Project Management Recruitment Agencies?

[voron]

Isn't it policy in Govt Depts to use Prince methodology for project management?

Not all gov departments have formally adopted Prince. There are some big boys in the sector who refuse to touch the OGC.

[HughGBanana]

i wasnt arguing any advice, just looking for some decent answers, which I got, and they are very useful.

I have a lot of confidence in my own ability but know I still have a lot to learn.

So its the old "you need experience to get experience" situation then? Hmmmmm its chicken and egg time again.

[malvolio]

OK, appreciate the point!

The trick for getting work in contractor-PM world is to emphaisie what you have done, not what you know. Make sure your CV flows from achievements to experience to qualifications, not the other way round.

[Lucifer Box]

Malvolio is correct as usual. When someone is looking to take on a contract PM in the private sector, the decision tree is almost inverted from that of a permie and much simpler of course:

A. Has he done a project almost exactly like the one we're about to kick off before?
1. Yes --> goto B
2. No --> CV in bin

B. Was the project delivered on time and to budget?
1. Yes --> Add CV to shortlist for interview
2. No --> CV in bin

Paper qualifications are no more than an added bonus at the absolute most. Experience is king, nothing else matters.

As Voron says, the criteria in the public sector might take paper qualifications as necessary for getting shortlisted (but still will not get you the gig without experience), but so might having the right colour skin or whatever disability is required to meet the departmental quotas for the year.

[HughGBanana]

cheers chaps

ive spent many many hours on my cv lately and always tailor it for specific jobs.

it now basically reads

key skills
recent projects
employment history
quals

which seems to marry up with the general view of a contract cv, onbviously it does vary depending on the position for which Im applying.

Getting the first contract is obviously hard because permie projects are very different animals. I guess I need to find an initial contract project that nearly mirrors my permie projects to get be started and that may take time

[Lucifer Box]

Keep us posted on how it goes HughGBanana. Always interested to hear how things are fairing in the PM market.

[HughGBanana]

will do

will be starting the chase for the first one imminently. Im full of enthusiasm at the mo and cant wait to get started. Lets hope it lasts!

Just one more question

I was going to complete my studies and take the exam for ITIL foundation as it seems to crop up with PRINCE and just thought it might be an added "pull" rather than something I would use unless required.

Is it worth it?

[malvolio]

ITIL Foundation is almost complulsory for anything to do with Service Management. It's of little real-world value in itself, but it does codify the terminology and concepts so you can understand what real experts (I'd say "like me" but modesty forbids, natch) are blethering on about. It's three days, or you can do it online.

The real kicker is Managers, which is around £3k and takes two weeks classroom and three days exams. Plenty have got it, roughly 5% actually know how to apply it in the real world. Same rules apply - not what you know but what you can do with it. Don't bother with the single-subject Practitioners, they have little real value.
Do Foundation, if you can. It's more useful than you think, even if you fail it - and that takes some doing...

[HughGBanana]

coolio, im just "gathering" the £400 for the study guide

Would you consider it wise to look at admin/coord jobs as my first step to get a "foot in" even though my current job is a "manager" or would I not ever make the step up?

[Lucifer Box]

coolio, im just "gathering" the £400 for the study guide

Would you consider it wise to look at admin/coord jobs as my first step to get a "foot in" even though my current job is a "manager" or would I not ever make the step up?

You should be able to get a project office, project planning or similar gig fairly easily. This is a good step in the right direction and if you make sure your first gig is at a big company, after a couple of months doing good work and showing them how great you are, volunteer for extra responsibility. The client will likely bite your hand off and you'll end up managing a project anyway, thereby killing two birds with one stone. Worked for me.