Did it ever really begin? Well personally it feels like we skipped a season this year however recruitment didn’t – yes we experienced a “lull” in movement over a couple of weeks in August but on the whole we noticed less roles going on-hold whilst hiring managers took annual leave and more emphasis on moving forward with interviews. All good news! One area we have noticed a change in is available talent – as opportunity seekers head to the patio with a cocktail (and sturdy umbrella), fantastic opportunities are left with a lack of available project management talent to fill them. Fortunately for us we work hard to create strong networks of good PM talent who are happy to be contacted to discuss new opportunities, yet these project management practitioners probably wouldn’t describe themselves as looking or in the market for a new job. It’s interesting times as we head into the autumn!
There have been several areas with noticeable Project Management requirements at this stage of the year, here are just a handful;
- Financial services – this has been a strong sector for growing PM capability for a number of months now and is considered a hot spot for many wishing to make a change in industry / sector though not an easy option!
- Management Consultancies – a very strong area of growth at the moment as organisations employ consultancies to implement a variety of frameworks and deliver change in many forms.
- Digital Publishing - Web development seems to be an area of significant growth with particular emphasis on education related projects.
- Marketing / communications – a number of the large names in this field are keen to attract new PM resources, although finding candidates with a good blend of structured PM and the marketing / branding background seems to highlight a skills shortage.
- New product development – predominantly private sector organisations looking to introduce new products to the market – experiences in consumer products, retail, FMCG are all of interest right now.
Moving forward as we are blown into autumn, HR staff have returned to the office and hiring managers alike are very keen to fill their recruitment requirements. Project management hiring should continue to hold strong throughout the winter months and if you are a project practitioner who has been sitting tight over the last 3 turbulent years waiting for an opportune moment to make a change, this could be the right time. This is a fantastic opportunity to take a good look at your skill-set and perform an audit (take a look at the Project Management Recruitment Ideas series of blog pieces for inspiration!). Make sure your CV is saying all the right things, each application should be tailored to the role specifics and don’t assume the reader, whether they be recruitment consultants, HR, or line managers will know that your role includes a series of project management competences.
Like all good project practitioners know planning is the key to ensuring a successful outcome and now could be the right time for you to plan your next step in your career
Arras People also offer a careers clinic which can assist you in ensuring you are applying for the right roles, your CV is saying the right things and various other areas you wish to discuss. We have a number of consultants who have differing backgrounds and areas of expertise who are available to dedicate 30 minutes of time to answer your questions, for further details please visit the project management career clinic.
