The Project Managers thread

[evenflow]

I'm a Lean Six Sigma "Green Belt" and have also trained in Agile PM. Work in Aerospace. Have a background as a BA.

As stated above, I don't believe there is a one size fits all approach. All of the training and acronyms give you a tool box which you can dip into as appropriate. Certain projects - especially in my experience fast moving software development ones - don't fit into a DMAIC process but there are useful elements: gateway reviews, ishikawa diagrams, kaizen, 5S, 5Y, 8D etc etc

Any particular questions on Lean / Agile please feel free to post here or send a PM. Not that I'm professing to be an expert!

[Riknos]

Slightly dragging up an old thread here I know - but I'm looking into moving into PM work in the future and I'm after some advice!

Years ago I turned down a project co-ordinator role for more cash in my current role, and instantly regretted it.

Now, I'm applying for every PC role I see - all of which seem to be £10-15k pay cuts unfortunately, but I'm hoping 2 years hard work in a PC role will land me a PM role.

Am I right in this? Or do PC roles not really get you the experience to become a PM?

I'm thinking of getting prince2 or ITIL to at least help with getting my cv looked at.

I come from a Telecoms background so trying to get into IT/Telecoms Project work.

[Origin Unknown]

Riknos said:

Slightly dragging up an old thread here I know - but I'm looking into moving into PM work in the future and I'm after some advice!

Years ago I turned down a project co-ordinator role for more cash in my current role, and instantly regretted it.

Now, I'm applying for every PC role I see - all of which seem to be £10-15k pay cuts unfortunately, but I'm hoping 2 years hard work in a PC role will land me a PM role.

Am I right in this? Or do PC roles not really get you the experience to become a PM?

I'm thinking of getting prince2 or ITIL to at least help with getting my cv looked at.

I come from a Telecoms background so trying to get into IT/Telecoms Project work.

There should absolutely be a development path from PCO to PM and if you have the opportunity, it's a good foot in the door.

I worked within a PMO for a small Telecoms services company based in Camberley and this is how the group was structured. Generally, the PCO's took on smaller more straight forward delivery projects and the PM's were responsible for the larger.

Unfortunately, the reality is that you will struggle to get past recruiters without PRINCE2 so in my view, it is a must. Additionally, you'll gain a reasonable view of some of the core PM principles. No harm in ITIL either but it's much more focussed towards Service Management so few of the principles will apply to a PM role.

What I will say is that it seems many of the small telecoms services companies seem to see Managed Services as core to their business so exposure to ITIL may at a minimum be useful during interviewing.

[Riknos]

Origin Unknown said:

Riknos said:

Slightly dragging up an old thread here I know - but I'm looking into moving into PM work in the future and I'm after some advice!

Years ago I turned down a project co-ordinator role for more cash in my current role, and instantly regretted it.

Now, I'm applying for every PC role I see - all of which seem to be £10-15k pay cuts unfortunately, but I'm hoping 2 years hard work in a PC role will land me a PM role.

Am I right in this? Or do PC roles not really get you the experience to become a PM?

I'm thinking of getting prince2 or ITIL to at least help with getting my cv looked at.

I come from a Telecoms background so trying to get into IT/Telecoms Project work.

There should absolutely be a development path from PCO to PM and if you have the opportunity, it's a good foot in the door.

I worked within a PMO for a small Telecoms services company based in Camberley and this is how the group was structured. Generally, the PCO's took on smaller more straight forward delivery projects and the PM's were responsible for the larger.

Unfortunately, the reality is that you will struggle to get past recruiters without PRINCE2 so in my view, it is a must. Additionally, you'll gain a reasonable view of some of the core PM principles. No harm in ITIL either but it's much more focussed towards Service Management so few of the principles will apply to a PM role.

What I will say is that it seems many of the small telecoms services companies seem to see Managed Services as core to their business so exposure to ITIL may at a minimum be useful during interviewing.

Thanks for your feedback - I will actually be starting Prince2 tonight! I have a phone interview tomorrow for a role

Which company in Camberley was it by any chance?

[DJRC]

I thinks its a bloody stupid idea personally Riknos. There is absolutely no gaurantee of regaining that money lost going via PM. Can you not continue current job and do P2 stuff aswell?

[Stu R]

Surely whether it's a wise move or not depends on industry / sector? From what I've discovered salary ranges for PMs can vary enormously. For the industry I'm looking at PM seems a good choice based on salary potential and opportunities to progress. Some of the others I've looked at out of curiosity seem to be dead-enders with a salary that I couldn't live on if I wanted to.

[GT03ROB]

Stu R said:

Surely whether it's a wise move or not depends on industry / sector? From what I've discovered salary ranges for PMs can vary enormously. For the industry I'm looking at PM seems a good choice based on salary potential and opportunities to progress. Some of the others I've looked at out of curiosity seem to be dead-enders with a salary that I couldn't live on if I wanted to.

Quite. There are project managers & project managers.

[Origin Unknown]

My PRINCE2 practitioner certification expires in August and I just cannot see the value in renewing it. So I have booked on a PMP Exam Preparation Boot Camp. 6 consecutive Friday's from 1830 - 2230 and then exam as soon as possible after.

Has anyone done one of these exam prep boot camps before? Been a long time since I picked up the PMBOK.

[stevenjhepburn]

What qualifications and experience do you think a PM should have before exploring/diving in to the world of PM contracting?

[Origin Unknown]

stevenjhepburn said:

What qualifications and experience do you think a PM should have before exploring/diving in to the world of PM contracting?

I'm a Professional Services PM so I deal with contractor PM's all the time. In my experience, you are required to possess barely any knowledge of core PM principles. Demonstrate a total lack of actual PM experience. Zero organisation skills. The list goes on.

Seriously, the standard seems to be so low that if you do possess any actual PM skills, you should do fairly well.

An actual contractor will be along fairly soon to give you some decent advice. I also await with interest.

[Pulse]

I'd say the contractor PM pool is about the same quality as the permie PM pool, to be honest. I don't think there is much difference, certainly in my area - some bad, some good.

What does irk me with some (absolutely not all) contractor PMs is that they are out for their 'client' only, rather than looking at the overall objectives of the organisation/programme/portfolio.

I'm in the financial services, by the way.

[DJRC]

Had a new one in the last cpl of weeks. My boss and our Board Director have been trying to get me to go permie and take over a role. They hate contractors in corporate management roles. Their tactic? Persuade me to now do two jobs as one...my boss and mine. Take a 50% pay cut, have to answer to the European Commission face to face and to leave Munich Rome etc to be based in Portsmouth.

They are perplexed at my reluctance

[spikeyhead]

The only place I've worked at that I will never go back to is Portsmouth.

[stevenjhepburn]

spikeyhead said:

The only place I've worked at that I will never go back to is Portsmouth.

How come? I quite liked it down there.

[spikeyhead]

stevenjhepburn said:

spikeyhead said:

The only place I've worked at that I will never go back to is Portsmouth.

How come? I quite liked it down there.

I spent seven months there watching people stab each other in the back, or spend a long time working out the best explanation to their boss about why it was someone else s fault, or why something wasn't their responsibility until every last tiny scrap of information possible, and quite a lot that wasn't possible was neatly documented that I lost the will to live. So many people spending so much time shouting about how great they were when in a commercial environment they'd have been out the door.

I lost the will to live. Having said that, at least there were good restaurants for dinner in the evenings.

[DJRC]

It hasnt changed.

[marctwo]

I work in financial services and am looking to get into project management. What's the must have qualification in this industry?

[murphster]

marctwo said:

I work in financial services and am looking to get into project management. What's the must have qualification in this industry?

Prince 2

[Tonberry]

As of this week, I'm jumping from one large construction consultancy to another.

Happy fking days.

[hadenough!]

Chap at work doing his apmp. I fid mine a few years back so am trying to give him some guidance.

any tips?