Project Management Careers Advice eBook

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Introduction AtKnowledgeTrain,werecognisethatthe decision to attend a projectmanagement training course is oftenmotivated by the desire to improvejob performance, and enhanceemployment prospects. Our trainingadvisors regularly speak to peoplewhoareeagertoobtainaprofessionalqualification, develop new skills, orupdate their existing certification inordertodrivetheircareersforward.Ifyouareconsideringtraining inprojectmanagement, we can talk to youabout relevantcourseoptions,beforehelping you to choose the mostsuitable course in the light of yourrequirements.With the relationship betweentraining courses and students careeradvancement in mind, we haveproducedaguide togettingahead intheprojectmanagement sector.HowmightPRINCE2 certification aid yourprojectmanagementcareer?Whatdoemployersoftenlookforwhenhiringaproject manager? What kind of freeprojectmanagementcareersadvice isavailabletounemployedprofessionalswith an interest in the industry? Canproject support be considered as acareer in itself? This ebook willansweralloftheseburningquestions,andissplitintothefollowingtopics:

Startingyourcareer inprojectmanagement

The value of formal trainingandprofessionalqualifications

What makes a great projectmanager?

Retraining to work in projectmanagement

Developing your career inprojectmanagement

FindingsuitablevacanciesandcreatingawinningCV

Whetheryouaretakingtentativefirststepsintotheindustry,lookingforthenext challenge in an establishedproject management career, oractively seeking an employmentopportunity that involvesworking onprojects,readontohelpimproveyourchanceofsuccess!

Starting your career in project management Thecurrenteconomicdownturnistoagreat extent dictating the decisionsbusinesses make about whether ornot to undertake projects, especiallygiven their attendant risks andfinancialcommitments.Consequently,employmentopportunities inthefieldof project management are highlycompetitive.Itisvitalforanindividualhoping to succeed in this challengingindustry to demonstrate a firm graspofthewaysprojectscanbeefficientlymanaged. Begin by contributing tosmall projects and encouraging newinitiatives at work, with a view tofostering solid interpersonal andorganisation skills. The need to getsome core skills and experiences inplace is arguably more pressing thanever.When embarking on a projectmanagement career, think carefullyabout your strengths andachievements in both personal andprofessional life any relevantexperience can be made to work inyour favour (a careers advice servicewill show you how). There aremanyaspectsofeveryday lifeyoucandraw

PRINCE2isaregisteredtrademarkofAxelos 1

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onforprojectmanagement. Itsoundsclichd, but excellent communicationskillsandtheabilitytoleadothersarethefoundationsonwhichacareerasaproject manager can be built.Remember that report yourmanagerasked you to research andwrite? Itscompletion is evidence of some ofthesekindsofskills.

Ifyouhavecopedwell insituations inwhich you assumed considerableresponsibilityor coordinateda seriesof complex activities, this can alsoprove advantageous. In addition, youshould give careful consideration tothepossibilityofattendingtraining, inordertohelpcomplementexperiencegainedintheworkplace.Whileprojectmanagement training coursesarenotintended to be alternatives to firsthand experience, they consolidateyourknowledgeandequipyouwithastructuredwayofworking.Theyboostyour confidence, and help you toavoidaskillsgapfurtherondownthelineasyourcareerprogresses.

The value of formal training and professional qualifications Familiarisingdelegateswithoneoftheleadingmethodsofmanagingprojectsboth in the UK and internationally,PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitionertraining iscommonlycalled for in theproject management arena. Wellrecognised in both the public andprivate sectors, PRINCE2 certificationprovides evidence of an individualsthorough understanding of a highlyadaptable, fully scalable projectmanagement framework. If you areunfamiliar with the project

management environment, however,webelieve thatyou should ideallygointo an introductory course first,before studying PRINCE2. Thesecoursesaredesignedtoaidindividualswithlittleornoexperienceofprojectstodeveloppracticalskillstohelpthemin the workplace.There are many roles that fall underthe project management umbrella,besidesworkingasaprojectmanager.We advise relatively inexperiencedindividuals to cut their teeth onprojects, without shouldering theburdenofmanagingthem,byworkingin project support positions.Experience gained as projectadministrator,projectcoordinator,orproject support officer, for example,will set the foundations for a futureroleasprojectmanager.

What makes a great project manager? Forus,agreatprojectmanager(PM)isa charismatic teamplayer, capableofmoving between the roles of teammemberandteamleader,asrequired,without being overbearing. Top PMspossessatalent formakingpeoplesitupandwant toworkwith them.Thisis not to say that encouragingenthusiasm and cooperation amongproject team members not tomention maintaining that sense ofcamaraderie throughout the durationof theproject isaneasy task,evenfor the most socially adept ofindividuals. If the idea of motivatingyour colleagues while steering aproject to its successful conclusion israther daunting, soft skills coursessuch as management skills teamleading and managing conflict, couldprove invaluable.

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If a project manager fails todemonstrategoodinterpersonalskills,hisorherlackofclearcommunicationand openness to others couldundermine the confidence of thewhole team, ultimately jeopardisingtheprojectsprogress.Ahigh levelofadaptability isrequiredfromaprojectmanager,andnevermoresothanifheor she isbrought in fromoutside thecompanylaunchingtheproject.Inthiscase,theemployerislikelytoconsiderwhetherornoteachcandidatefortheroleofPM fits into thecultureof theorganisation. Employers often viewthe importance of candidates'personal qualities as equal to that oftheir professional background whendeciding who is best suited tomanaging a particular project.It is important to remember thatprojectteammembersarelikelytobedrawn from a number of differentdepartments, each of which willpossess itsown styleofoperation, inaddition to being subject to existingchains of command. Unsurprisingly,effective, efficient communication isimperative, and it is also placed firston our list of top five qualitiesdemonstrated by great projectmanagers:

1. Clear communication alwaysbe as specific as possiblewhen requesting informationfrom project team members,particularly when workingacrossdepartments

2. Team leadership managingprojects inevitably involves anelementofmanagingpeople

3. Excellent organisation anefficient,structuredmethodofworking, in addition toconsiderable attention to

detail,arerequiredasaprojectmanager, in order to balancethe many demands made onyourtime

4. Confidence it cannot bedenied thataprojectmanagerassumes considerableresponsibility, but beingcomfortable with what it isyoureactuallydoingisthekeyto building credibility in theeyes of thosewithwhom youwork

5. Decisivenessjudgingwhentoact in order to keep a projecton time, on budget, and onscheduleiscrucial

Whilenumeroustraitsandtalentscanbe advantageous when managingprojects, we believe that the aboveare absolutely essential to success inthiscareerpath.

Retraining to work in project management When approached for advice byindividuals interested in retraining towork in project management, wealways begin by asking exactly whytheywant tobecome involved in theindustry.Thepurposeofthisquestionis twofold: itallowsus toensure thatour students perceptions of projectmanagement are accurate, aswell ashelping to determine the kind ofpositions inwhichtheywouldbebestsuitedtowork. Ifyou intendtofindajob in project management, the firststep is to see where you can pitchyourself. With specific roles in mind,youcouldconsider theways inwhichproject management training coursesmay be beneficial.

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Whatever position(s) you decide topursue, it must be emphasised thatyou have to be a very determinedindividual to get along in the projectenvironment. While relatively goodsalaries (a project managers typicalstartingsalarywillbe in the regionof2025k) and an interesting, variedworkload attract many people toproject management, involvement inthe industry is also extremelycompetitiveandfrequentlystressful.Ifthe best aspect ofworking in projectmanagement isthatnooneday isthesame as another, the worst is thathigh pressure characterises peoplesworkloads.Nevertheless, some individuals thrivewithin the pressured projectenvironment. Project managementalso presents excellent employmentopportunities for both sexes; whilewomen used to find themselveslargely confined to project supportpositions, the industry has seen thatchangesignificantlyoverthepast fewyears. Certainly on typical PRINCE2trainingcourseswhicharedesignedfor people either currently managingor intending to manage PRINCE2projectsthereisusuallyafairlyevenmixtureofmaleandfemaledelegates.Today there are many womenemployed in very senior projectpositions.Furthermore,gender isntasignificant factor when selecting anindividual for a senior role in projectmanagement; the choice madeultimatelycomesdowntoexperience.Numerous people receive someproject management exposure, intheirroleswithinthebusinesssphere.AtKnowledgeTrain,wehavenoticedthat, during the current recession, agreater number of our course

attendeesarechoosingtobuildonthisexposure by retraining as projectmanagers, than in more settledeconomic times. When consideringwhy this might be the case, it isimportant to note that key projectmanagement skills are transferablefrom other sectors, so project workcan provide an outlet for individualsstruggling to find employmentopportunities in other areas.Involvementwithprojects couldoffera way forward in your career,particularly in the current financialclimate, when many industries areperceived tobesufferingagreatdealmore than project management.Ultimately, effective projectmanagement is at the forefront ofmoving us away from the recession.Advice for unemployed professionalswho wish to work in projectmanagement canbeobtainedvia theJobsearch Support Service for NewlyUnemployed Professionals offered bytheJobcentrePlus.

Developing your career in project management While the scope for projectmanagement career development isvast, the level of your achievementsultimatelydependsonhow youdriveyourcareer.Manyorganisationshaveimplemented policies concerningContinuing Professional Development(CPD) that can benefit employeeshoping to develop new skills orenhance their CVs. Even if you workfor a company that lacks policies ofthis kind, by paying careful attentionto your professional developmentneeds, you should be well placed to

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take advantage of opportunities toboost your career in projectmanagement.You must be proactive whenconsideringthewaysinwhichyoucanimprove your skills, and gain usefulexperience. You could ask youremployer whether there are anycourses thatmightberelevantat thisstage in your career, or research theoptions available to you beforediscussing your needs with yourmanager. If youwould like to attendtrainingfundedbytheorganisationatwhich youwork, be prepared to talkaboutthewaysinwhichbothyouandyour employer could derive benefitfromthecourseinquestion.Attendingaprojectmanagementtrainingcourseis likely not only to improve yourability to work as a projectprofessional, but also attests to thefactthat,assomeonewhoispreparedto devote time and effort to careeradvancement, youre serious aboutyour professional life.When gaining project managementexperience,itisofcoursepossiblethataprojectwithwhichyouare involvedfaltersor fails.Whenhoping tomovebeyond project failure, you shouldconcentrate on the lessons learnedfrom the process that led to theprojects demise. Approach anunsuccessfulprojectonyourCVoratajob interview by stating the facts,whileemphasisingwhatwasachieved almosteveryproject leads to somedegree of positive realisation. Bydiscussing the project lifecycle, youcandrawoutelementsof theprojectthatwere completed satisfactorily, inaddition to generating ideas aboutwhat actions could be undertaken

next time, in the hope of reaching amoresuccessfuloutcome.

Advance your career with project management qualifications If you have managed projects forsome time but lack formalqualifications in this field, you maywish to attend PRINCE2 Practitionertrainingand,onpassingtheassociatedexaminations, become a RegisteredPRINCE2 Practitioner. Its alwaysimportanttobackyourexperienceupwith qualifications that are wellrecognisedintheprojectmanagementindustry.Indeed,PRINCE2certificationis thequalificationof choice for largenumbers of project professionals intheUKandbeyond.

Finding suitable vacancies and creating a winning CV The best source of projectmanagement job vacancies is theInternet. It is worthwhile browsingrelevant employment opportunitiesadvertised on popular job searchwebsites such asMonster,Reed, andTotal Jobs. If a vacancy catches youreye, familiarising yourself with theexperiences, skills, and qualificationsdemandedbytherolewillhelpyoutocreate an effective application.An excellent networking tool to usewhen making contacts in the projectmanagement industry is LinkedIn. Itfeatures numerous profiles ofprofessionals, and by spreading yournetwork and maintaining an active

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online presence, you should improveyour chances of hearing aboutemployment opportunities that maynot be widely advertised.The question of how to produce awinning CV is often debated onproject management discussionforums.While there isnoset formulafor the perfectCV, always rememberthatagoodCV contextualisesprojectexperiences, foregrounding the keydetails about budgets, scope, and soon.AlwaysproofreadyourCV severaltimes, particularly if it containscomplex information: spellingmistakes and grammatical errors areunlikely to impress employers!When applying for your first projectmanagementposition,youmaywish

to take advantage of a CV reviewservice. For an experienced projectprofessional concerned about careeradvancement,thiskindofservicemaybe beneficial, providing a freshviewpoint on his or her CV. Bear inmind that the key to creating anoutstanding job application is topresentthemostrelevantinformationinthebestpossible light,bringingouttheexperiencerequiredtosecurethatnext role in project management. Finally, if you wish to move beyondthe management of single projectsand would prefer to orchestratemultiple projects at the same time,programme management trainingcoursescouldhelptoprepareyou foryournextcareerchallenge.Goodluck!

Take some advice from the project management experts... My advice would be to try and getinvolved in a project. If your companyconducts projects, you can ask toparticipate, or even volunteer tocollaborate or shadow someone on theproject after hours. If your company isnot strong in managing projects, seekemploymentinacompanythatis.Thengetinvolved.CesarAbeid,ProjectManageratRemontechFind yourself a good coach. I havecoached many project managers, atvarious stages in their career:prospective, newbie and experienced.They have all gone on to bigger andbetter

things.Agoodcoachwillhelpyoutoidentify the most important topics,andfocusonthem.Acoachcanworkwith you to work out where youwant to get to, understand whereyouarenow,lookatthealternativesforgettingthere,anddecideacourseofaction.RussellWhitworth,DirectoratQ2AssociatesLtd I'd advise you to be clear on thebusiness case for the project. Ifyou're clear on what benefits theproject has to deliver (and whatthoseareworth),youwillbeclearonthe amountofmoney you've got tospend. If you know howmuch cashyou've got in the pot that willautomatically shape your plan, andtherefore what you need people todo. If you know what you needpeopletodothenyou'rewellonthe


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waytobeingaprojectmanagerandaleader.FrancisHooke,ManagingDirectoratQualityProjectDeliveryFor someone new to the projectmanagementworld, itwouldbegoodtogetintoobservationmodefirstandshadowotherprojectmanagersintheorganization. Joining projectmanagement communities online orofflinewillgiveyouabasicfeelforthejobandwhetheritfitswithwhatyou'llwant to do in the future. Startmanaging smaller row risk/budgetproject and learn as you go. Bothaspects learning from others andhandsonworkaregreatteachers!Thereafter, some formal education/recognized certification will help toput things into perspective, expandfurtherandmakeyoumarketable.AnkooBatra,PMOManageratITWorldCanadaCommunication, communication,communication!! Project managersare often judged when gossip startsflying around about the project. Tosolve this, theprojectmanagerneedsto constantly communicate projectprogress in a variety of ways atdifferent frequencies.Theartofgoodproject management comes frombeing able to communicate the rightmessageattherighttimetotherightstakeholder. Perfecting yourcommunication will result in betterproject perception and thereforeincreaseyourcredibility.Barry Hodge, Project andProgramme Manager atBromfordGroup

Practice project management withmany activities in your personal life:sports, music, training, blogging,reading, etc. It may feel somewhatexcessive (although you may besurprisedbytheresultsofsuchfocus),but itwill definitely help youmasterprojectmanagementmethodologies. Michel Dion, Director,Professional Practices andDevelopmentatHealthCanadaLook for opportunities to volunteerwithinyourorganisation.Findprojectswithin your company, make yourselfknown, talk to the teams andvolunteertogetinvolved. Tony Adams, ProgramManageratNBNCoLimited


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AbouttheauthorSimon Buehring is the founder andManagingDirectorofKnowledgeTrain,a PRINCE2 Accredited TrainingOrganization based in the UK. Simonregularlydeliversprojectmanagementand PRINCE2 training courses in theUK and overseas and writes a blogabout project management andPRINCE2. For more than 25 yearsSimon has worked on or managedsoftwareprojects forawide rangeoforganizations both in the UK andinternationally, including theBBCandHSBC.

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Project Management Careers Advice eBook

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