What am I missing in this interview task?

[SimpleComforts]

Pretty senior public sector role. I've been asked to prepare a 10min presentation on what you would consider when completing xyz task.

This is a task every LA in the country has to do annually and the appropriate government dept has published step by step guidance on how to do it.

So, I just need to understand and summarise that?

But what does that teach them about me?

The presentation is to be done without PowerPoint and will be very dry!

I'm wondering if I'm missing something in the question?

I think it’s all about the delivery, your enthusiasm for the task, of course summarising skills and taking the idea the next step

Can you think of a way to make it less dry? Does it lend itself to having a couple of props, or can you use another task as an analogy?

It's basically writing an analytical report and progress plan. It has a prescribed structure and you follow a checklist.

The job itself would rarely require presentation skills so I doubt they picked this task solely to allow me to demonstrate those.

Is this asking how you would plan, execute and monitor the task rather than about the content of the task. So how would you ensure you meet deadlines and ensure the quality of the report?

Does writing the report require you to work with other teams, obtain information from a wider group.

Would you need to project plan ie, identify stakeholders, source resource, understand interdependencies and risks, define actions and deadlines.......

How will you ensure that the report you write is accurate, would you call on other Subject Matter Experts within the business to fact check, how would you identify the most appropriate support.

What leadership tools would you use to ensure that everyone involved met the deadlines, how do you prioritise your workload alongside other activities.

No, it specifically asks about what you'd include, the task is "....how you would identify and prepare points for inclusion in xyz document ..."

I'd follow the dept checklist!

Is there an associated set of company values or competencies that have been given to you for the role, that's usually a good place to start. For example if they say they're looking for people who are agile, demonstrate integrity, team player etc you can use those to guide the language you use.

Yes, within the checklist there will be things I'd need to obtain from others but it still seems a bit basic. All the things you suggest are on the checklist and I would include them in the presentation but it could be covered well by basically copying the guidance FatGirl. I wonder if they don't realise the document exists?!

No, the first thing you would do is to familiarise yourself with the mandatory content required in the report using the established checklist.

You would work through each point to understand if you have access to that information or need to seek additional information from other departments or sources

You would plan your time according to the deadline for the task and the time required to establish the required information for the report.

You would reach out to SMEs who you require support from and work with them and their line managers to secure resource to provide the information within the time allotted.

You would compile your report and recheck to ensure that all elements of the checklist have been completed

Where you are approaching a due date you may need to re-engage with the SME or seek additional support.

You will ensure the report is in a completed state prior to the deadline being reached to enable you to address any gaps and double check for accuracy.

You would then submit the report in full confidence that all required outcomes had been achieved.

That's really helpful, thank you

Your experience in doing all of the above @FatGirlShrinking has taught you to anticipate XYZ pitfalls/delays and you will make allowances for those.

@FatGirlShrinking

Does writing the report require you to work with other teams, obtain information from a wider group.

Would you need to project plan ie, identify stakeholders, source resource, understand interdependencies and risks, define actions and deadlines.......

How will you ensure that the report you write is accurate, would you call on other Subject Matter Experts within the business to fact check, how would you identify the most appropriate support.

What leadership tools would you use to ensure that everyone involved met the deadlines, how do you prioritise your workload alongside other activities.

I think it might be this ^ OP. So yes it may be pretty obvious/dry that the points you need to include in the annual return are ABC, but if A is some sensitive data that you need permissions to access or request in advance, B is a descriptive introduction the wording of which needs to be agreed by the Chief Exec and C is some illustrative diagrams someone needs to make a on a specific software tool, being responsible for the annual return is much more than knowing and listing the items to be included? You need to show you can plan in advance, negotiate, utilise analytical skills, delegate tasks to other appropriately etc? So as well as simply saying in your presentation you'd identify the items from the checklist, you could briefly note any issues/challenges/processes to be followed to cover those items and how you'd address them?

If not and ABC are literally items the post-holder can very easily pull to hand and include in the submission without much work, maybe they literally are just asking you to show that you understand what this return is and how you submit it? You never know, maybe your pre-dessesor made out this return was a giant hassle and took them 6 months of the year every year to do (meanwhile they were putting their feet up in front of the telly whilst claiming to be run off their feet) and no-one ever challenged them? Your presentation could be a huge eye opener for the panel !

Could you also include something on how you'd follow up to the report once complete? Not sure exactly what report it is but I'm public sector and each year when the main annual report is being done it includes examples of best practice/how we're meeting requirements/what we've done well etc. So an action could be working with the comms team and relevant area leads to identify proactive opportunities to get positive local press coverage etc, make sure the report is on the website in a place that's easily accessible, prepare a summary or overview document to be shared more widely or used at the AGM.

@SimpleComforts

No, it specifically asks about what you'd include, the task is "....how you would identify and prepare points for inclusion in xyz document ..."

I'd follow the dept checklist!

That Is what you would do not how

Joe needs to show your style , how you work with colleagues etc

Do a 1- 3 page handout without PowerPoint
I would put the process on the handout to be clear that you know it and focus on the how you would approach it when talking/ not what you would do (mention that of course)

It's also worth thinking about showing you understand the importance of doing it right - how it fits into wider objectives etc, and also perhaps talk about how you have or would improve the process/learn lessons/make it more effective.

Not seen what you already have so this could all be covered...Progress checklists generally follow a process of identifying what has been done and how, and whether it is on track. You may want to think ‘outside the box’ ie focus a review on how you determine what good looks like and how this changes/changed during the timeline of the task; also what are/were the unexpected elements and how are/were these being dealt with; did comms achieve the desired acceptance of the programme, has the culture been affected and if so, for good or bad?
Most tasks/plans focus only on the black and white, so identifying and commenting on the ‘grey’ is a good way to stand out. As is identifying ‘what good looks like’ - something often missed in planning/reviewing (For example:- what do the govt believe a good outcome for covid over the next 3 months will look like?!! Hasn’t been identified).

I agree it's more about the 'how'. Also consider whether stakeholder engagement is needed, and how and when you would do that.