Programme & Project Management Industry Notes - 2009

When considering project management I must admit that I have never given a thought to the fact that there may be British Standard or International Standards Organisation guidance in this field. Having asked around it would appear that I am not on my own!

Over recent weeks and months I have been reading about and listening to many people talking about the challenges to Public sector in the UK face when delivering projects. Naturally this includes the perceived inability to deliver programmes and projects on time, to spec and to budget, staffing challenges and the need to find, attract and retain top PPM talent.

Following on from the well received 2009 Project Management Benchmark Report*, during June 2009 Arras People conducted a mini survey to gain a view of the PPM communities views about "green shoots". The survey was open to the whole of the PPM community and looked to gather opinions about the professionals sectors and also personal position as we reach the halfway point in 2009.

Talking to project management professionals during our recent project management careers clinic sessions, we're seeing a common picture relating to real issues that people are facing in the current marketplace. "Advice on securing my next contract position", "I'm facing redundancy...help!", "What is the best way to focus my efforts on getting back into work" and "I would like to explore what's happening in the project management market today" are some of the concerns being voiced, which was less common six months ago.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the management team have reacted in a traditional "batten down the hatches" approach and put an immediate freeze on all headcount! You need essential resources to enable delivery of your project and they are not available internally, so what can you do?

In order to be effective, it's time to move away from the emotional upheaval and start thinking practicalities about the weeks (or possibly months) ahead.

The project management job marketplace has seen a reduction in hiring's over the last few months in line with the general recruitment activity in other managerial roles. Particularly hard hit has been the construction and financial sectors.

In the current market companies who are looking to take on new resources are focused on outcomes and for project managers that focus is on who can deliver…now!

In a tough recruitment market your CV takes on a whole new meaning and the message it conveys will be for many the difference between securing an interview or not.

When trading conditions such as those we are currently experiencing occur, many people believe that it means we have shifted into a "buyer's market". Is that true and what does that really mean?

We are now 33 years on from the introduction of the first legislation regarding gender in the workplace and recent comments such as "Equality laws are now holding women back"

With the focus of the last twelve months seeming to have been on the negative aspects of the credit crunch, recession (impending and real) and the general downturn in the economy, early respondents to the Annual Arras People Project Management survey suggest that it's not all bad news out there.