In a recent report from Arras People, the Benchmark Report, it was highlighted that PPM Practitioners from all walks of life are currently being impacted by different challenges created by the market conditions in the UK. 2013 was another year with limited ‘churn’ in the market as many practitioners again decided to stay in their current position rather than ‘risk’ moving on to a new opportunity. At the same time PPM contractors saw more competition, shorter length contracts and stagnant rates. Looking forward to 2014, there are some signs that the general economic conditions are improving, though confidence remains fragile. Just one area of the report highlighted this lack of confidence with 43% of PM’s in Public sector have real concerns about hard times ahead compared to 4% of those in the Private sector.
So what does this mean for PPM Practitioners’ careers? Many PPM Practitioners career aspirations are stifled as they wait for the ‘right opportunity’, be that internal or external to their current organisation. More importantly, when the time to enter the marketplace arrives, they are finding that the landscape has changed a lot since they were last on the move, leading to much confusion and frustration.
Too many practitioners wait to think about their career until it is too late and the pressure is on. For many, triggers such as redundancy or worst still, seeing an opportunity or job they think is ideal for them, only to be thwarted when it comes to making a successful application. Confusions arise with which accreditations and qualifications are in demand; how to create a CV which sells their capability and where they fit in the market. Frustrations surface when trying to market themselves effectively to people who may not understand their craft; not understanding why they are being knocked back and why their obvious ‘talents’ are not being appreciated.
There is much to think about and now is a great time for project management practitioners to focus on their careers. With the economy looking to be on the up, that next opportunity could be just around the corner. Even if PMs are not looking for a new role, now is the time to understand how they stack up as a PPM Practitioner against their peers. The report highlights the lack of self-assessment and career development planning for the vast majority of practitioners giving further evidence that practitioners in today’s market may not be ready for the upturn.
The report goes on to highlight the current salary levels; day rates; accreditation, training and confidence levels of practitioners working in project management in the UK today as well as focusing on key career planning and development matters.
The full report can be downloaded at: Project Management Benchmark Report