Clinic FAQs

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Project Management Careers Clinics

In summary, the Project Management Careers Clinic from Arras People provides a unique, cost effective, 30 minute one-on-one consultation with a project management professional where you can discuss any aspect of your career.

We get all kinds of questions about the Project Management Careers Clinic service, so to help you better understand what other people ask, we have listed the most common questions below.

Hopefully the Frequently Asked Questions list below will help you before booking a clinic, if not contact us and we will try our best to answer any questions that you may have.

How much does the careers clinic cost?

The current charge for the Project Management Careers Clinic depends upon the service you require and your status:

Non Registered Skype/Telephone session £50 for 30 minute session

Registered Skype/Telephone session £35 for 30 minute session (register here)

What do I get in return for my fee?

That depends on the question/s you put to the consultant at the time of booking.

For example, if you’re looking for help and guidance on making improvements to your CV, the consultant will take you through your entire CV, making suggestions on where improvements can be made to make sure the CV is doing the best it can for you. Many clinic participants have been surprised by how effective our CV review can be and how personally targetted the advice is. Consultants will then follow up the call with further reading and templates to assist you in making the changes and will be on hand to review your revised versions.

If you’re looking for advice on project management training and accreditations, your consultant will provide an unbiased view of the project management training market, recommendations on which training and accreditations are the best for you and give advice on what employers are looking for. Consultants will follow up the session with any further reading and links for you to pursue.

We also provide careers clinics for people who are just out of work and need advice negotiating the UK job market, give advice to people who are looking for a career change into project management, provide top tips for people trying to break into a project management role for the first time, give guidance to graduates looking for their first break and provide advice to participants on their career development and career paths.

We provide targeted practical advice which enables you to move on in your project management career

How do you take payment for the clinic?

When we have finalised your appointment, setting the date and time you’ll speak to a consultant you will be directed to make your payment via Paypal. You don’t need a Paypal account to make a payment securely, just follow the instructions when you receive your invoice.

I don't have any experience in project management - can I use the clinic?

Yes, experience in project management is not a prerequisite to use this service.

We often talk to participants who have a desire to move into the field of programme and project management from their current field of employment as well as others with limited prior experience. In addition we have experience of talking to non programme and project management professionals looking for broader career and / or CV advice.

Whatever your position, the consultant you book with is experienced in asking targeted questions which will enable them to provide the best advice for you.

I want to know about training courses in project management - can you help me?

Yes, we can provide you with an unbiased view of the UK project management training market and help you to understand the training paths, courses and accreditations available in the UK market.

We can work with you to provide guidance on the right course for you including which course is likely to provide the best return on your investment – both career wise and job hunting wise.

We can also provide advice on other career development options for the more cost conscious individual.

Why can't I just ask you a question without paying a fee?

Each day Arras People receives many requests from candidates at all levels who are looking for advice on their careers in Programme and Project Management. It is our belief that your career is something which is unique to you and there is never a straightforward answer to questions like – “how can I improve my CV?” or “which training course should I attend?” because the answer is normally “…well that depends…”

So we want to make sure you receive advice that is right for you, delivered in a way that is focussed on you and contextual to your circumstances. To do that we need some time to understand your circumstances, time to read your CV and time to prepare for your clinic call, not to mention the call itself.

Based on our commitment to providing tailored advice which is totally relevant and targeted to your individual situation in the context of the current programme and project management market we believe that the £50 may be the best you have ever spent on your career.

What do I do if I need more than 30 minutes?

If you feel that you need extra time with a consultant or feel that a follow on session would be beneficial you can book another appointment with the consultant using the appointment form .

Many of our calls may run over the 30 minutes allocated time and within reason the consultants are happy to manage an extension without additional charge.

Do I need to be registered with Arras People?

No, registration with Arras People is optional.

During the appointment booking, you will be asked to upload your current CV so that it can be reviewed before your session. So, please make sure you have your CV to hand during the booking process.

I need to cancel my booking - what do I need to do?

You need to either call us on 0845 680 6444 or reply to the booking confirmation email which you will have been sent.

The fee for the booking is non-refundable but a consultant may be able to reschedule the call if you provide 24 hours notice of your cancellation.

I've made a booking - what happens now?

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)

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.

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Feedback from Previous Careers Clinics

Many thanks Lindsay: I got exactly what I wanted from the session – an expert review of my cv, with well thought-out suggestions and practical advice. Lindsay also followed this up with further feedback and I was truly impressed by her effort and professionalism. For me it was a 1st class service that would be very difficult to match at any price.

It was a really good investment of time & money. Its such a competitive market at the moment that the advice given may just make the difference. Lindsay was able to advise me from a recruiters point of view and from her experience within a PMO environment. It meant that my questions were answered from both sides, which was really useful. It has helped to clarify the best possible way to ‘showcase’ what your talents are to a prospective recruiter/employer

Thanks so much for your help that has definitely proved useful. I will now intensify my applications with this new approach and see if things improve.

Further to our ‘career clinic’ telephone appointment yesterday, I am writing to thank you for all your advice and guidance on embarking on a career in project management. I found the session very productive and informative and you talked very honestly and openly for which I am very grateful.

Thank you once again for your time and feedback since I spoke to you in the Careers clinic last week. I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate all your advice and suggestions for improvement to my CV considering I was going to spend nearly £450 on a professional CV writing service!

Honest, productive advice on how better I could present my skills and achievements within my CV. I also received some invaluable guidance on which roles I would be best suited to.

The half-hour spent on the phone with Lindsay was invaluable. You always wonder what recruiters are looking for and what they think of your CV, but you rarely get the opportunity to find out. Lindsay was very thorough and completely honest. I’ll have a more concise and focused CV after I implement Lindsay’s suggestions.