Is it worth doing Prince Training online?

[KatyMac]

I know you need to do the exam (& then update it) but there is an offer on atm for the course materials for very cheap

I could put that I was working towards it on my CV (& hopefully only take the exam once I'd got a job)

I wonder if I'm not getting PM jobs because I don't have a recognised qualification in it

& I guess the Prince terminology/methodology are widely used (it includes agile)

Yes - I did it. You can get the exams done distance-stylee ow (about £400 I think, when I last looked anyway). They invigilate through your webcam, or you can find an exam centre.

FWIW, I've done the study, I work as a PM, but I've never taken the exam itself so I don't actually have the qualification! I've done PSO for a couple of years and am now a full PM (at age 51 - I started late!!) and love it!

Lots of places don't use any project management methodology at all (!), lots don't really understand what it is (!!) but a lot of PMing (or interviewing) is about coming across super organised, that you appear capable of handling issues as they come up and managing them.

Have you done any project support work yet or had any other involvement in projects so far OP? Or are you going 'cold' into applying for PM jobs???

Kind of cold

I set up, and managed a nursery for 13 yrs and then did a degree in Systems Analysis & Change Management during that time

But of course, using lots of PM skills

But the online course is less than £100 from @Learning247

Check if the course includes the exam or not. They have to be invigilated and the exam is quite an expensive part of it (I'm a single mum so have never got a spare £400 around to do the exam!!).

I think if you're going in 'cold' then the qualification will probably be more important than if you are able to take a lead in by doing some PSO stuff first. With the Systems Analysis and Change Management these are big bonuses. Process analysis and finding issues in business systems is a big part of projects especially in the early scoping phases when you're trying to quantify what the issues are that need fixing, and the change management will always be a great bonus as, as we know, projects require people to be involved, and you'll know that managing their buy in, worries etc is really vital. Can you 'projectify' this experience a bit in terms of how you describe it and frame it on your CV??

You know what, day to day I don't 'use' Prince II even now in my current project which is IT-based (and haven't in the previous PM role I did). A lot of organisations have really rubbish project management / PMOs (if they even have a PMO!) unless they've reached quite a high level of maturity in this area (possibly more likely in a commercial, professional services type environment but not necessarily in public sector which environment Prince II was created for). So depending what sector you're going into you might find that actual formal project management or how you're managing doesn't get talked about - but you sure know they'll talk to you if it falls behind!!!

Where I want to apply controls, whether I want to have daily scrums for a project or what sort of project plan I want to use - I've applied all the things I feel I need based on what I think is right and what the really important bits of the project to control are. Knowing the principals of project management is what guides me. If there are parts of the project where I think meh, my project team know what they're doing, then I just leave them to it. Where there are bits which are key, absolutely key, I'm all over it like a cheap suit!

There is nothing at all wrong with learning the coursework online. I did it due to the cost and due to the fact that going away for four days to do both Prince IIs just isn't an option for me.

Which industries are you targeting with your job search as that may impact whether Prince 2 has any value or not?

I work in Financial Services and used to head up the UK team of Programme/Project Managers for a global IT consultancy. Prince 2 was meaningless when I was hiring people. I wanted experience and a track record of delivery rather than old-fashioned theory that people can take an exam in after just 1 week's studying. I have met plenty of people who have Prince 2 and they've been useless as Project Managers. Prince 2 does not a Project Manager make! Hands-on experience is a much better reflection of ability. However, I'm aware that the industry I work in is particularly demanding brutal but maybe other industries would be more receptive to a Prince 2 qualification.

Thanks I'm looking at Local government really or not-for-profit

The exam def isn't included

I applied for a PMO job and in the feedback was told on any other day I'd have had thee job and that my nursery experience and the degree were just what they needed

I am also considering volunteering as a trustee for an arts organisation

Job hunting has been harder than expected - finding jobs at the level I want to work has been tricky

All my project roles have been NHS or other public sector or social housing and even if they don't actually use a particular methodology, that's definitely the one they will always ask for so you're definitely on the right track.

Yes, the job hunting is HARD, very hard.

I think your best thrust will be to push the systems analysis and change management knowledge as they're real positives.

Mostly, I've got into my roles by working with agencies and I just talk myself up like nobody's business! I go at job hunting 'like a man'. A man would just ask for a pay rise, he'd just assume he's the right one for the job - I put that hat on when I'm looking at jobs (not arrogant - yuck - but I think that employers want is just to be sure you're going to do the job well for them, that you can take the reins and be relied on to keep the project moving.

Wish you well then in 2018 with all your PM efforts - hope it goes well for you.

How many jobs have you applied for and at what level?

I think public sector is harder to get into because they can be awfully rigid in recruitment. Private sector, especially for-profit, will take a chance (and get rid of you quickly if it turns out to be a bad fit).

It is hard to get a PM job with no direct experience.

Modify your CV to make the previous jobs look more relevant.

How about doing some private sector contract roles for 6-12 months to get something good on your CV? That kind of environment will hone your skills pretty well.

That's what I have been doing - assuming I am capable & trying to convince people of it

& going after jobs with decent wages - I can get a £10 an hour job but I want more

But I want part-time which is a bugger

Thanks

You will find it near impossible to get part time with no experience.

You might have to suck up a year or more of full-time so you can go part time later.

Sorry RunRabbit - I was typing the other post

Contract work is tricky wanting part time (I have found)

I'm looking at around £27-30 for FT but I am wondering about dropping to 23+ as I haven't done too well finding jobs at that level (not in London)

I have applied for 3, final interview for 2

I'm disabled so fulltime wouldn't be possible

Good for you, it's the only way forward!

I've been on a wide variety of wages and working self employed, fixed term, PAYE, umbrella and Ltd Co in the last 4 years!

One year I netted £34k (£40 ph) doing Ltd Co. (wish it could have continued but see comments below) and am now on £40k £29 p/h) PAYE fixed term contract. The benefit has gone out of contract working with the IR35 rules and if you're working in the NHS it's now capped agenda for change pay rates and capped agency rates means that most PM roles are at Band 7 (bottom of) so about £31k pa which is pants for a PM role at only £21 p/h.

Wish you every success.

Thanks

Job hunting starts again tomorrow!!

Why do you not contract look for project admin roles / coordinator roles.

You can do prince training in spare time and you will probably understand it more. You can get around 20 quid an hour basic for that kind of role ltd company.

I get 27 for paying invoices all day it's fab

Part time jobs are hard to come by. Would you consolidate your hours or work form home etc ? You would more than likely have to start full time and ask to go part.

Where are you based roughly ?

I'm in Ipswich

I couldn't do more than about 2 fulltime weeks I reckon - I can do 20-30 hrs depending on the timetable & I can do it short term/to cover someone elses holiday

£20 an hour is nearly 40k a year so I'm aiming under that

Why are you aiming under. Are you only able to earn so much due to a benefit top up of some sort etc

Because I reckon my next move up would be up to about £30k a year and higher would be skipping a level

I would aim for a job that's going to give you the experience you need to progres maybe not focus on salary. However it sounds like your aiming very very low. I was a PMO analyst on 27k per year perm and I had no experience in PMO only basic coordination stuff and admin etc.

Tbh I got fed up and left to contract it riled me seeing contractors on aload of money for less work. So I left and started contracting.

You won't get a PM job at the moment there are to many out there with a massive deal of experience and you would struggle to get a PMO job as you have found. Maybe try PMO analyst ?

Or I would try top end project coordinator.

I would do the prince training anyways and put it on your cv as ongoing training.

Ipswitch job market looks terrible for project work though from a quick look on indeed. this isn't obviously helping.

Good luck let us know how you get on.

Who knows there could be loads of jobs this Jan

Fingers crossed!