Reply to: Project Management Recruitment Agencies?

[malvolio]

Hey, don't worry about it. I'm like that with everyone. However, it's partly a test to see how you react to the sort of direct critiques you get as a freelance - you can only sell professional knowledge, all the soft stuff that impresses the permie HR people doesn't count any more. You have passed, BTW.

You might also not know that my role is usually a bit higher than PM, so I have a rather more pragmatic view than most about what is required.

Don't knock ITIL - that and Sarbanes Oxley are the drivers behind any organisation that has a trading function (even the energy one I work for at the mo). You need some form of PM methodology to build the solution, you will need ITIL and/or SOX understanding to deliver it into live usage. I'm also pretty clued up on 6Sigma (around brown belt standard, I guess, were I bothered to be measured) but remain unconvinced it is used properly or effectively in a modern RAD-based development shop - it's primarlily about building widgets to a consistent or improving standard and does not fit very well into an agile develeopement methodology, despite the Americans best efforts to make it do so.

Going back to your original question though, you don't get freelance PM work unless your CV demonstrates serious delivery to time and budget of at least one significant piece of work that you have led from end-to-end. If you can't show that, you need to aim a little lower initially - but keep trying because there's plenty of work out there. Also, you've got financial knowledge, but the PM history is the more important right now - so look around.

[LOSTINPRADISE]

Hi Malvolio

I seem to have managed to upset you somehow. This was not my intention.

Six sigma was used within the company i worked for, company wide and adapted for New Technology Introduction within the IT department and all IT projects had to pass through this process. This was a media company owned by corporate America, therefore Six Sigma is not solely a manufacturing tool and is used for eliminating defects in any process from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. There were elements of Prince2 in this process which i now recognise but Prince2 was not a formal method of project management used by them. I dont remember saying that one was a substitute for the other!!

I agree i obviously am doing something wrong or id be employed right now and thats why im on here to find out more.

As i mentioned in an earlier response i have read back on the threads and found some great advice, so thanks to all contributors.

Take a chill pill and dont take life so seriously. Im sure i would have loved ITIL in another life but for this life even at introductory level i found it rather dull!!!

But each to their own.

[malvolio]

ITIL Foundation is a piece of wotsit, it's only an introduction. Proper ITIL takes a few years followed by a £5k exam. As of today, you won't get work anywhere near Service Management wihtout that understanding, and as a PM you will probably struggle to understand the Change and Release processes.

Prince is about project management, 6Sigma is about manufacturing, and driving down errors in repeaable processes. They are not the same beast and can be complementary.

QED - you don't know the market! Best of luck, anyway.

[LOSTINPRADISE]

Thanx for the reality check!!! Its true but i really dont want to go back to desktop support roles, i have a technical background but really want to move forward rather than back.

I have experience in lproject managing large infrastructure intergrations, office relocations, company wide ip migrations, company mergers, data migrations, software upgrades on a global scale. Im looking for an Infrastructure Project management\support role.

I took the courses as a number of agencies kept asking me for these qualifications when i applied for roles. As i was not working i decided to get them under my belt.

TBH ITIL was so easy to obtain, but not something i wish to work with. (so a bit of a waste of cash).

The Prince2 courses were really good. But i came from a six sigma environment so havent had practical use of it.

Anyways ive read through the thread and will try the direct approach and target the specific PM agencies listed.

ill let you know how i get on.

I wonder how Hugh got on?

[malvolio]

So what kind of role are you looking for? TBH, Prince2 and ITIL paperwork means nothing to me unless you have some real-world experience and some successful deliveries to show me - and I am not the only one to think like that.

You might even have to consider winding in the sort of role just to get earning. As a permie you can rely on your history, as a contractor you're as good as your last one or two jobs, and you haven't got any. It might sound harsh, but that's the reality.

[LOSTINPRADISE]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh

Hi All

Im a newbie so please be gentle.

After working a 3 month notice period i took the plunge and delved into dark world of searching for an IT Projects contract. i rang many agencies before doing so and they all said your CV is excellent you should have no trouble blah blah blah. (OK i know now they are full of tulip).

5 months later, and the 9-5 of job searching every day....i still havent secured my first contract.

Having always been a permie, and having 8 years IT experience. i have had to endure 5 months of crap from agencies. From bogus job adverts to them asking for contact names of where i used to work.

I have this year invested my own money in training courses (Prince and ITIL) and so far this hasnt seemed to help either.

I had a fantastic permanent job but thought the grass would be greener.

Therefore my advice is think very carefully before making the decision to contract. Especially if its your first time like me!!

I havent given up hope totally, my CV is great and I do look good on paper but where are the interviews...i really dont know where im going wrong. im with MANY agencies and keep in contact on a regular basis. i am thinking the lull before Xmas has something to do with it.....

There are many positions for Banking or the public Sector but these roles 9\10 are looking for people who have worked in that environment.

Im about to draw up a new list of companies and approach them directly. Many have their preferred agencies though that recruit Contracters, so well see.

Any advice would be appreciated!!!

[Mustang]

Contacts?

I don't know, modern youth... That's the Department of Constitutional Affairs, aka the Lord Chancellor's Office, the one that manages the whole legal system. Now they have some serious contract lawyers...

I hope you got a few contact details..........just in case Hector comes knocking!!

[malvolio]

I don't know, modern youth... That's the Department of Constitutional Affairs, aka the Lord Chancellor's Office, the one that manages the whole legal system. Now they have some serious contract lawyers...

[Chessplayer]

Voron -

I've done recent work for both MOD and DCA, so I accept the difference in viewpoint. And to be fair it helps to have paperwork to get you noticed if you have no freelance history

Ratewhore -

No it's not, although I get the same questions in other places

It's the 100% hit rate on people arguing the advice is the issue - if they're know that much about something they've never tried to do, why are they asking us in the first place!

Ignore me - I'm having a grumpy day. I've been sat on a Change Board for three hours now and am losing the will to live....

If I'd done any work for the Dachshund Club of America I'd be keeping it under my belt!

[agingguy]

Hi Hugh

We've got a list of Project Management Recruitment Agencies that you may find useful?

Apologies if I'm not allowed to place a direct link.

Regards,

Lee

[Xenophon]

Malvolio and Lucifer are right. I got my first contract PM role this year and the advice they have supplied to you is exactly how the process worked out for me.

Good luck!

[HughGBanana]

excellent

thanks people you've been a great help.

I hoped that may have been a way to go and I guess that my enthusiasm to prove myself should be a good selling point and another small reason why an employer would take me on.

Careful selection for my first contract is key obviously, and Im hoping this will tie in nicely with me finding a contract before handing in my notice.

We will see

[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.

[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?

[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...