Project Management Careers Clinics

Using a service like careers advice for the first time can seem like a difficult choice. How do you know if the service is good enough? Will I get the right level of feedbackand advice I'm looking for? Will it meet my expectations?

Arras People has been running careers clinics for over 5 years. During that time the feedback we have received from others using the service has been exceptional, don't just take our word for it, see the feedback page. Alongside the PMC Clinic we have also run a national advice service for the Job Centre Plus, for project management professional out of work (contract was completed in 2011).

In this section we provide an insight into the project management careers clinic service so you can see how the clinic would work for you.

With a project management careers clinic you set the agenda by letting us know what advice you are looking for (see the overview of the types of advice we provide)

Booking an appointment

You choose which consultant you would like to speak to - their profiles give an insight into their areas of expertise. Just choose a day and time suitable for you and provide a telephone number.

Add your questions to the booking form and then attach your CV.

Our booking administrator will give you a call to take payment and confirm the booking.

Behind the scenes

The consultant you have booked to speak to receives your booking complete with CV and questions. At this point they start to plan the call based on the advice you are looking for.

Preparing for your session

Make sure you will be available and in a quiet place for your session.

The session will be full of practical advice and tips so make sure you have your CV in front of you and a pen & paper. If its possible you should also be near your PC / email (the consultant may send you something during the clinic).

The session

The session always starts with setting the agenda for the call. The consultant will confirm your questions and set out the structure for the remainder of the call. At the beginning of each session, the consultant will ask about your career to date (often the CV doesn't give a good enough reflection!) and from that initial conversation they will begin to address the questions you have raised.

Typical sessions may include advice on your CV. For these sessions the consultant will give you practical advice and tips on how to improve your CV. For example, the layout of the CV may need improving, the language you use could need correcting, the way you write about your experiences may not be clear enough etc.

Sessions like these are often a 'lightbulb' moment for people - we know its difficult to write a CV and look at what we write objectively - that's why the careers clinics are brilliant for CV reviews.

Other sessions may be more focused on training needs or trying to understand why you are not getting interviews. We also provide insights into how to get into project management when you have little or no experience. All our sessions are aimed at leaving you with a real insight into how the project management marketplace works and what employers are looking for.

After the session

Often the consultant will send you relevant materials that were raised during the session. These will be emailed to you.

With CV advice the consultant will often offer to review the CV after the session - this is purely at the discretion of the consultant.

Further clinics can be booked if you feel more time is needed to address a specific area or if you would like a follow-up session.