Hands – on Project management vs book knowledge Project management

It is often said that a degree or certification in a particular field of study indicates mastery or superior knowledge of that discipline but in today’s world now more than ever, is the old adage of “experience is the best teacher” more valuable. Now do not misunderstand my point, a degree or certification is a must have, as it justifies and signifies one’s knowledge of the theoretical framework, concept and at least an understanding of the basics of the field of study.

Today, the industry is filled with many certified PMPs with little experience. People tend to follow the trend or jump on the bandwagon of the latest high paying profession which leads to a saturation of the market by "microwaved" professionals.

A scene from my favorite movie “band of brothers” best illustrates a perfect justification of my theory. E (Eazy) Company led by a new West Point graduate Lieutenant Philipe Dike, had come under artillery fire in a village occupied by the enemy. As they charged at the enemy, lieutenant Dike, lost his confidence and composure under fire because this was his first firefight, so he halted the charge in order to rally the men around him, which eventually caused more casualties.  His response under fire was based solely on his training at West Point (book knowledge) and coupled with not having actual combat experience.

Finally, Major Dick winters sent in the more battle hardened Lieutenant Ronald Speirs, whose experience was born out of the many campaigns from the  beaches of Normandy to that very moment.(Hands on) Based on that, he was able to first, gather information about the enemy (Gap analysis), assess the situation and implement a strategy that saved the day.

The same scenario applies to today’s Project Management environment. Many people today, focus more on getting certified rather than having the experience. Almost anyone can get PDUs (Personal development units), qualify to take the PMP, read and pass the exam. Technically, the PMP certification was designed for project managers already in the field and needed to solidify their mastery of project management.

Einstein once said "Information is not knowledge, the only source of  knowledge is experience"Some might argue with Einstein that “information is power” and that there are other sources of knowledge besides experience. Schools / training institutions provide theoretical facts, concepts and information on subjects that are constantly changing and updated continuously but today, theories and concepts are being transformed / converted into applications by software companies who base their application functionalities on the need of the client.

Hands on experience provides the “know how”, adaptability and strategy to assess, understand and implement a plan of action. I believe a perfect formula is: subject matter expert (SME) in field/ discipline + domain experience + hands on years of experience= Strong consultant.

Today, companies require that consultants have a certain amount of work experience (a minimum of 5 years) and some degree / certifications. Gone are the days when companies train consultants, these days you walk in the door and hit the ground running. Interviews are scenario based rather a script from Interview Tips. This makes it hard for graduates or consultants who are “fresh out of water”. 

Then the million dollar question remains “How do people get hands on experience” in today’s world.

Domain factor in Project Management.

 

Often times, companies require Project Managers to have domain knowledge of the company or environment they intend working in but in doing so they miss out on some very skilled resources who are experts project management and nowhere is this more visible than in the Health Care domain.

Now do not misunderstand my point, many healthcare PMO's have Directors who have a very diverse background, come from various other domains and understand the value add in hiring skilled PMs from other sectors but this is just a very small percentage, many still prefer PMs with healthcare domain experience.

Some still stick to the old argument that only engineers or those with engineering backgrounds can work on engineering projects or only doctors and nurses can work on healthcare projects which to some degree is true but there in itself lies the "beauty" of project management and today’s world of versatility and the ability adapt to changes.

Project Management is the art of successfully managing projects, the concept and principles is the same across the board regardless of domain. Yes, it can be "tweaked" to suit the different domain needs but even then it must adhere to the PMI concept and standard.

In my illustration about the engineer & doctor, the difference between them and a Project Manager is that while these are professions that focus solely on a particular domain, a top-notch PM is more versatile, meaning that the skill set of a PM will enable him/her to get onboard, quickly learn the environment and successfully manage projects in either a healthcare, engineering or any other domain.

All that is required of a skilled PM is to understand the "domain framework" the organizational structure and the type of projects being executed by the company.

In today's world, 95% of all companies in nearly every domain, implements I.T projects, of which the process of managing them and the methodologies used is the same across the board. I.T. projects are either: New implementation, major enhancement, build or buy, desktop roll-outs etc. and the methodologies used in execution remains the same, either it's the traditional PMI methodology, SDLC, waterfall, ASAP or Agile.

I make a case that a skilled PM well vast in managing I.T projects or projects, in general, can indeed be successful in the healthcare domain, all that is required is an “overview” of Healthcare domain structure, EMR / EHR applications & modules, and an opportunity to work in that environment.

So to borrow a line from a Beatles song “all we saying is give PMs a chance”

The Rise of the "Shadow" Recruiters

In the last 6 years, there has been an increase in 3rd party recruiting, offshore or “Shadow” recruiters. I refer to these form of recruiting as shadow recruiting where recruiters consist of a VOIP phone, a satellite office and “phishing off” established recruiting firms and job portals.

Like many job seekers, a call or an email from a recruiter ignites an excitement about a possible opportunity. The quest to secure the job starts with the need to review the job description and to respond back to the recruiter either by phone or email but then on further investigation of the email, you pause.

Scene 1- (The Call)

As a job seeker, the call or email from a recruiter can only be likened to “a Kid on Christmas Eve, waiting to see the gifts he got for Christmas”. You get a call from an out of state number, your instincts tell you it’s a “recruiter”, you answer the phone in a professional manner then the voice on the other end starts to speak, in an instant, your excitement is halted abruptly, you realize what is happening. The voice on the other the end of the phone, can hardly pronounce your name (Which is not a problem as some names are difficult to pronounce or pronounced differently from how it is spelt) but then you notice that the caller has little or no business etiquette, is offering a lesser rate than the market rate and always prefer that you, the job seeker do a 1099c rather than W2.

Scene 2 (The Bait)

Sometimes, our “curiosity” or “desperation” gets the better of us, and we are tempted to proceed with the call, in spite of our gut feeling to listen to the recruiter, to email our resume and give them the right to represent and present you to the employer. The truth is, because of our desire to secure a job, we miss the tell-tale red flags.

Scene 3 (The Hook)

You email your updated resume to the recruiter who calls you back to get the last 4 digits of your Social Security number or Date of birth (Now this is not a problem as more established recruiting companies do the same thing) You submit all the necessary required information requested by the recruiter who then tells you that they will be submitting you to the client.

 Scene 4- (Waiting Period)

You anticipate an interview and get excited about the possibility of getting a job. Then the waiting period begins, Day 1, 2, 3, 4 turns into a week and no call back from the recruiter. You call the recruiter back and all you get is an “answering service’ or voice mail. You leave several voice messages and send a couple of emails but still no response and after the second week, you excitement and hope turns to despair and anger. Some actually call you once after the first call and NEVER call back again.

In all fairness to the “Shadow” recruiters, some recruiters in well-established recruiting firms do the same thing as well, they have the bad habit of not calling back or responding to emails regardless of the situation. Some of these type of recruiters feel that by not responding, you will take a hint and stop calling which is a violation of recruiting ethics and principles.

Scene 5- (The release)

Eventually, you are discouraged, your hope diminished and your faith in the recruiting process is lost. Now when you receive an email or call from a recruiter, you are less enthusiastic and sometimes reluctant to send your resume or talk to the recruiter especially when the voice on the other line does not sound professional enough.

The issues with Shadow Recruiting

1. A) The problem with the shadow recruiters is that they specialize in devaluing the consultant’s compensation rate i.e. offering to pay $35 /hr. to a Project Manager with 10 years’ experience while a recruiter from an established recruiting firm might offer to pay $85 / hr.
2. B) The majority are not professional- they call and start talking and don’t give you a chance to respond and don’t care If you understand them or not and some even get angry if you ask them to repeat themselves.
3. C) They misrepresent themselves by using pseudo names like ‘John smith’ Anthony Jackson etc. to have the job seeker call them back only to realize that it someone else.
4. D) Most shadow recruiters are located overseas and use VOIP or google numbers to call. They use remote satellite offices who provide them with local addresses, phone numbers and sometimes answering services.
5. E) They lower the standard of recruiting and prevent job seekers from getting the position or avoid responding to calls therefore missing out on great opportunities.
6. F) They are relentless in calling and become a constant menace with calls that violates one’s privacy.

The Job Seeker’s silver bullet

B 1- Researching the Company first and calling the number/recruiter back is a key step in enabling you to decipher “shadow” recruiters. The phone numbers are usually VOIP phones, satellite offices or google numbers most established recruiting firms to have a home base.

B 2- Some shadow recruiters are in other parts of the world but are smart enough to pay for remote offices and services etc. So always ask what state they are incorporated in, ask for the company incorporation number, inform them that you will call State Tax office to verify and then call to confirm.

B 3 – Ask if they are going through a VMS system or dealing directly with the hiring manager. If the answer is

VMS- Ask about the Tier / Group they belong to example- Group 1, 2 or 3 etc. This enables you to assess their ranking /position with the Employer as most companies rank the top recruiting firms in the first Tier or Group 1.

Direct- Ask for the employer company name and later call the HR department to cross check to see if the recruiter is on their VMS System.

This also determines the duration it will take for the company to review resumes submitted by the recruiter.

B 4- Politely confront the recruiter about the phone number he /she is calling from by asking “ are you calling from a VOIP line?” some will admit it, some would deny it and some will simply hang up.             

B 5 – Don’t be afraid to state your conditions: Ask recruiters to provide more than one contact in their organization that can be reached for more information on the project if they can’t be reached.

B 6- Ask that they respond to your emails and calls no later than the following afternoon at the most just you can keep the communication flowing.

B 7- Suggest that you reach out to them every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This is to prevent an out of sight, out of mind experience as you are not the only job seeker they are working with.

Now if the silver bullet method fails, just go with the more established traditional recruiters: Apex Systems, Modis, TEKsystems, Triad Resources etc. at least you know what you are getting with them.

How does the old saying go again? Better the devil you know than the angel you don't know.’