James KempProgram Manager QA/QC| Progressive Global EnergyBrick, Nj, United States
We recently posted for an engineering/technical project management position that entailed a good deal of project controls knowledge. I was surprised to find so few in candidate pool. Is project controls an especially rare skill set? Saving Changes...
Yes, it is a very specialized field using requiring extensive knowledge in project management control tools and techniques. The most qualified candidates usually are very well versed in P6 or scheduling software. I recently posted a Master Scheduler position and was surprised at how limited a candidate pool I received. Those we interviewed lack adequate the scheduling software knowledge that we needed. I consider project controls to be just as specialized based on experience.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Well, this is a good question.
Most of the people who haven't really worked in Controls will have a weakness in this department. However, everyone who has done project management should have the minimum knowledge about project controls.
As you are aware James, in large organization / projects, there is specific department for Project Controls so people who had the chance to work specifically in this department will have solid skills especially these days where everything became a speciality, not like the old days where you engage in everything.
For an engineering & technical position, you should expect the candiate to be solid in design and technicalities with basic knowledge in controls.
However, if you advertise for a Project Controls Manager position then you should expect him to be solid in both because the engineering and controls department will fall under him. Saving Changes...
Yes, it is a very specialized field using requiring extensive knowledge in project management control tools and techniques. The most qualified candidates usually are very well versed in P6 or scheduling software. I recently posted a Master Scheduler position and was surprised at how limited a candidate pool I received. Those we interviewed lack adequate the scheduling software knowledge that we needed. I consider project controls to be just as specialized based on experience.
There are over 120,000 project controls specialists who belong to PP/GPC and right now, with the price of oil and other commodities remaining low, there are many who are quite sophisticated project control specialists who are looking for work.
While you are there check out the Guild of Project Controls Compendium and Reference, which a fully researched and documented set of "best tested and proven" practices from around the world. http://www.planningplanet.com/guild/GPCCAR-modules Access to this ~650 page e-book is free, but it does require you to fill out a profile which is also free. Also important difference from PMI is the Guild offers our "body of knowledge" under Creative Commons License BY. Meaning you can start to use it immediately.
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
...
2 replies by Isaac Vines and James Kemp
Feb 14, 2017 9:28 AM
James Kemp
...
Oh my gosh! What a resource! Thank you, Paul.
Feb 14, 2017 9:41 AM
Isaac Vines
...
Amazing resource...thank you!
Saving Changes...
James KempProgram Manager QA/QC| Progressive Global EnergyBrick, Nj, United States
There are over 120,000 project controls specialists who belong to PP/GPC and right now, with the price of oil and other commodities remaining low, there are many who are quite sophisticated project control specialists who are looking for work.
While you are there check out the Guild of Project Controls Compendium and Reference, which a fully researched and documented set of "best tested and proven" practices from around the world. http://www.planningplanet.com/guild/GPCCAR-modules Access to this ~650 page e-book is free, but it does require you to fill out a profile which is also free. Also important difference from PMI is the Guild offers our "body of knowledge" under Creative Commons License BY. Meaning you can start to use it immediately.
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
Oh my gosh! What a resource! Thank you, Paul. Saving Changes...
There are over 120,000 project controls specialists who belong to PP/GPC and right now, with the price of oil and other commodities remaining low, there are many who are quite sophisticated project control specialists who are looking for work.
While you are there check out the Guild of Project Controls Compendium and Reference, which a fully researched and documented set of "best tested and proven" practices from around the world. http://www.planningplanet.com/guild/GPCCAR-modules Access to this ~650 page e-book is free, but it does require you to fill out a profile which is also free. Also important difference from PMI is the Guild offers our "body of knowledge" under Creative Commons License BY. Meaning you can start to use it immediately.
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
Amazing resource...thank you! Saving Changes...
Mudassar KhanProgram (Project )Manager| Woodward Canada IncPeterborough, ON, Canada
Feb 13, 2017 3:21 PM
Replying to Isaac Vines
...
Yes, it is a very specialized field using requiring extensive knowledge in project management control tools and techniques. The most qualified candidates usually are very well versed in P6 or scheduling software. I recently posted a Master Scheduler position and was surprised at how limited a candidate pool I received. Those we interviewed lack adequate the scheduling software knowledge that we needed. I consider project controls to be just as specialized based on experience.
I agree with Isaac Saving Changes...
Satish SharmaCertified SAP S4Hana 1909 Financials Expert| FreelanceNew Delhi, India
So its evident that project control is not rate.
Rather, its a core process group of IPECC.
...
2 replies by Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo and Satish Sharma
Feb 15, 2017 7:36 AM
Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo
...
Satish, "project controls" is a sub-set of processes of project management. ("Controlling" processes from your PMBOK Guide) It consists of 4 functions: http://www.planningplanet.com/guild/certification Planning & Scheduling,
Cost Estimating and Budgeting
Forensic Analysis
Document Control
For those of us coming from backgrounds in Construction Management, it is highly unlikely for anyone to become a "construction project manager" without having spent some number of years in one or more of the "project control" functions.
Depending on the application many "project controls" professionals particularly in cost estimating an claims work, make salaries in excess of the project manager.
Depending on the organization structure, project controls often serves as an internal CONSULTANT to the project manager but actually REPORTS to the project sponsor, to avoid the project manager "cooking the books" to make him or herself look like the project is doing better than it actually is.
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
Feb 15, 2017 10:46 AM
Satish Sharma
...
Dr. Paul thanks for sharing your insight.
I had already acknowledge it as a part of IPECC project management lifecycle, which is Initiating, Planning, Execution, Monitoring & Control and Closing.
I appreciate your model of hands on before moving to PM role in construction project management.
Kind regards,
Satish
So its evident that project control is not rate.
Rather, its a core process group of IPECC.
Satish, "project controls" is a sub-set of processes of project management. ("Controlling" processes from your PMBOK Guide) It consists of 4 functions: http://www.planningplanet.com/guild/certification Planning & Scheduling,
Cost Estimating and Budgeting
Forensic Analysis
Document Control
For those of us coming from backgrounds in Construction Management, it is highly unlikely for anyone to become a "construction project manager" without having spent some number of years in one or more of the "project control" functions.
Depending on the application many "project controls" professionals particularly in cost estimating an claims work, make salaries in excess of the project manager.
Depending on the organization structure, project controls often serves as an internal CONSULTANT to the project manager but actually REPORTS to the project sponsor, to avoid the project manager "cooking the books" to make him or herself look like the project is doing better than it actually is.
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia Saving Changes...
Satish SharmaCertified SAP S4Hana 1909 Financials Expert| FreelanceNew Delhi, India
Feb 15, 2017 6:58 AM
Replying to Satish Sharma
...
So its evident that project control is not rate.
Rather, its a core process group of IPECC.
Dr. Paul thanks for sharing your insight.
I had already acknowledge it as a part of IPECC project management lifecycle, which is Initiating, Planning, Execution, Monitoring & Control and Closing.
I appreciate your model of hands on before moving to PM role in construction project management.
Kind regards,
Satish Saving Changes...
Community Champion
