Ten Linked-In Tips for Professionals

Project management and IT professionals can use social networking site Linked-In to build successful careers or businesses. Ian Brodie offers some great advice on how to get the most from your presence on Linked-In.

Top Ten Tips
1.  Make your profile client focused
2.  Get connecting but…
3.  Choose your connection strategy carefully
4.  Use search to find potential clients and business partners
5.  Give testimonials to get them
6.  Have a helpful headline
7.  Join Linkedin Groups to connect and interact
8.  Use your Status Updates to subtly remind your contacts what you do
9.  Watch other people’s status updates to see what they do
10. Proactively link others together who you think may benefit

To read the full article click here. 

>> Join Focus on Linked-In

Blogalot - December 2009

Project Management Recruitment Update - Sept 2009

Rosalind Peterson of Wellingtone is starting to see green shoots this Autumn!

Now that the fondly named ‘silly season’ is coming to an end the question on everyone’s lips is are we going to see a rise in recruitment that we have all been hoping for all year??

We have seen an increase in the number of vacancies we are actively working on.  This increase has happened in the last few weeks.  Clients are starting to come out from their shells to talk to us again and are starting to think about their requirements for the future.  Salaries are still lower than perhaps they should be for what they are looking for.  Others are moving forward with caution offering fixed term contracts rather than permanent roles, but at least they are actively looking to recruit!  I suspect that things will continue to improve over the coming weeks and I am certainly keeping my fingers crossed for a busier September and October!

>> Read the Full Article at Wellingtone
>> Join the Focus on Linked-In to see more project management jobs
>> Skills, Methodology & Experience - A Solid Platform for Project Managers

Blogalot - September 2009

Tips for a More Powerful CV

CVs are the primary device by which recruiters eliminate applicants for a given job opportunity. Most applicants are extremely supportive of this cause and provide plenty of reasons for an early dismissal.

If you want to succeed you must get inside the mindset of the recruiter and you must remember that the sole objective of your CV is to win you an interview. It’s the vital first step to any new job - or promotion.

1. Show you are relevant to the job opportunity
2. Explain why you are special
3. Demonstrate you are efficient and focused
4. Make life easy for the recruiter

Read the full article at:
http://www.focus-on-training.co.uk/wp_CV_0309/

Seven Strategies for Staying on Top of Your Career

Stay on top of your career and bottom of the redundancy list.

1. Connecting the Dots - Adding Value
Ask yourself what the purpose of your company is, how it makes money, who the client base is, and how you contribute to it.  If you’re in government, ask yourself who’s the end-user or “customer of our services”.

2. Specialising in Your Industry
Survey your skill set.  What other special knowledge can you bring to the table outside your current job focus?  Make sure that your boss knows about it.

3. Building Your Own Brand
Take inventory of your people skills.  What weaknesses did your boss mention at your last review?  What can you undertake to offset those weaknesses while playing to your strengths.

4. Creating a Status Report
Suggest a periodic status report to give your boss an overview of your department’s happenings.  Even if you only send it to one person, make sure it’s the right person - the one who makes decisions about your future.

5. Continuing Your Education
Make certain your credentials are in order.  Go the extra mile to maintain your body of knowledge by going on continuing education classes regularly.

6. Establishing Cross-Sector Knowledge
Write down any unfamiliar terms you hear.  Look them up online or in an industry handbook.  It’s the fastest way to align your talk with your walk.

7. Expanding Your Network
Maintain a database of contacts on which to call when times get tight.  Your network can act as your insurance policy in the event you need it.

These tips come from J LeRoy Ward, PMP, PgMP. They are an abbreviated version of an article appearing in Project Manager Today March 2009. LeRoy Ward is author of the Dictionary of Project Management Terms (3rd edition, October 2008) and executive vice president of ESI International.

Want to Double Your Salary?!

Recent data shows that the average salary for a Programme Manager in the UK is £68k compared to £45k for a Project Manager.

It’s important to understand the difference between the roles – but it is certainly a realistic career progression for many project managers.

MSP is a useful route in terms of training courses and certification which may help you on the journey to become a successful programme manager. The recently refreshed MSP best practice guidance sits within the same family of qualifications as PRINCE2.

”Programme Manager” – An Increasingly Prominent Role
Programme Management is about delivering strategic change in an organisation.  It involves working across traditional functional boundaries.  It has become the preferred management style used by organisations as they implement major investment projects or drive business change. 

Demand for Programme Managers is Growing
Recruitment statistics show strong growth in the number of Programme Management roles and recent salary surveys confirm the sizeable premiums that well qualified programme managers can earn – 50% more than a Project Manager.

Data from leading specialist project management recruiter, Wellingtone, shows the following salary levels:
Project Co-ordinator
Average £24,100
Range  £18,000 to £30,000

Project Manager
Average £45,050
Range  £34,000 to £58,000

Programme Manager
Average £68,200
Range  £52,500 to £90,000

A Programme Manager is not Simply a Manager of Multiple Projects
The skills of the Programme Manager correspond as closely to those of the General Manager as the Project Manager.  The successful Programme Manager not only directs a series of discrete projects but provides leadership, allocates resources and ensures that project activity is fully consistent with the day to day requirements of the business.

Training and Certification Options
There are 2 main certification options available.  The US based Project Management Institute (PMI) offers the “Program Management Professional” (PgMP).  As yet this has not become widely known in the UK, but is recognised by many international organisations.  In addition to an exam, candidates must be able to demonstrate several years’ programme management experience.

The most respected qualification structure in the UK is MSP.  Based on best practice guidelines developed over the past 15 years by the OGC, the training is accredited by the APM Group.  This puts it in the same family as PRINCE2.

MSP Managing Successful Programmes
There are 3 levels of MSP certification.  The Foundation Certificate establishes basic understanding of the MSP framework and terminology.  Training courses are typically 2 or 3 days duration with a short multiple choice exam.

The Practitioner Certificate requires a comprehensive understanding of the principles together with the ability to relate it to real life scenarios.  Training is often close coupled with the Foundation so that both certificates can be obtained in 5 days.

The Advanced Practitioner distinguishes those who understand how to apply MSP to practical business situations.

Blogalot
www.focus-on-training.co.uk