Challenges to getting a role in a project management office (and how they can be addressed)

Actions you can take to address challenges to getting
a role in a Project Management Office (PMO)
Author: PM Majik
Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. www.pmmajik.com

Contents
1. Purpose of this presentation
2. Context
3. The challenge
4. Action you can take
4.1 Review your CV
4.2 Tailor your CV
4.3 Use terms and language in the job specification
4.4 Secure PMO role at current organisation
4.5 Build and use network
4.6 Invest in yourself
5. Summary
6. PMO resources

1.0 Purpose of this presentation
The purpose of this presentation is to cover the common challenges to anyone looking
for a career in project management.
Approach
This presentation addresses this by:
•Identifying the reasons for this being a challenge
•Providing actions that can be taken to address the challenges

2.0 Context
You have made the decision you want to move your PMO career forward by moving to a
new role. If you are looking for a new external position you will need to go through a
formal interview process.
This will involve specific questions to test the understanding and experience in respect
of PMO’s. This will be a challenge to the following:
•University or college graduate with limited or no work experience
•Line resource with no project or PMO experience
•Project resource with no PMO experience

3.0 The challenge
You have never worked in a PMO or project roleYou have never worked in a PMO or project role
You will not be able to demonstrate experience on CVYou will not be able to demonstrate experience on CV
Your CV will not pass the HR / recruiter filterYour CV will not pass the HR / recruiter filter
So what?
So what?

4.0 Action you can take
There are a number of actions you can take:
•Review your CV
•Tailor your CV
•Use the language and terms of the job description
•Secure a PMO role in your current organisation
•Build and use your network
•Invest in training

4.1 Review your CV
Spend time reviewing and updating your CV:
•Make sure it is succinct
•Make sure it is up to date
•Review and / or consolidate older roles
•Check grammar and spelling
•Ask a friend or colleague to review

4.2 Tailor your CV
This step is very important. You are in marketing mode and the product you need to sell
is you. Take time to review every part of the CV and tailor for the role:
•Review and understand the job specification
•Research the organisation
•Look up the recruiter on LinkedIn
•Match experience to job specification
Tip
You may not have worked in a PMO. However, you may have relevant experience you
can link to what is on the job specification.
For example, you have worked on a project or in a line role where you have had to
prepare the project report by taking submissions from different people in the project.
This can be positioned as experience in capturing, reviewing and consolidating
reporting.
Important
Don’t over tailor as this may leave you over exposed in the interview

4.3 Use terms and language in the job specification
Help pass the HR / recruiter filter:
•Use the same terms and language as used in the job specification
•Map experience on CV to job specification

4.4 Secure PMO role at current organisation
This is perhaps the easiest path, secure a role in a PMO for your current organisation:
•Find out who work in the PMO’s in your organisation
•Build working relationships
•Offer to buy coffee in exchange for advice
•Ask if they would help mentor you
•Make it known you are looking for a role in the PMO
•Discus your aspirations at your annual / interim review

4.5 Build / use your network
Hopefully you already have started to establish your network, if not start today:
•Contact contacts who work in the PMO space
•Join and connect with PMO professionals on LinkedIn
•Join PMO Groups on LinkedIn
•Participate in active PMO forums
Important
Don’t connect with a person and then straightway ask for a PMO job. Spend time
building the relationship.

4.6 Invest in yourself
Take positive action by investing in yourself – learning and the acquisition of knowledge
does not stop when you complete your formal education:
•Online resources (like pmmajik.com)
•Books / videos
•Online / Classroom training
•Attend seminars (also good for networking)

5.0 Summary
•Difficult to get a role in a PMO with no experience
•Review and update your CV
•Tailor to role – but not too much
•Try to secure role in PMO for your current organisation
•Build and use your network
•Invest in yourself by actively learning about the topic of PMO
Good luck

6.0 PMO resources
If you want more information, visit www.pmmajik.com where you will find lots of project
and PMO resources including the FREE guide, 7 Steps to Set-Up a PMO.
Visit http://www.pmmajik.com/set-pmo/
PM Majik Website
On the PM Majik website you will find over 100 articles that contain practical and
pragmatic tips and insights for designing, mobilising and managing a PMO. New
articles are added weekly. Topic requests are encouraged from the community.

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