Verena signed up on the Project Management Career Programme in January of 2021 where she completed 4 exceptional certifications before securing her role as a Project Manager in May 2022.
Starting Off
Verena signed up to ITonlinelearning on the Project Management Placement Programme during January of 2021 to further develop her skills and expertise as part of her career plan. She mentioned that she “had a very good and very positive experience with ITonlinelearning”.
The process was “very smooth”. She applied online via a job board and got a call within an hour to talk her through the programme. After signing up, she was assigned a tutor and started with her courses. According to Verena, “the courseware is very easy to navigate, very accessible” with her tutor being a “brilliant, helpful and motivational” help throughout. Not only was he readily available for any queries via phone or email, but he was always prepared with notes that made the studying process “very easy and broke [the courses] down really well” for Verena.
Verena’s exam booking process was “also extremely smooth: you just book it via ITonlinelearning and receive a code and [then] book it via the official authorities or the official platform. The exams were also online, and you were able to do it in the comfort of your own home, however, it is accredited so there are very strict guidelines”.
After passing her exams, Verena went on to complete her Simulated Project Management Assignment to showcase the experience and qualifications she had gained through her certifications. She passed the assignment with flying colours before being passed onto recruitment to secure the position she had worked for in February of 2022.
The Recruitment Phase
Following the initial consultation call, Verena had her CV redrafted by her Recruitment Advisor whom she later described as being a very “positive, cheerful, professional and a huge motivation for always having my back”. Verena was pleased with her CV redraft and the review of her LinkedIn profile, especially since she felt it made her “look much better, more professional”.
After receiving many resources, it was time to commence with the application process. Verena mentions that her Recruitment Advisor was “helpful in terms of guidance, support and any questions you would have” but emphasised that “you just have to work with the resources”.
Verena submitted, over the following 3 months, a total of 845 applications. Of these, she:
- Was invited to 11 screening calls – one of which she rejected and another that was unfortunately compromised due to difficulty getting in touch with a Talent Acquisition Specialist
- Was headhunted by two agencies, however, the interview process was not as fruitful as she had hoped
- Received 13 first interview invitations – two of which she rejected as they were not a good fit for her and her values
- Received 5 second interview invitations – two of which she rejected as they were not the kind of working environment she was looking to be a part of.
After hours, days, weeks and months of searching for the ideal role and preparing for interview after interview, Verena accepted a generous offer from a global company to be their new Project Manager!
Verena’s Advice
Verena’s advice to anyone looking to start the Project Management Placement Programme is that, “at the end of the day, it’s down to you how successful this programme will be. You have to be willing to put in the hard work, to learn and to go for it when you look for a job afterwards… If you really want to make a change, it’s 100% worth it”.
Due to her hard work and unceasing dedication, Verena is going to be starting her new role in just a few weeks. From start to finish, she stands by the fact that the support of ITonlinelearning was critical in securing this role in a new field.
Her parting words to our future students are that “there is literally nothing to lose. If you want to make a change, make it there and make it happen… Just sign up, sign up today and you won’t regret it.”
