Released on: March 11, 2008, 7:03 am

Press Release Author: Maven Training

Industry: -- Choose an Industry --

Press Release Summary: Employers want recognised, up-to-date qualifications plus
relevant experience from their contractors. But, as many successful contractors will
testify, taking time out to get training or to re-register their qualifications can
be the last thing on their minds - especially when another contract beckons.

Press Release Body: Employers want recognised, up-to-date qualifications plus
relevant experience from their contractors. But, as many successful contractors will
testify, taking time out to get training or to re-register their qualifications can
be the last thing on their minds - especially when another contract beckons.

So it happens that the most experienced consultants can find themselves without the
qualifications that are deemed necessary in the first round of assessments - which
are often done by HR people. With 2012 and all the opportunities presented by the
Olympics, contractors need to make sure they don't miss out on opportunities to win
the best contracts just because their CV doesn't make the grade.

Richard Rose is a trainer of PRINCE2T, who also works as a consultant, so he
understands the pressures that contractors face. "Many of the candidates I see are
hoping to improve the balance of their CVs with a recognised project management
qualification. Often, these are very experienced people but there is an expectation
these days that you need to have passed the exam to get considered for the jobs, so
contractors are under pressure to conform."

Richard says many organisations - and particularly local authorities - insist that
both potential employees and contractors are PRINCE2 qualified. "Organisations view
it as proof of the candidate's capability," he says, "and if you haven't got it,
they often won't even look at your CV."

Jan Eldon has been contracting since 1997 when he set up his own IT support
consultancy. With clients mainly in the IT, insurance and Telecoms industries, Jan
has also worked for publishing companies and pharmaceutical giant Unilever.

Jan recently decided to take a project management course with Maven Training. "With
contracting you're not pigeon-holed exactly, but you can get over specialised when
one particular type of contract leads to another of the same kind. In order to be
able to break out of this pattern you've got to demonstrate skills in other areas
and until you've got the right blend of skills, qualifications in the area you want
to move into can help."

Taking time out of work and funding courses can be difficult, Jan says. "You've got
to think about the long term in order to justify taking time out of work and the
expense of the course, but to continue to attract the right sort of contracts it's a
worthwhile exercise."

Richard agrees "It's important that contractors invest in their own development.
Employees are offered training throughout their careers, but contractors need to
think about their aspirations, what they want to achieve in the long term and set
out plans to achieve this. They should think not just about the contracts they can
and do attract, but what they hope to do in the medium to long term and endeavour to
ensure their skill set is updated to ensure they do achieve their goals."

"It can be frustrating for experienced contractors who think that qualifications are
just a badge - they don't prove you are competent in your field of work. However,
what they do signify to employers is that the contractor they're getting speaks the
same language and has a similar mindset to other contractors and employees working
in the organisation. This is important to employers because they'll want their
contractors to start adding value from the very start of their contracts."

Another point to be aware of, Richard says, is the importance of Re-registration. If
your PRINCE2, MSPT, or M_o_R® Practitioner qualification is more than five years
old, you should renew it. "It's not so important for employees because their
organisations know how they've gained experience, but for contractors competing for
work, re-registration is vital. This is because the methods are updated and anyone
whose qualifications are more than five years old could have gaps in their
knowledge. Contractors also need to demonstrate their commitment to their own CPD
and re-registration is the best way to demonstrates to employers they are serious
about keeping their knowledge up to date."

Many contractors find it difficult to take time out of work to fit in time to attend
courses or to re-register their existing professional qualifications. Some training
companies, such as Maven Training, offer flexible courses running in the evenings
and weekends so contractors don't have to take too much time out of work.

For further details visit www.maventraining.co.uk





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