You never know until you ask or thats what my mother told me!

[Magpie]

Hi,

First of thank you for reading this and hopefully someone will be able to help.

I was wondering if anyone would be prepared to mentor me a little or at least look at my CV. I know its a big ask but you never know until you ask!

I am 24 and have been contracting as PM for last few years and been lucky enough to go from one contract to another until now. I am really not sure what to include in my Cv and also how to make my CV more for the private sector (my experience is mainly public) Basically it would be nice to chat to someone with more experience within the contracting world.

Thanks

Magpie

[SueEllen]

What you first need to do is:
1. Remove identifying details from your CV like name, address,phone number, exact universities, exact company names
2. Find a website where people can look at your CV and upload it to that.
3. PM the link to people that ask.

It's been done before on here.

[northernladuk]

What you first need to do is:
1. Remove identifying details from your CV like name, address,phone number, exact universities, exact company names
2. Find a website where people can look at your CV and upload it to that.
3. PM the link to people that ask.

It's been done before on here.

good advice from Sue. Gotta say you mail makes for an odd read though. You are 24 and contracting as a pm for a few year in private sector. That doesnt sound right at all. where did you get enough taining and experience to get a contract at 22? if that is the case than that is one serious bit of luck.

[TheFaQQer]

DodgyAgent offered to do a CV review last year.

If you were in his usual area, then you might get some kind of feedback. As with any other agent, if you weren't someone that could be a potential lead, you heard nothing.

[Magpie]

good advice from Sue. Gotta say you mail makes for an odd read though. You are 24 and contracting as a pm for a few year in private sector. That doesnt sound right at all. where did you get enough taining and experience to get a contract at 22? if that is the case than that is one serious bit of luck.

Yes, I have been contracting for the last 2 years as a PM and I am 24 yrs old. It wasn't a serious bit of luck it was hard work from the age of 18 working and studying in the evenings for BA.

[Magpie]

What you first need to do is:
1. Remove identifying details from your CV like name, address,phone number, exact universities, exact company names
2. Find a website where people can look at your CV and upload it to that.
3. PM the link to people that ask.

It's been done before on here.

Thank you, I will review my Cv and post it on one of those websites.

[nomadd]

Yes, I have been contracting for the last 2 years as a PM and I am 24 yrs old. It wasn't a serious bit of luck it was hard work from the age of 18 working and studying in the evenings for BA.

Sorry, but there was an element of luck. Just like there was for me when I started contracting in my 20's.

No disrespect, but none of the clients I've worked for in the last twenty-odd years would even look at you cv for a PM role. Not at 24 years of age... Your reply above seems a bit cocky, if you don't mind me saying. Remember, some of us have been "burning the midnight oil" on our careers for nearly 30 years (or more)...

Now, you may be lucky and find something, or you may just work for a different type of client to me. If that's the case, good for you. But then this thread you've started seems to show that probably isn't the case...

If I was you, I'd be looking to make my cv as "flexible" as possible. Cover the BA angle as much as the PM angle (and project co-ordinator, etc.) Be prepared to step down a rung or two - at your age, you can afford it.

Honestly, there are plenty of good PMs with 10, 20, 30 years or more experience out there than you at the moment looking for work - just take a flick around some of the threads on here for starters. If I was in you position, at 24, I'd be looking to make my cv as "open" and "flexible" as possible. If not, your pride could be your downfall.

Just my two cents. Ignore me you don't agree.

[centurian]

Yes, I have been contracting for the last 2 years as a PM and I am 24 yrs old. It wasn't a serious bit of luck it was hard work from the age of 18 working and studying in the evenings for BA.

WN(omadd)S

Lots of people work just as hard, particularly in IT where you need to constantly spend your free time keeping your skills up to date. Yet many still don't get the break that they feel they deserve - what separates them - a good dose of luck, quite frankly.

It's certainly true that you make your own luck, so hard work can often be rewarded, but to get a contract PM job at 22 is lucky in itself - the hiring manager simply shouldn't have taken the risk on you. Okay, clearly it worked out well, but that's not the point.

So to answer your question - to move into the private sector, you will likely need a repeat of whatever caused you to land your role at 22 (whether that is luck, hard work, or whatever).

HTH

[Wanderer]

Yes, I have been contracting for the last 2 years as a PM and I am 24 yrs old. It wasn't a serious bit of luck it was hard work from the age of 18 working and studying in the evenings for BA.

I've worked with some young PMs who were pretty good, I don't see age as being such a problem. Acutally, it was probably an advantage as they were out getting pissed after work at every opportunity so they had all the connections and relationships built with people they needed to get the job done.

The difficult thing is to get past the ageist attitudes of prospective employers and get interviews. I have found that most agencies I apply to are more than willing to review my CV and suggest changes (even to tailor the CV for specific jobs). Good luck!

[Magpie]

Apologies if my last post if it seemed a little cooky; I know everyone has to work hard to be a contractor but it felt like I had to justify myself. I can be a good pm at this age but I do have more to learn hence being on here.

Thank you for all the advise and i am working on a updated Cv as we speak.