Project Recruitment Update - July 2010

In what seems no time at all, we find ourselves in the second half of 2010, and here at Wellingtone for the first time this year we are seeing a slowing down in the number of new vacancies coming though each week, and to add to the frustration of the many applicants eagerly chasing down their next role,  an increase in the amount of time  it seems to be taking for employers too to give any feedback on CVs submitted, let alone to grant an  interview. 

We are continuing to see very exacting demands made on candidates by prospective employers, and at times it will undoubtedly be difficult to remain positive as many excellent CVs seem be dismissed with no meaning full feedback or reason being given due to the volumes of applications that the hirer will receive for each role. Clients are routinely re- questioning the need for each individual hire, and often revert to making the best of existing internal resources for the time being, resulting in many cancelled and postponed hires.

Using an agency to represent you can be helpful in this situation, as part of  the service you should expect is a professional approach  to honestly discussing your CVs suitability for any  role that you may apply for, and then your application being actively followed up on once it has been submitted on your behalf, or else matching you to more suitable roles as an when they become available to the recruiter. 

To further add to this competition for work, we are seeing a rise in the number of strong Project Mangers entering into the market from the public sector, many seeking to make a positive choice themselves rather than wait for the axe to fall, as there is a sharp intake of breath as many publicly funded organisations wait for impact of the new governments first round of cuts, in some cases up to 40% of their budget. Indeed we have already seen many of our public sector clients preparing for quite severe cutbacks to there interim and in some cases permanent workforce in the near future.

On a more positive note, the last few months have seen the first signs of the private sector growth which the Chancellor hoped for in his June 22nd Budget, with a good demand for Project Managers and Business Analysts in Financial and  Insurance which  hopefully signifies a continued recovery in these areas.

We are also seeing good opportunities coming through at Senior levels and interestingly,   there is good news for graduates and junior PM staff as many clients are now beginning to build up their PMO/PSO capabilities to support their project teams as we move forward in the second half of 2010. Competition for roles remains very stiff, with many experienced junior project managers looking to move into these roles themselves in the need to secure a new role or career direction, but there seems light at the end of the tunnel at the top and bottom of the profession, and we can but hope that the middle ground where most of us operate follows suit in the not too distant future.

Tags: Project Management Recruitment, Project Recruitment, Recruitment Market