Tag Archives: Project Management

Contractors, Job Hunting, Project Management

Project Manager Contractor – marketing, your business checklist

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As a contractor, whether you are a Project Manager, PMO, Programme Manager, Change Manager, Business Analyst, Consultant to name a few, then you know only too well that you as a professional are selling your services to businesses. Yes, that’s right you are a business and as such you need to ensure you are doing all the right things to secure that next assignment.

Here’s a checklist of areas you should be addressing as a minimum to ensure you meet your goals:

  • CV – Your CV needs to be in good shape, not only are you required to have a well written document – it needs to clearly demonstrate your skills and abilities. Look to set the bar with your competitors by creating an inclusive piece of information which also includes your style/approach.
  • Website – More contractors are turning to online marketing through creating their own websites which include a comprehensive CV, case studies, contact info and further examples of achievements. This can also be a great opportunity for you to add in your style and challenges you have overcome.
  • Blog – A blog is a great way to keep fresh information flowing online (or as part of your website), it is a less formal tool which can be used to display your observations of current affairs, open up discussions with your peers over management styles, and it really does show your knowledge and commitment to PM.
  • Networking – Whether it is using your current contacts or generating new ones, this is a fantastic way to gain insight into the industry. By always keeping in touch and not just when you need something you will forge strong relationships and others will be more willing to offer up information/help/recommendations for roles etc.
  • Creating opportunities – Do your research, understand what industries are hot at the moment and identify where you can find a way into organisations. Find out who you should be speaking with, generate meetings, offer up solutions, be prepared to go the extra mile and you will be surprised by the results you harvest.

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For further information on writing an effective contractor CV click here.  Additional information about approaching job applications through a number of routes can also be found here and identifying unadvertised roles here.

Careers Advice, guest blogger, project management jobs, Transferable Skills

Why Project Management Skills Are Desirable For Any Job

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Project stakholder from New York State Department of Evnironmental Conservation

If you are looking to get ahead in your career regardless of your occupation then project management skills can be a great way to make your CV stand out against a pool of applicants. You don’t need to specifically be going for project management jobs to make use of such skills as the abilities and responsibilities of a good project manager are applicable across a wide range of disciplines and positions.

A good project manager is flexible and quick to adapt to new situations, but in general there is a core set of abilities that employers look out for when hiring project managers. There may be specific desirable skills that depend on the industry you are looking to enter, but there are some skills that are applicable across all disciplines:

Time Management
Project managers are held responsible for carrying out the details of their project on time. Delays can be very costly for companies, especially those working under strict contracts and missed deadlines can have very serious repercussions. A good project manager will be able to provide estimates for project milestones and make sure each milestone is met on time.

Budget Management
As project manager you may also be in charge of the budget for the project. You will be expected to complete the goals of your project with a set budget and be able to allocate funds appropriately. Effectively managing your budget is vital as in competitive markets profit margins can be thin, so overspending can result in eating into profits.

People Skills
Project manager jobs inherently involve working with a team under your command, so it is vital for project managers to be able to both instruct and inspire people. Project managers may be hired from outside but often companies will look from within when seeking to find a project manager, so you may find yourself in a position of authority with your colleagues and work friends. A good project manager must be able to remain professional in such situations and not let private relationships interfere with fulfilling professional duties.

Effective Communication Skills
Being a project manager involves not simply interacting with the team members under your command but also reporting to your bosses and potentially meeting with clients. Both situations will demand good communication skills of the project manager; superiors will want to know how the project is progressing, whether target deadlines and budgets are being met and how any potential issues will be resolved.

Good Technical Knowledge
Leading on from effective communication skills, when meeting with clients they may have several questions about the project which will require a technical expertise to answer. Project managers will be expected to handle any and all queries professionally and confidently so having a good grasp of your project and the technical knowledge surrounding it will be vital to assure clients.

All the above skills are vital for project managers but can also be applied to a wide range of roles. People who possess these skills can be very valuable so if you’re looking to increase your employability then investing your time into improving your skills in these areas can pay dividends in the end. There are a wide range of books on the subject which can help you, so if you’re looking for a new job or want to improve your CV then learning project management skills can be a great personal investment regardless of your occupation!

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Amy Sawyer provides career advice and tips for jobseekers at Gatwick Diamond Jobs – a UK job board specialising in local jobs in South East England

Careers Advice, CV Tips, CV Writing, project management resume

Why a strong Project Manager CV is so important

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I have been approached by a great deal of seasoned Project Manager’s over the past few months telling me how they would always secure new work whether it be contract or permanent, without a CV. Using their contacts from various areas such as previous clients, other Project Professionals in their field or acquaintances. Most stating that they received recommendations from contacts to hiring managers which would harvest interviews leading to successful placements. But as the market has evolved over the past few years and particularly more recently, they are finding this approach is becoming less than fruitful, often when recommended they are then asked to ping over their CV and are not hearing anything back. Unfortunately, although this type of job hunting is still one of the most successful routes, hiring managers are now pressured to only invite candidates in for interviews when their CV is good – despite the personal recommendation. There are a number of reasons a strong CV is now required; here are a few:

  • As there are less roles available recruiters are taking other steps to make placements such as a proactive speculative approach, identifying matches of candidates for a company / programme and sending over CVs stating “I came across this candidate and thought they would be a good fit in the team, I know you might not be hiring at the moment…” This approach will sometimes work – if you hit the hiring manager right at a point where they may be thinking of expanding the team but it also demonstrates to the employer the calibre of candidate available on the market. The standard of CV is usually exceptional (as it is a speculative attempt by the recruiter, the CV has to be good), this whets the appetite of the employer and also consciously and/or subconsciously sets a bar for what they will accept as a CV.Clarity
  • There also tends to be more presence from those in senior positions to analyse talent coming into the company – “we can’t afford to be taking on dead wood” – therefore those in a position to hire new personnel will be in a situation where they have to present a business case to their management team for new resources. Part of this will be presenting your CV – as much as the hiring manager may be keen to bring you on board thanks to your contacts super recommendation, the senior management team aren’t bought-in. To get them on-board they need to be able to see a good CV which says all the right things before they will consider allowing meetings/interviews to go ahead.
  • HR plays a large part in recruitment within a business and as such; don’t like to be left out of the loop. Hiring managers are reminded that all recruitment activities need to be run past them and CVs also get the full review process, again if your CV isn’t strong you will not get beyond the recycle bin.

Just because it worked before – doesn’t mean it will continue to work – as project professionals implementing change, you know this to be only too true. Although it is an alien concept, you must adapt to the change and present the employers with what they expect to see. After all, the CV demonstrates more than just your skills and experience – it shows others how you present important pieces of information, very significant in Project Management don’t you think!?

Careers Advice, PMO, Project Management, Project Management Careers Advice, Starting out in Project Management

Project Management versus Project Support careers

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An interesting question came about from a client I was coaching the other week, he has gained some really good experience in project support and is looking to progress into the delivery aspect of PM. When I asked him what he enjoyed most about his career so far he became very animated and passionate about the work he had put in to creating financial monitoring and resource management tools. It quickly became apparent that he has a clear skill-set much sought after within PMO environments and his knowledge of promoting best practice through traditional means such as workshops and one to one coaching he also took more innovative approaches which met the constraints of the business managers and project managers. When we discussed his desire to change over to delivery from support he said it is because he wishes to progress his career, I pointed out that there is a career path within the project support element and that salaries are certainly commensurate to delivery staff once you move up the ladder. He said he felt that the general consensus is that delivery staff command more respect – naturally I had to push back on this as PMOs have evolved significantly over the past few years and that organisations are quite rightly using them as an interface between the business and the project delivery staff. Not nearly the “admin pool” it was once perceived as, maybe looking into businesses which value the support element as much as (if not more) than the project management functions are certainly the right route to take if you are looking to gain some gritty and challenging experience and forge a career.

Career crossroadOf course if you have always had it in your mindset that you want to be a project manager then you should follow this course but I would recommend working more closely with the project managers in roles such as Project Assistant, Project Coordinator, Junior PM etc where you are more likely to gain some exposure and experience in delivering the projects. The PMO is generally there to support as opposed to deliver, although I have seen some PMOs evolving to incorporate both.

Some are not cut out for delivery, the pressures in both environments are high but the delivery does have the “buck stops here” element so not for the feint hearted.