to their seminar.

Networking

Carefully review the conference agenda and plan to attend the seminars and workshops that specifically apply to your industry and goals.

Prepare your response to the question “What do you do?”  Instead of simply responding that you buy cheap wholesale products and then sell them, have a thorough but concise explanation of what your line of work is and who your clients are. You may also want to add information about your goals for the event.

During the Conference

As you attend each seminar (as many as possible), be ready to meet people. Have business cards with your up-to-date contact information and photo on them and be ready to hand them out. If you’re not comfortable giving out business cards, practise with a family member or friend prior to the event.

It is also a good idea to plan several conversation starters or phrases to continue conversations, so that your interactions don’t fizzle out after small talk. Be ready to ask questions about others and then confidently share information about what you do and what you have to offer.

After the Conference

Go through the business cards you receive and connect with the appropriate people. Very important connections may warrant a phone call, while others may do best with an email or friend request on social media. Plan to stay in touch, and be sure your connections know where to find you if necessary.

This article was contributed by Wholesale Clearance in the UK.

12 days of Christmas, Networking, No, Project Management Communications, Recruitment, The CV Righter

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…..

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On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…..

….. 4 calling birds! Today we have chosen: On the 4th day of Christmas The CV Righter said to me 4 calling cards, 3 networks, 2 referees and a killer CV!

It is important to pick carefully the contacts you keep in touch with when looking for a new job and as such ideally you should be picking 2 recruitment agencies and 2 job boards. This doesn’t mean you ignore all others but as you research agencies and job boards in a new job search you will quickly find that there are some which are far more relevant to your skill set and their behaviours towards you as a prospective candidate.

Some job boards are better than others and some more focussed on your field – by setting up “jobs by email” alerts, following their twitter accounts and “liking” their Facebook pages so you receive updates in your news feed you can reduce down the unnecessary and irrelevant information being sent to you.

Likewise with recruitment agencies you can get a feel for the types of roles dealt with and how they treat you as a candidate – do they demonstrate an interest in you and wanting to find you the right role or are you just another applicant in the long list of others.

If you are fortunate enough to build up relationships with recruiters it is a good way to keep fresh in their minds as new opportunities are being qualified and you are more likely to get a call before a job advert is even created.

It is all a big learning curve with job boards and agencies so you may find oyu change your favourites list as you progress through applications or as you realise that your endeavours are not harvesting the effort you put in.

Here is an article talking through Project Management specific job boards which you may find useful.

On the 1st day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me a Killer CV

On the 2nd day of Christmas The CV Righter said to me Two Referees

On the 3rd day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me Three Networks

On the 4th day of Christmas The CV Righter said to me 4 calling cards