Category Archives: Project Management

Careers Advice, CV Tips, Project Management, Project management career progression, project teams, Team building

Impressing the boss is one thing – carving a name for yourself is another

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I am not one for lateness; in fact I have an in-built program which won’t allow it. I can count on one hand the times I have been late for work – those times were completely unavoidable. But being late isn’t the only bug bearer in a successful team – there are those who consistently turn up “just in time” who are also noticed in a professional environment. I have always liked to get into the office a little early as it gives me time for reflection and also the opportunity to pick up any problems which may have manifested overnight. In turn it allows me the opportunity to get ahead with my workload allocating time for any further issues which may arise without having a huge impact on my daily schedule.

I am not an advocate for those who turn up to the office at 7am and leave at 7pm either – this if anything worries me that the individual cannot fit their work load into core office hours which means they have either got too much on their plate or they are bad time managers. Getting the balance right is key, we’ve all had to start really early or finish late on occasions and that is the nature of working in a project environment. Arriving half an hour before the office opens is good practice and allows a little quiet time before the phones start ringing off the hook.

Going the extra mile is also a good way to get noticed; this does not mean volunteering for everything available and will result in the 7-7 shift; but taking on additional pieces of work will not only highlight you as a team player – it will assist you in building up your skill-set. I have often advised those both working in a project environment and those looking to get into the PM field to take this approach as it is a fantastic was to really get involved in core areas which are of interest to you and prove your ability to pick up areas of work new to you. For those who are not currently in the PM world and want to join it, it is imperative that you gain valuable experience working on projects. You can add the detail to your CV and really demonstrate your commitment to potential employers about taking a dedicated project position moving forward. For those who are seasoned in the PM field it is a prime opportunity to work on projects which you haven’t had exposure to before which will widen your knowledge field and potential for getting into differing projects later down the line.

There are others ways to increase your skill-set and get noticed for the right reasons at work – such as volunteering yourself up to head up presentations, some may be based on something new you have learnt or to generate a discussion about ideas you may have for the business. Not all management teams are open to new ideas – which is a shame and can be catastrophic for the business but you should persevere all the same. Your ideas may be shelved at the time but brought out when needs arise in the future. However most good managers will take your ideas on board and look at how they can be utilised with the core business goals. You could be the instigator for some fantastic strategies in the business – nice to add to your CV huh!

The best way to really impress your management team and the business is to think out of the box and don’t be afraid to challenge – the best businesses actively welcome being challenged and it proves a great way to really build strong strategies and initiatives that work for the business and for your career.

Careers Advice, PMO, Project Management, Q&A

Project Management qualifications – Questions answered

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This week we have a fantastic question about PM qualifications from one of our clients’:

I have been working in the project management domain for a number of years and been working to a fair few methods due to the variety of projects delivered, all my methods have been learnt on the job and I feel I have a good grounding which will be attractive to employers. Do you think I should gain formal accreditation in these methods, will it enhance my career moving forward or will employers be happy with my hands on experience?

David, Project Manager; Leeds

Hi David, many thanks for your question – glad to hear you are going about the big qualification issue the right way. First of all having the structured approach experience is always paramount to the majority of employers out there and also for your own professional development. I all too often see a lot of project professionals who have gained accreditations before putting the method to practice; this is often deemed the wrong way to go about things. I agree that more junior PM staff and those starting out in project management would benefit from taking introductory courses which will allow them a good understanding of why / what the stages of structured PM are in place, but don’t recognise the benefit of taking qualifications for methods which are not currently being used unless there is a requirement to bring such structure to the project with no other champions in the field available to oversee the implementation.

As a seasoned professional you would be adding to your current repertoire by taking qualifications relevant to your experience as this adds reassurance to the hiring manager that you are committed in the field of PM and also willing to enhance your own professional development. As such I would evaluate where you see your career heading and take an informed decision as to which qualifications to run with. If you have a particular specialism and can see this as a growth area in PM then it would be wise to follow this route, there’s little point in going for the qualifications which you don’t deem personally useful moving forward. As PM courses can prove to be expensive, you might also look to your current employer and see if they are willing to invest in your professional development. By providing a good business case for the need; such as training others / implementing companywide structures etc you should be able to strike a deal which will be mutually beneficial.

Friday Snippet, News, Project Management, project teams

Let the games begin

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Marking the start of the Olympics – I felt it only right to mention some of the fantastic projects I have had the luxury of being involved in over the years running up to this fantastic event. When I say involved, I mean placing delivery managers in the projects teams for a number of initiatives such as broadcasting the events and infrastructure for the Olympic village. The build up over the years has seen a huge volume of multi-disciplined project management professionals take the helm of complex programmes of work and with great interest I have followed the build up. Project teams have been against the clock and proven that, yet again our ability to deliver is a strength and not something to be taken lightly. Hopefully gaining a great wealth of knowledge along the way and placing them in a fantastic position moving forward to their next assignment.

Despite the negative press for all the areas we have or are expected to fall short of in this huge historic event, we also have a great deal to be proud of and I am particularly looking forward to attending an event – in fact since the tickets arrived I’ve been checking and double checking the dates. UK media does tend to focus on all the negatives when we should be celebrating our successes – the Olympic village looks brilliant and for once, our athletes having a fighting chance of great success through the good old British weather.

Good luck team GB!!

Careers Advice, Interviews, Job Applications, News, Project Management

Interview Basics

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Having worked so hard to reach interview point it is important to make sure you do not slow down now – your interview has been arranged and (hopefully) you have plenty of time to prepare. Here are some key basic considerations:

  1. Check the location of the interview – seems obvious but I have known candidates to print a map and head off on the day not really knowing where they are going. You do not need to be adding stress to your day, if possible – make a trip to the offices a few days prior, ideally at the same time of the interview so you can gauge public transport, traffic etc. and know exactly where you are going.
  2. Research the business and the role thoroughly – do not walk into your interview blind of what it is they do. The most common welcoming question from an interviewer is; “what do you know about us?” You need to demonstrate your interest in the business by knowing at least who they are, what they do and who their main competitors are. Ideally you should also know a little more about their recent activities. All this information can be gained from their website and also perform a search about them, see what others have to say.
  3. Dress to impress – at the very least, ensure you are wearing smart office wear. Preferably a suit should be worn even if the organisation has a dress down policy, first impressions last and for a formal meeting you should be smartly attired. Leave the fashion statements at home – I have known candidates to wear eccentric accessories which were frowned upon by the employer. Put yourself in their shoes – if they were to place you in front of a valued customer, they need to know you can brush up well to make a good, professional impression.
  4. Make sure you compile a good list of questions to ask them (look at this previous blog re interview questions) – there is nothing worse than a candidate who states that they have nothing to ask. It not only displays a lack of interest – it doesn’t say a lot about you as a project person.
  5. Practice what you want to say – having researched the organisation and job you will be aware of what is attractive to the employer, make sure you consider examples of work you can discuss which will gain interest from the interviewer. Make sure you take a structured approach to talking through the examples. Don’t be afraid to let your personality come through; do not fall into the trap of being wooden.
  6. Remember the interview is two sided; do not feel intimidated, you are effectively meeting the prospective employer to gauge if you wish to work there as much as them determining whether you are right for them.

Most importantly – enjoy, too much emphasis is put on pressure to perform. Once you can embrace the fact that this is a meeting you will be able to approach the situation in a calm way. Nerves are the biggest interview killer so harnessing the nerves and looking at the circumstances rationally is key to ensuring you have a positive and enjoyable (yes, enjoyable) interview.