It’s time again for Project Challenge, the biannual free expo for Project Management professionals. I cannot stress enough that those who can steal a few hours out of the office, should call in and take a look at what is on offer. From seminars to demonstrations of systems all current and new within the PPM field. It is also an excellent opportunity to do a spot of networking, you don’t necessarily need to blindly approach people, you can arrange beforehand to meet those you have been talking to on social media such as twitter and LinkedIn. Make a little effort to expand your circle and you will be pleasantly surprised at how beneficial this can be moving forward. I have attended a number of the expos and still have contact with those I met over 5 years ago, I have not only found these contacts to be great for recruitment but also had a fair few contacts come to me for a CV refresh.
At the exhibition you will find many stands from software businesses, training organisations to recruitment agencies and of course you will have the opportunity to sign up for a number of presentations running throughout the day, so you may learn something too.
Here are the details:
Opening Times
14th October 09.30 – 17.00
15th October 09.30 – 16.15
Well this year has flown by; we’ve seen a great deal of change in the recruitment market with rollercoaster dips and rises in jobs. Good to see a rise in contract positions which have suffered over the years and PMO roles coming back into play. Clearly organisations are yet again realising the benefits of a central control room for project capability, having spoken to a number of interim PMO specialists a trend of businesses cutting back on the support aspect of projects have seen a significant impact on project success. Businesses are not meeting targets and delivery is a major contributor to this, thank goodness the value of the PMO is so apparent. Financial services are still the leader in volume of roles but technology is also a very healthy area too. Unemployment is reducing and I have worked with a number of candidates struggling to get back into work who I am pleased to say, have all now secured new roles.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and look forward to working with clients new and old in the New Year. Hopefully the rise in new roles will continue and I wish you all success, good health and happiness for a promising New Year.
As some of you will be aware, I am due to present at tonight’s APM branch session in Golborne – the session is has been fully subscribed with a waiting list for a few months. I have been asked to present at further events and we are currently in discussions. The essence of the session is to take a look at what employers and recruiters expect to see in a CV and work through the core elements of the CV structure. I have designed the session to be interactive rather than a PowerPoint presentation style, which I feel will be much more constructive for delegates. The PM job market is a difficult one to crack if you haven’t got a strong CV which says all the right things and there are a great deal of job hunters out there who remain oblivious to the fact that their CV just isn’t hitting the mark – blaming lack of interviews and call backs on the market being flooded. It is true to say the market is flooded but the reality is that there are very few who really know how they should be presenting their CVs for job applications. It is often the best CVs not the best candidates who secure short-listing.
We will discuss individuals experiences of job applications, talk through job specific areas for the CV and I will also be providing reviews on individuals CVs. Delegates will walk away with a good insight into what employers and recruiters look for and will have the knowledge and tools to put together a winning CV.
Yes, it is Guy Fawkes and as such we are adding a little fun into the article today to relate all things to the occasion and asking the question – does your CV light fires in the hearts of hiring managers’ or is it a bit of a damp firework? Expectations are always high when it comes to opening a CV when recruiting for a new role, sometimes (but not always) we have our appetites whet by a really explosive covering letter which really addresses the requirements for the role and we open the CV with excited anticipation, however, often the CV is a real let down. Why does this happen, you ask? Well CVs are often put together and then forgotten about as you feel you’ve done the best you can and it should be fit for all applications. You see a job you like and go about writing a cover letter talking through your career similarities to the position, all the effort goes in here with little thought to how the CV reads now (sometimes months on from when you originally wrote it). It is good practice to always read through your CV and match against the roles you wish to apply for, and then make tweaks so it is substantiating the detail you have supplied in the cover letter.
Bonfire – Create a document which really makes reviewers warm to it, think out of the box, and make sure your personality and management style come across.
Fireworks – Create a dazzling display on the CV to make recruiters want to read on, it’s not all about formatting and colours, it is content. What would you like to see if you were recruiting?
Treacle toffee – Always seems like a good idea until it gets stuck in your teeth, just like writing untruths. Keen it real, you want the CV to be good, more emphasis on what you have done not what you haven’t please.
Lanterns – shine a light on your experience; stand out from the crowd by working in good examples of where you have shone.
Penny for the Guy – Stop pretending to be something you are not, you will soon be found out. You will no doubt have some great experience so talk about it, think about impacts and change – doesn’t sound so flat when you add in some context.
