Reply to: CV impact - 3 months contract after 6 months off

[Scruff]

Fill your "gaps" with the role of being the Manager of your MyCo.?

[Damon]

Oh and previous roles are 12 months min so it would stick out like a sore thumb

[Damon]

Thanks guys, agree with all the above.

If the interview today doesn't come to a contract I'll stick it out.

If it does, I'll bail and lose the current gig from CV.

[Old Greg]

Another consideration is this: you may get away with it once (although you will never know whether you have lost a gig because of it), but what if later on this year or next year your project gets canned after 3 months or you have a genuine family emergency or serious illness and have to leave? Then you have two 3 month gigs on your CV. I would bin this CV, purely because you will be up against people with nice neat 6 to 24 month back-to-back gigs.

[BlasterBates]

In the current market, i.e. not good at least in comparison with former times, you need to stick it through, throwing in the towel isn't good. There are good and bad projects and these days you can't afford just to have good projects. OK this time it was a role mismatch but next time it might be something else, equally as bad, whether that is unrealistic time frames, disorganisation or a manager who "sucks".

[DirtyDog]

I understand your point but I did notice the difference! It was just announced to 30 people in the room without being discussed with me, it took all my control not to spit my coffee out all over them

It's an 'interesting' place to work!

Sorry - I know you noticed the difference. I meant that on your CV it's going to be difficult to explain why the gig was so short - to say that the role was different then begs the question "when did you notice? why didn't you leave sooner then?". The only valid answer is "I was desperate for the money", which isn't going to do you any favours

If you can describe the role accurately, and explain why it only lasted three months, and it looks good - then leave and get something better. If you can't, then I think you are opening yourself up to a lot of questions by having a short-term PM role on there.

[Old Greg]

I understand your point but I did notice the difference! It was just announced to 30 people in the room without being discussed with me, it took all my control not to spit my coffee out all over them

It's an 'interesting' place to work!

Suck it up (not the coffee).

[Damon]

T without looking incompetent for not noticing how different the roles were.

I understand your point but I did notice the difference! It was just announced to 30 people in the room without being discussed with me, it took all my control not to spit my coffee out all over them

It's an 'interesting' place to work!

[DirtyDog]

Given that you understandably didn't walk on Day 1, you should stick it out IMO.

That would be my take - you won't be able to explain it as "I was expecting one role and it turned out to be another completely different one" without looking incompetent for not noticing how different the roles were.

So, if you can't sell yourself as a troubleshooter with success on this project, I'd stick it out.

[Old Greg]

Agreed hence my question.

The difficulty comes when you are recruited for role A, get contract, walk in the door go to meeting with business and are announced as leading Role Z and I use the Z to emphasise how far removed it is from Role A. If the market was more fluid and I hadn't used 6 months of war chest I would have left day 1.

I would approach the situation as role mismatch but given client need I worked for 3 months to get them to a good place before looking for another contract with Role A.

Not ideal but making the best of a poor situation.

Given that you understandably didn't walk on Day 1, you should stick it out IMO.

[Damon]

Agreed hence my question.

The difficulty comes when you are recruited for role A, get contract, walk in the door go to meeting with business and are announced as leading Role Z and I use the Z to emphasise how far removed it is from Role A. If the market was more fluid and I hadn't used 6 months of war chest I would have left day 1.

I would approach the situation as role mismatch but given client need I worked for 3 months to get them to a good place before looking for another contract with Role A.

Not ideal but making the best of a poor situation.

[DirtyDog]

Lack of longevity as a PM looks like you are either doing minor bug-fixy projects or you cant deliver. A couple of these back to back with big gaps inbetween and you'd be on the 'No' pile.

Unless you are brought in to turn around a failing project two months before the go-live, turned it around, saw it live and then left.

In which case you look like a great troubleshooter who can perform under pressure and get quick results.

I suspect that this is not the case with the current project for the OP though.

[Old Greg]

Lack of longevity as a PM looks like you are either doing minor bug-fixy projects or you cant deliver. A couple of these back to back with big gaps inbetween and you'd be on the 'No' pile.

Therefore, unless you're suicidal, stick it out.

[Dallas]

Lack of longevity as a PM looks like you are either doing minor bug-fixy projects or you cant deliver. A couple of these back to back with big gaps inbetween and you'd be on the 'No' pile.

[Old Greg]

Programme/Project Manager roles.

Would it cause you concern if you were reviewing a CV which had a 3 months contract after a 6 month time off 'gap'.

I think it would catch my eye and I'd ask about it but not reject CV based on it.

Not sure I can manage the 6 months on this current gig and will start looking at 3 months in.

Not answering your question but really small point. Try to have your last day on project as 1st of month, not last day of month. It will make the contract look a month longer - in your case a third longer. I also try to start contracts on last day of month and not 1st day of month if possible.

However, 3 months is not good for a PM role. I do PM and other work, and the small bits of consultancy can acceptably be a few weeks. A PM contract of < 6 months looks like a firing or bailout unless you can badge it convincingly otherwise. E.g. I have done a genuine 4 month PM contract which involved turnaround of a failing project to complete design and build, then test and manage cutover.