Download more FREE resources here: http://www.knowledgetrain.co.uk/resources.php This Project management careers advice ebook by Knowledge Train is your free guide to getting your foot in the door of the project management sector. The ebook is written by Knowledge Train's lead course trainer Simon Buehring, based upon feedback from their project management course students. This 7 page ebook will answer your project management career related questions, such as: - Does a PRINCE2 qualification benefit your project management career and if so, how? - What are the skills and characteristics that are expected by the employers of project managers? - What free project management careers advice is available to the unemployed? - Project Support roles - is that a career in itself? This free ebook is ideal for those who are thinking of a career in project management or who are beginners in project management, looking to push themselves up the ladder. If you'd like a taster of what project management is all about, then try a 1 day training course: http://www.knowledgetrain.co.uk/project-management-training-courses.php careers advice, ebook, prince2, project management, project management careers advice, project manager, career guidance, how to become a project manager, project management industry, job, job role

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 Finding suitable vacancies and
Introduction
creating a winning CV
At Knowledge Train, we recognise that
Whether you are taking tentative first
the decision to attend a project
steps into the industry, looking for the
management training course is often
next challenge in an established
motivated by the desire to improve
project management career, or
job performance, and enhance
actively seeking an employment
employment prospects. Our training
opportunity that involves working on
advisors regularly speak to people
projects, read on to help improve your
who are eager to obtain a professional
chance of success!
qualification, develop new skills, or
update their existing certification in
order to drive their careers forward. If Starting your career
you are considering training in project in project
management, we can talk to you
about relevant course options, before management
helping you to choose the most
suitable course in the light of your The current economic downturn is to a
requirements. great extent ‘dictating’ the decisions
businesses make about whether or
With the relationship between not to undertake projects, especially
training courses and students’ career given their attendant risks and
advancement in mind, we have financial commitments. Consequently,
produced a guide to getting ahead in employment opportunities in the field
the project management sector. How of project management are highly
might PRINCE2® certification aid your competitive. It is vital for an individual
project management career? What do hoping to succeed in this challenging
employers often look for when hiring a industry to demonstrate a firm grasp
project manager? What kind of free of the ways projects can be efficiently
project management careers advice is managed. Begin by contributing to
available to unemployed professionals small projects and encouraging new
with an interest in the industry? Can initiatives at work, with a view to
project support be considered as a fostering solid interpersonal and
career in itself? This e‐book will organisation skills. The need to get
answer all of these burning questions, some core skills and experiences in
and is split into the following topics: place is arguably more pressing than
ever.
 Starting your career in project
management When embarking on a project
 The value of formal training management career, think carefully
and professional qualifications about your strengths and
 What makes a great project achievements in both personal and
manager? professional life ‐ any relevant
 Retraining to work in project experience can be made to work in
management your favour (a careers advice service
 Developing your career in will show you how). There are many
project management aspects of everyday life you can draw
PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of the Cabinet Office
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on for project management. It sounds management environment, however,
clichéd, but excellent communication we believe that you should ideally go
skills and the ability to lead others are into an introductory course first,
the foundations on which a career as a before studying PRINCE2. These
project manager can be built. courses are designed to aid individuals
Remember that report your manager with little or no experience of projects
asked you to research and write? Its to develop practical skills to help them
completion is evidence of some of in the workplace.
these kinds of skills.
There are many roles that fall under
If you have coped well in situations in the project management umbrella,
which you assumed considerable besides working as a project manager.
responsibility or co‐ordinated a series We advise relatively inexperienced
of complex activities, this can also individuals to cut their teeth on
prove advantageous. In addition, you projects, without shouldering the
should give careful consideration to burden of managing them, by working
the possibility of attending training, in in project support positions.
order to help complement experience Experience gained as project
gained in the workplace. While project administrator, project co‐ordinator, or
management training courses are not project support officer, for example,
intended to be alternatives to first‐ will set the foundations for a future
hand experience, they consolidate role as project manager.
your knowledge and equip you with a
structured way of working. They boost What makes a great
your confidence, and help you to
avoid a skills gap further on down the project manager?
line as your career progresses.
For us, a great project manager (PM) is
a charismatic team‐player, capable of
The value of formal moving between the roles of team
training and member and team leader, as required,
professional without being overbearing. Top PMs
possess a talent for making people sit
qualifications up and want to work with them. This
is not to say that encouraging
Familiarising delegates with one of the enthusiasm and co‐operation among
leading methods of managing projects project team members ‐ not to
both in the UK and internationally, mention maintaining that sense of
PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner camaraderie throughout the duration
training is commonly called for in the of the project – is an easy task, even
project management arena. Well for the most socially adept of
recognised in both the public and individuals. If the idea of motivating
private sectors, PRINCE2 certification your colleagues while steering a
provides evidence of an individual’s project to its successful conclusion is
thorough understanding of a highly rather daunting, soft skills courses
adaptable, fully scalable project such as management skills team
management framework. If you are leading and managing conflict, could
unfamiliar with the project prove invaluable.
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If a project manager fails to detail, are required as a project
demonstrate good interpersonal skills, manager, in order to balance
his or her lack of clear communication the many demands made on
and openness to others could your time
undermine the confidence of the 4. Confidence – it cannot be
whole team, ultimately jeopardising denied that a project manager
the project’s progress. A high level of assumes considerable
adaptability is required from a project responsibility, but being
manager, and never more so than if he comfortable with what it is
or she is brought in from outside the you’re actually doing is the key
company launching the project. In this to building ‘credibility’ in the
case, the employer is likely to consider eyes of those with whom you
whether or not each candidate for the work
role of PM fits into the culture of the 5. Decisiveness – judging when to
organisation. Employers often view act in order to keep a project
the importance of candidates' on time, on budget, and on
personal qualities as equal to that of schedule is crucial
their professional background when
deciding who is best suited to While numerous traits and talents can
managing a particular project. be advantageous when managing
projects, we believe that the above
It is important to remember that are absolutely essential to success in
project team members are likely to be this career path.
drawn from a number of different
departments, each of which will Retraining to work in
possess its own style of operation, in
addition to being subject to existing project management
chains of command. Unsurprisingly,
effective, efficient communication is When approached for advice by
imperative, and it is also placed first individuals interested in retraining to
on our list of top five qualities work in project management, we
demonstrated by great project always begin by asking exactly why
managers: they want to become involved in the
industry. The purpose of this question
1. Clear communication ‐ always is twofold: it allows us to ensure that
be as ‘specific’ as possible our students’ perceptions of project
when requesting information management are accurate, as well as
from project team members, helping to determine the kind of
particularly when working positions in which they would be best
across departments suited to work. If you intend to find a
2. Team leadership – managing job in project management, the first
projects inevitably involves an step is to see where you can pitch
element of managing people yourself. With specific roles in mind,
3. Excellent organisation – an you could consider the ways in which
efficient, structured method of project management training courses
working, in addition to may be beneficial.
considerable attention to
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Whatever position(s) you decide to attendees are choosing to build on this
pursue, it must be emphasised that exposure by retraining as project
you have to be a very determined managers, than in more settled
individual to get along in the project economic times. When considering
environment. While relatively good why this might be the case, it is
salaries (a project manager’s typical important to note that key project
starting salary will be in the region of management skills are transferable
£20‐25k) and an interesting, varied from other sectors, so project work
workload attract many people to can provide an outlet for individuals
project management, involvement in struggling to find employment
the industry is also extremely opportunities in other areas.
competitive and frequently stressful. If Involvement with projects could offer
the best aspect of working in project a way forward in your career,
management is that no one day is the particularly in the current financial
same as another, the worst is that climate, when many industries are
high pressure characterises people’s perceived to be suffering a great deal
workloads. more than project management.
Ultimately, effective project
Nevertheless, some individuals thrive management is at the forefront of
within the pressured project moving us away from the recession.
environment. Project management
also presents excellent employment Advice for unemployed professionals
opportunities for both sexes; while who wish to work in project
women used to find themselves management can be obtained via the
largely confined to project support Jobsearch Support Service for Newly
positions, the industry has seen that Unemployed Professionals offered by
change significantly over the past few the Jobcentre Plus.
years. Certainly on typical PRINCE2
training courses – which are designed Developing your
for people either currently managing
or intending to manage PRINCE2 career in project
projects – there is usually a fairly even management
mixture of male and female delegates.
Today there are many women While the scope for project
employed in very senior project management career development is
positions. Furthermore, gender isn’t a vast, the level of your achievements
significant factor when selecting an ultimately depends on how you drive
individual for a senior role in project your career. Many organisations have
management; the choice made implemented policies concerning
ultimately comes down to experience. Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) that can benefit employees
Numerous people receive some hoping to develop new skills or
project management exposure, in enhance their CVs. Even if you work
their roles within the business sphere. for a company that lacks policies of
At Knowledge Train, we have noticed this kind, by paying careful attention
that, during the current recession, a to your professional development
greater number of our course needs, you should be well placed to
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take advantage of opportunities to next time, in the hope of reaching a
boost your career in project more successful outcome.
management.
Advance your career
You must be proactive when
considering the ways in which you can with project
improve your skills, and gain useful management
experience. You could ask your
employer whether there are any
qualifications
courses that might be relevant at this
If you have managed projects for
stage in your career, or research the
some time but lack formal
options available to you before
qualifications in this field, you may
discussing your needs with your
wish to attend PRINCE2 Practitioner
manager. If you would like to attend
training and, on passing the associated
training funded by the organisation at
examinations, become a Registered
which you work, be prepared to talk
PRINCE2 Practitioner. It’s always
about the ways in which both you and
important to back your experience up
your employer could derive benefit
with qualifications that are well
from the course in question. Attending
recognised in the project management
a project management training course
industry. Indeed, PRINCE2 certification
is likely not only to improve your
is the qualification of choice for large
ability to work as a project
numbers of project professionals in
professional, but also attests to the
the UK and beyond.
fact that, as someone who is prepared
to devote time and effort to career
advancement, you’re serious about Finding suitable
your professional life. vacancies and
When gaining project management creating a winning CV
experience, it is of course possible that
a project with which you are involved The best source of project
falters or fails. When hoping to move management job vacancies is the
beyond project failure, you should Internet. It is worthwhile browsing
concentrate on the lessons learned relevant employment opportunities
from the process that led to the advertised on popular job search
project’s demise. Approach an websites such as Monster, Reed, and
unsuccessful project on your CV or at a Total Jobs. If a vacancy catches your
job interview by stating the facts, eye, familiarising yourself with the
while emphasising what was achieved experiences, skills, and qualifications
– almost every project leads to some demanded by the role will help you to
degree of positive realisation. By create an effective application.
discussing the project lifecycle, you
can draw out elements of the project An excellent networking tool to use
that were completed satisfactorily, in when making contacts in the project
addition to generating ideas about management industry is LinkedIn. It
what actions could be undertaken features numerous profiles of
professionals, and by spreading your
network and maintaining an active
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online presence, you should improve About the author
your chances of hearing about
employment opportunities that may
Simon Buehring is the founder and
not be widely advertised.
Managing Director of Knowledge Train,
a PRINCE2 Accredited Training
The question of how to produce a
Organization based in the UK. Simon
winning CV is often debated on
regularly delivers project management
project management discussion
and PRINCE2 training courses in the
forums. While there is no set formula
UK and overseas and writes a blog
for the perfect CV, always remember
about project management and
that a good CV contextualises project
PRINCE2. For more than 25 years
experiences, foregrounding the key
Simon has worked on or managed
details about budgets, scope, and so
software projects for a wide range of
on. Always proofread your CV several
organizations both in the UK and
times, particularly if it contains
internationally, including the BBC and
complex information: spelling
HSBC.
mistakes and grammatical errors are
unlikely to impress employers!
Don’t forget to share this e‐book!
When applying for your first project
management position, you may wish
to take advantage of a CV review
service. For an experienced project
professional concerned about career
advancement, this kind of service may
be beneficial, providing a fresh
viewpoint on his or her CV. Bear in
mind that the key to creating an
outstanding job application is to
present the most relevant information
in the best possible light, bringing out
the experience required to secure that
next role in project management.
Finally, if you wish to move beyond
the management of single projects
and would prefer to orchestrate
multiple projects at the same time,
programme management training
courses could help to prepare you for
your next career challenge. Good luck!
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