Category Archives: Project Management Careers Advice

12 days of Christmas, Careers Advice, CV Writing, Job Applications, Job Hunting, No, Project Management Careers Advice, Project management CV, Seasons Greetings

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

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On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

…8 Maids A-milking! Well all sorts could be read into that, but we’ll go for: On the 8th day of Christmas the CV righter gave to me 8 mistakes of applications, 7 deadly sins of job hunting, 6 Key Achievements, 5 Golden Rules, 4 calling cards, 3 networks, 2 referees and a killer CV.

A popular article is “What’s the worst that can happen? 8 gaffs when applying for roles” – which talks through some very valid points which I have seen over the years in my recruitment capacity; although they seem obvious these mistakes are still made by eager candidates.

The key to making a successful job application is not to rush – yes there are deadlines but if you have planned and researched from the outset then you will be in a position to start making applications, rather than deciding off the cuff to just start applying one day.

Make sure your CV is up to date – I’ve lost count of applications from candidates who sent in CVs which hadn’t been updated since securing a new role 3 years ago. Or worst still, an updated CV which has a garbled one line about the current role which tells us nothing and doesn’t follow the format of the previous roles so it is obvious they have rushed something to make the application. It does not create a good impression and if anything, says a lot about how you work and where you are willing to put in effort. Not good for a project person – not good for anyone but really, for a project professional!!!

Research your field and understand the basics such as skill-sets required, salary bandings (and where you sit), recruitment agencies specific to your needs, job boards yielding your types of roles and get networking in the right circles.

Putting that extra bit of effort in can be the difference between securing interviews with the lucky few or being discarded with the hundreds of competitors also looking for a new job.

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 

On the 5th day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me 5 golden rules

On the 6th day of Christmas The CV Righter said to me 6 Key achievements

On the 7th day of Christmas The CV Righter said to me the 7 deadly sins of job hunting

On the 8th day of Christmas The

Careers Advice, CV Tips, Job Applications, Project Management, Project management career progression, Project Management Careers Advice, Project management CV, Recruitment, The CV Righter

Asking for help – why does it seem so hard?

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We’ve all been there – having a moment when we really could do with some support in something we do. Having googled for hours and found snippets of information which help to build up a rather bitty solution. CV writing is no different and I have lost count of the websites which offer some advice on how you should be doing things, however there are no real practical examples of profiles, bullet points etc  for project professionals which can become very frustrating.

One of the most common questions I was asked as a recruiter was “why is my CV not working?” often candidates wondering if there was an unwritten rule by recruiters which stopped them being picked over others. Of course there were always the candidates who were adamant that their CVs were the best thing since sliced bread as they know how good they are. I have said it over and over but it isn’t necessarily the best candidates who get the interviews, it is the best CVs. Hiring managers have such high expectations when it comes to a CV, it is not just the well formatted and spelling error free CV they expect to see. They want to know a whole lot more about you and how you work. They want to see examples of projects and methods of delivery as well as how you add value, what sets you apart from others and whether you have a good understanding of what it is you do. The art of CV writing comes down to including all the above in a concise and clear format. Not just a list of duties, contextualise those duties and that additional information about some of the challenges you have come up against. Merely delivering on time and to budget just doesn’t cut it, if anything there is concern for those who never face big challenges such as slippage and tricky stakeholders. Let’s face it, you will have been very lucky to always have an easy route to success so how would you cope in a more challenging environment where you have to work much harder to gain buy-in and succeed?

This is where The CV Righter can help you with your project management CV; project management covers a multitude of roles from programme, portfolio, projects, risk, change and business analysis; from support roles through delivery and team management / direction. We offer a no obligation CV review for project professionals wanting to understand how your CV reads to others. Think of us as a sounding board, you may not like all you have to hear but the information is constructive and wouldn’t it be better to know where the weaknesses are in your CV rather than keep assuming that it is great and that it is the recruiters and employers who clearly cannot see you are perfect for the role!

We also understand that you may want to write your CV yourself – I always say, if you can do it then do. However you may need some assistance and a sounding board to work with along your journey – this is also a service we can provide, it doesn’t cost as much as you might think. For those who are adamant to go it alone we have a free CV writing booklet with examples of the various elements of the CV and advice on how and why certain aspects need to be addressed in the CV – providing a recruiters perspective.

It is nice to give something back having worked in recruitment specifically for project professionals for 5 years – that is why we offer the free CV review and free CV writing booklet, we are happy to talk through what services we feel would be of benefit to you and clearly state prices. Plus we have a process which means we will not stop working on your CV until you are happy with it – unlike a lot of off the shelf CV writers, we make sure you are completely comfortable with the content and even invite you to take your CV and try it with recruiters and hiring managers to gauge reactions. If you feel it is not working, we rework. Although to date we have received only good feedback from clients’ mainly stating that they have got the job (some after months of trying before taking our service, others who came to us before making the application for their ideal job), others have received lots of interest from recruiters (having not had any or very little interactions despite applications and having their CV in PM databases) or those who aren’t particularly looking for a new role but want to be in a good position for when they do – who have a new found confidence about themselves as project professionals.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help – it is openly given at The CV Righter, whether it’s some free assistance or a paid package, we can help. Get in touch today with your current CV and see what we can do for you.

guest blogger, Interviews, Motivation, Project Management Careers Advice, Project Management Interviews

How to Reduce Anxiety During Your Job Interview – Guest Post

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Sometimes getting that great job could hit the fan. Hurdles like anxiety occurring during a job interview can make it difficult to land that job that you like. Job interviews are indeed anxiety-inducing but not impossible to overcome. Facing strangers that can make or break your chance to get the job is nerve wracking. Never fear though, there are tips that you can use to reduce anxiety before you get into that interview.

Visualize yourself getting the job done

Visualize yourself able to overcome the anxiety of the job interview. Look for a quiet spot and try to visualize that you have successfully hurdled the interview. Basically this is tapping the power of positive thinking at work. Visualizing is getting your brain to behave accordingly to what you desire to achieve. Athletes are using this technique in order to improve their performance in a game. But, this technique can certainly be used as well in any other aspects of our life. Visualization helps you enhance your determination to reach your goals no matter how hard the going may be.

Keep yourself healthy

Make sure that you keep yourself healthy and ready prior to a job interview. Sleep well, eat well and get enough exercise. If you are well rested, you are able to focus on the task at hand effortlessly. A rested mind can easily thwart increasing levels of stress which can lead to anxiety. Getting enough exercise prior to the interview will give you high levels of adrenaline which boosts energy. More energy may coax the body to produce more dopamine which keeps stress levels at bay. Eating well is another way of keeping stress at a distance. Avoid drinking too much of those alcoholic beverages as well as cigarette smoking.  These vices only expose you to substances that ruin the chemical balance of your body and make you more vulnerable to stress and anxiety.

Relaxation techniques

It is possible that stress levels would rise minutes before the interview. In cases like this, it is important that you know how to calm your nerves. Breathing is great in keeping yourself calm. Breathe in using your nose and breathe out using your mouth. Repeat this processes until you feel more relaxed.  Whenever you feel that your nervousness is creeping into your system, just breathe deeply. Deep breathing clears up your brain from any cobwebs of negative thinking. Thus, you become more relaxed and more capable of thinking logically during the interview.

Think before you answer

You are actually allowed to think before you answer a question before an interview. It is okay for you to pause for a few moments to compose your thoughts. You can even tell the interviewer that the question is quite interesting and ask if you can be given a few seconds to think what to say. If you dread the fact that you could go blank as the interview is in progress, write some notes while the interviewer is talking. Writing something takes the focus off or away from you. You can refer to notes after the question has been delivered.

Letting anxious energy go

Anxious energy can leak out without the interviewer noticing it. Try to do something that can release anxious energy. Wiggling your toes is a good way of releasing tension. Smile and project a happy aura even if you feel that you are too nervous to do it.  Smiling helps drive away that anxious energy away from you while at the same time welcoming those positive vibes into your system.

Do not buckle down

Sometimes interviewers tests how well you respond to pressure. You need to know that every applicant is subjected to same treatment. If they try to ruffle your feathers, do not buckle down instead think and act positively because you might fall into the trap and spiral into a negative thinking situation that you are not the right fit for the job.

A job interview comes with a proviso that what you show is the best reflection of your personality. Anxiety can ruin it but with the right attitude you can easily ace it and get that dream job you want.

About the Author:

Ryan Rivera used to suffer from panic attacks for seven years.  He now dedicates his life helping those who suffer from stress, anxiety, panic attacks and depression through his writings.  You can read more of his articles at Calm Clinic.

 

 

 

 

 

Careers Advice, CV Tips, CV Writing, Friday Snippet, Job Applications, Project Management Careers Advice, Project management CV, project management resume

Not needed a CV for 10 years; where do I start? – Friday Snippet

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Been in a role for a long time whether it be self-employed or employed so haven’t needed a CV? What to do? Don’t panic and follow this step by step guide to achieving an attractive, attention seeking and professional resume.

  1. Create a list of your career history, noting dates, role titles, company names and basic remit to start.
  2. List your key achievements to date – keep to examples which demonstrate where you have gone above and beyond the call of duty or made a real difference. Simply noting down projects you have managed to time and budget does not demonstrate an achievement as such (you were paid to deliver the project). However if you have implemented a new programme structure to the business or dealt with particularly difficult stakeholders etc. then talk about it.
  3. Perform a skills audit – start by drawing a line to represent the project timeline, then note down core areas you have exposure to such as writing the business case, planning, Risk & Issues, supplier management etc.
  4. Take a template from the internet to start – fill in the areas you can easily do, such as dates and achievements etc. then refer to the following blog posts which will assist you in filling in the gaps:

Now you should have a good solid document to work on – you’ll need to spend some time tweaking and rewriting, but you will soon find that what seemed a wall too high to climb is merely a hurdle along the way to getting back into finding a new role.