Interview Questions - please can someone help?

[FlameFartingDragon]

I am looking for a new job and I had an interview this week. I feel they may not have read my CV before the interview, but that aside I thought it was OK.

I was asked to "define how I would manage a project" and the feedback to that question was Her answer to a question around how she would manage a project was vague, and did not give confidence that she would be able to manage competing deadlines.

Please could someone advise how you would have structured a response to it?

They've also said that I didn't outline my contributions to the projects I described, yet in all of the examples I gave them I was the sole person working on the project.

Hi op
Have you heard of the STAR(R) format?
It's the best structure for answering capability based questions in an interview (so questions where you demonstrate your capability by describing what you've done)
S - situation - what specifically was the situation
T - task - what was your responsibility / what part were you required to play in the outlined situation
A - what did you actually do
R - what was the result
The optional R is for reflection - so what might you do differently if faced with the same situation again.

Hi OP, are you trying to move from a junior to a mid-level role?

Yes - I did use the STAR format (and gave two examples of two different projects and how I had managed them).

Yes - I am trying to move up a level. I am admin at the moment and I am trying to move to management (I was management level before but life threw some lemons at me).

I thought I had covered all the project management stages but I am now wondering if I am missing something. I spoke about planning, review and delivery. Sort of kicking myself for not mentioning "Lessons Learnt / Follow Up".

I do share line management responsibilities at the moment but I don't get paid for it.

Maybe they expected to hear about following a project management methodology, like Agile or PRINCE2 etc.

Or more detail on how you managed all the work streams, risks, different stakeholders.

One big trap I often fall into when I jump levels is, I am too modest. I even say ‘we’ when it was me doing something.
Practice being comfortable with the word I

@7Worfs Thank you very much, that is really helpful insight.

I really would like to do an AGILE course but current work won't pay for it and I seem to remember it being quite expensive. I will have a look into it again though.

@FlameFartingDragon you’re welcome. I really like helping people with their careers.

I would say if you are serious about project management you’ll need to upskill, this is how I’d go about it:

1. Research different methodologies - Agile, PRINCE2, Prosci ADKAR change management. Decide which one I like most and is more relevant for the industries I’ll be targeting

1. Use free materials to educate myself in the methodology, and add it to my CV as “managed projects using XYZ methodology”. That way you are honest that you don’t have the certificate but know the methodology through self-learning and application

1. When you have the money, get the actual certificate as well