Community What You Know (And Should Know) About PMOs Jason WintersMay 21, 2024 Image from Bigstock

Project management offices (or PMOs) are gaining increasing popularity as the project management profession continues to make solid inroads across organizations that are demanding higher levels of performance in an ultra-competitive world. Implementing a PMO is not only a viable strategy to meet these expectations but also an important neutral voice to assist with vetting the portfolio of strategic initiatives and client-facing projects.

The Project Management Institute (or PMI), the world´s first, largest, and most recognized body in the project management profession, made headlines in October of 2023 when it acquired PMO Global Alliance (PMOGAS), the leading global standard in PMOs. This strategic acquisition further cemented PMI's dominance in the profession while providing its members with an even broader suite of certifications and business knowledge.

All PMOs Are Not Created Equally

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Most people associate PMOs with providing standards, guidance, training, and mentoring so as to optimize project performance. While this is mostly true, most people do not realize that all PMOs are not created equally.

In fact, there are several structural components to be considered when implementing the desired configuration.

By undertaking an honest project management maturity assessment, using techniques such as ISO 33000, organizations can effectively identify where their project management gaps are as well as land on a recommended PMO structure. The aim, of course, is to help drive more successful projects, not to mention increased retention of the precious project managers who are more in demand than ever before.

Key tip: It is important to assemble the right audience when conducting the exercise as well as establish guidelines so that the participants really give an honest assessment in order to achieve a realistic output. The exercise can (and should) be repeated when necessary, so as to make any changes to the configuration as quickly as reasonably practical, in accordance with business agility concepts.

The 4 Classifications Or Components Of A PMO Structure

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Once the project management maturity exercise has been completed, the next steps in configuring your PMO would be to plot the results of the assessment into four sections, or component areas in which PMOs operate:

Section 1: Based on the degree of control and influence

The level of control that the organization wishes the PMO to exert is a very important decision to make, especially taking into account business culture, organizational structure, and long-term strategic goals. Depending on the organizational needs, the PMO may hold more of a consultant-type role aimed at providing tools and guidance rather than actually managing projects, or the assessment may demonstrate the need for more of an audit role to ensure compliance with corporate directives. The highest level of control would be direct project control and P&L responsibility, which would be more suitable for mature projectized organizations.

Section 2: Based on the mission undertaken

How your PMO will support the organization is the next critical piece as it challenges the organization to determine if the PMO should focus on increasing project delivery success (short-term goals), provide standards, processes, tools, training, and techniques for project managers (focus on continuous improvement), or be a true business partner to manage the organization´s portfolio of internal and external projects (strategic partner).

Section 3: Based on the position within the organization

The first two sections set the stage for how the PMO will actually be structured as well as where in the organization it will actually sit. The most basic approach would be for the PMO to manage a single complex project or program and this can have its merits for short-term targets. A more mature approach would be for the PMO to work under a department to handle such critical tasks as performing operations master planning and project-program management. This can be a very effective, middle-of-the-road approach. The most embedded PMO model would be that of undertaking strategic missions tied to portfolio and budget management as a neutral business advisor, reporting to top management.

Section 4: Based on the degree of technology applied by the PMO

The last piece of the puzzle would then be to determine the level of technology to be applied by the PMO. This obviously depends on the available systems, software, and business processes within the organization. Projects do not necessarily depend on ultra-sophisticated project management software to produce successful outcomes; I myself have used the MS Office software suite quite effectively during my career. Understanding the mix of manual, automated, and now AI solutions will be key drivers to ensure that enterprise data is managed effectively. One size does not fit all so make sure this is carefully reviewed so as to produce meaningful reports and dashboards which will allow for more effective decision making.

Key Considerations For Structuring Your PMO

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Personally, I really liked the structured approach tied to the four components or remits of the PMO. I would advise companies to use this technique as an awareness and guidance tool, rather than following the results to the letter, as companies, industries, and, most importantly, people are evolving at an increasingly accelerated pace.

You may be surprised by the results of the assessment as well as the proposed structure for your PMO. This ties to not only the honest part of the exercise but also where the organization sees itself in the future. It may be very appropriate to acknowledge the current state and aspire to a future state by gradually ramping up the remit and responsibility of the PMO.

It also may not be practical to implement each section and I have seen the human instinct to mix and match the component parts so as to arrive at a hybrid configuration naturally creep in, especially in this age of streamlined, multi-hat-wearing project professionals. I would definitely use this mixed approach carefully and back it up with clear processes, roles, and responsibilities (WBS-RACI) so that expectations are aligned from top to bottom.

No matter how you decide to implement or evolve your PMO, don't be afraid to fail fast and redirect as needed. Do make sure your people and clients are a central focus for long-term sustainability.

Finally, consider potentially implementing several different PMO structures should your organization have multiple divisions or locations. In this case, ensuring interaction with the different PMO groups will be key so that overall organizational objectives can be met more effectively, while also allowing for greater mobility within the company.

PMOs can certainly generate many benefits to organizations; those who understand the value proposition will no doubt have a leg up on their competitors as well as more satisfied employees and clients!

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project management Cover Letter Spring Cleaning: 4 Ways To Fix Your Job Search Aaron SanbornJenna ArcandMarch 19, 2024 Bigstock

Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.

In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.

For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.

Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach Bigstock

Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:

• How did I learn about this job?
• How did I apply for the job?
• Did I earn an interview?
• What was the ultimate result?

A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:

Negative Trends

You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.

The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.

One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.

The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.

This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.

Positive Trends

You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.

The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.

The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.

Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.

The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.

Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention Bigstock

Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.

Let's start with resumes!

Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.

The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.

Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.

While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.

As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.

If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.

Build Your Personal Brand

Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.

Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"

Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.

By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.

You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.

Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search Bigstock

Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.

There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:

• Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
• Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
• Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!

Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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