hire meWellingtone, a project management training and recruitment firm, has released their half-year statement on the state of the UK job market in 2012. The general view seems to be that things are finally looking up after last year’s record unemployment figures.



They report that between December and February, 35,000 people were employed, which took the unemployment figures down by 0.1%. Not much, but a reasonable start to the year. That’s not all project management people, obviously, but the large-scale projects that the UK is seeing this year are having an impact on recruitment as well.



Wellingtone report that over 100,000 people have been employed as a direct result of the London Olympics, and this figure is expected to continue to rise as we get closer and closer t the opening ceremony. Whether or not all these people will stay in employment when the Games are over is another matter. Some of them employed in a temporary capacity for the duration of the Games are likely to be let go when the work is over. However, (and this is my prediction, not Wellingtone’s) those project managers who have worked on Olympic projects are likely to be very well placed to be able to get new jobs in due course – after all, they have an amazing experience on their CV and one that could open doors in the future to new opportunities.



The analysts at Wellingtone also say that they are seeing a shift in the pattern of work. As the UK Government has cut many jobs from the public sector, this is no longer seen as an option for people looking for a long career. On the positive side, losing public sector jobs means a greater increase in private sector work, and they report that there were 45,000 jobs created in the public sector between November and March this year. Public sector project managers who are prepared to make the jump to the private sector could find that this is rewarding opportunity.



Wellingtone’s recruitment experts report that there is a high demand for candidates in IT, supply chain and logistics. These are specialised jobs, and they propose that this demand has come about because more companies are focusing on risk management and improving financial results, so they want to streamline, capitalise on or generally improve their technology systems and their supply chain capabilities. The even better news is that in these sectors, salaries are steady.

 

 

5 tips for looking for a new job

 


Here are my top tips for looking for a new project management job.

 

 

 

 

 





     
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  2. Update your CV or resumé – even if you aren’t looking at the moment. It is always good to have an up-to-date document to send to employers in case you see the perfect job advertised.




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  4. List all the companies and industries that you would like to work for. Use a tool like Seavus DropMind to help structure your list.




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  6. Create Google alerts for these companies, or sign up for their recruitment news mailing lists. Give yourself the best possible chance of hearing about your dream job when it arises!




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  8. Network. If you are looking to move job within your own company, have a plan to meet the people in departments that you would like to work with. Make sure they know who you are and that you are interested.




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  10. If you are looking around, tell your manager. There may be something they can do to either improve your prospects in your current role, or to support you in your application. Good managers will want you to succeed, even if that means leaving the company.




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