It is a time for change and the job market is ever evolving (some may say it has become stagnant at times) as the economy emerges from recession and a number of publicly funded organisations take a battering due to a need to “decrease the deficit”. On the positive side, there are a good deal of fantastic opportunities for project professionals prevailing; however, the pool of unemployed professionals deepens.
After posting a number of very interesting contract positions recently across the internet and our dedicated project, programme and portfolio management website at Arras, the volume of applications was high (reaching 200+ in some cases) to which a shortlist of 3 or 4 candidates were selected for submittal to the client – this being the standard practice at Arras People. Ensuring clients do not have to sift through CVs and shortlist, we do it for them. What qualifies us to do this? Years of experience in successfully placing candidates in PPM roles across all sectors and industries and the added bonus that we all have worked within project management before re-training into recruitment.
As a matter of course at Arras People we believe in treating all our candidates with the respect they duly deserve – if you have applied for a role then the least you can expect is acknowledgement of your application and some feedback if you have been unsuccessful.
The burning question is how you make the shortlist; here is some clear, no-nonsense advice:
- Read the advert – from top to bottom, this sounds obvious but many do not do this.
- Understand the advert – do you understand what they are asking for?
- Do you meet the requirements comfortably, are you hitting 90% – let’s be honest, not only can you do it – have you done it previously?
- Follow the instructions – ensure you follow instructions about how to apply, if the advert asks for cover letter or detail on current rates, notice period etc. Make sure you include it in your application.
- Provide the evidence – does your CV clearly state your competencies and involvement in similar projects? If not, then you will be unsuccessful. Remember: you are in competition with 199 other candidates to make the cut.
- Be professional – provide effective communication and treat the process with the respect you would treat the job. Any role within the sphere of PPM professional requires effective communication – ensure your CV is well-written, displays your core competencies and gives enough detail for the reader to understand the types of projects you have been working on.
At Arras People we understand the frustrations professionals out in the project field are encountering, we have a repository of information documents such as CV template, CV writing information and general careers advice which we have put together for those in need of careers guidance. For those who are currently unemployed and in receipt of job seekers allowance – we also have a free service looking at all aspects of the recruitment lifecycle including a full CV review.
If you follow the above points and ensure your CV actually reflects the competencies and experience stated in the role advertisement you stand in a much stronger position to harvest a positive response from your applications – across the board!
Great article – underscores the potential benefits of project management experience and training in these competitive times. I think the point about providing evidence is particularly important; you could be the best project manager in the world, but employers may not give you the recognition you deserve in the application process, unless your CV makes your expertise clear.