Below Situation will help to understand what this post/ question is about: Conversation b/w a client and a young PM.
Client: Hello Mr. X, how many years of project management experience do you have - we want to ensure we have a "good" project manager working for our ERP implementation? Young PM: I have been working in project management for 10+years in various capacity. Client: That is good, but how many projects have you led as "PM" title specifically? Young PM: None, but I have worked as PM Advisor, PMO, Team lead, Associate PM, Additional PM/ Second PM. But to specifically answer your query, none as PM title. Client: Well in that case, I am sorry we cannot onboard you. We need a PM who has led with a PM title.
Question: How would you handle the situation, if you were the young PM?
My suggestion: Discuss with client and use referrals to speak for your experience, or, get him to agree to onboard you on probation period, that will give you the opportunity to prove your skills to the client as well as yourself.
P.S. Some people might be able to relate to this conversation, which was shared by a very close aide :) Saving Changes...
I agree with many comments, The title is not important, The important is The functions. I would have ask the employer why does he need that? What do they expect for this new employee. If its a serious business, the answer will be accord the experience Saving Changes...
Stephanie GrahamVP of Strategy| BankOnITOklahoma City, Ok, United States
Great responses to the situation. I have not had to interview for a project before, as i work as a dedicated PM within an IT Consulting Company, but I have had to ask a client what they're looking for and then offer information to assure them that I am qualified to handle the project (in order to put their mind at ease).
There may have been more in the conversation, or maybe he didn't sound confident to them, I'm not sure.
-And to take away from that, some people may just think that their project is the most complex thing ever and believe that it will take someone of particular experience level to handle it. In which case preaching your skills probably wouldn't have made a difference. Saving Changes...
