Interview Help ' Dicuss possible scenarios'

Hi, I received an interview offer for this afternoon on Tuesday pm by email. Only 48 hours notice so no real time to prepare (& I was away on Tuesday, so only returned to check emails at 7pm!)

Has anyone else encountered this process where you get next to no time to prepare?

Have done what I can in the time I had available to prepare but am not used to the style of interview suggested in the email (am used to an assessment test & formal questions)...apparently the interview process will consist of 'discussing different possible scenarios which may arise as part of your role' .....

Any advice on getting the CAR (Context Action Result) style across using this format of interview? I've come up with a couple of different case studies, but am worried the unusual approach to an interview will lead me to leave some key phrases out.

Role is project/IT management.

already know about the team as I'm internal member of staff but have done my homework on latest developments just in case.

Grateful for any advice - have kept this lunchtime free to finish off preparing. Talk about short notice! image

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Comments

  • What was all that about,thank god i dont work in an office!!

  • Masses of time.

    Last year I had, Arrive back in country Friday

    Phone call Tuesday, arranging interview for Wednesday at a Company I had never heard of

    Interview Thursday

    Offered Job Friday

    Started at Company Monday

    No wonder I feel like a spare part round here sometimes

  • Well it's not an unusual approach at all and the idea is that the best candidate will not have to prepare - his/her natural response would be the one that they were looking for.

    If you have done any IT PMing then you should be aware of the likely scenarios and have an answer on how you would respond. Some thoughts



    Key deliverer leaves/extended sick/moves off project

    Time overrun - reschedule and re-plan - extend resources

    Change of requirements - get it documented - agreed by project board and then replan
  • Thanks all image

    Having less than 48 hours to prepare is unusual I think? How would external candidates arrange interview leave at such short notice?

    At least it means I have no danger of over-preparing. will go through some possible scenarios at lunchtime & then everything else will be how I compose myself at the interview itself. Need to show I really want this job.

    Thanks all image

  • "Key deliverer"?  WTF?  Do you mean the dogsbody that everyone relies on to do their work for them?

  • I was interviewed for my current job after I'd been offered it. I'd been freelancing for the company and they wanted to give me the job, and I wanted to take it, but they had to go through the formality. That was weird.

  • Key deliverer, it must be the man who brings the key to open up.

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Just wing it let your sparkling personality shine through image

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭

    I think going forward your best bet is to run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.  Hopefully you'll get buy-in.

  • Peter Collins wrote (see)

    I was interviewed for my current job after I'd been offered it. I'd been freelancing for the company and they wanted to give me the job, and I wanted to take it, but they had to go through the formality. That was weird.

    Did you get it?

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Time to prepare! How about "I hear you're after a job in our department, you've got 10 minutes, sell yourself".

    The guy was onerous cunt who'd simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    He had it in for me on account of an association he had in a previous company with my elder brother. At least I had my revenge. 

    He asked sarcastically once, "Hows that brother of yours getting on?", I lied and told him that he'd developed a property empire and was worth £30 million.

    He didn't ask again.

    🙂

  • IT PM worried about 48 hours to prepare! What do you do when a the exec want a report for an crisis meeting that's starting in an hour. Surely the jobs about planning, thinking on your feet.



    I'll wage a guess that you work public sector?
  • On a more constructive note, they'll be looking for real world examples 'what you've done' I.e. Talking through examples from the past as opposed to hypothetical examples.



    They're probably l
  • They're probably looking for you to to succinctly describe a situation/s you've encountered, describe the problem, the options and risk/cost/benefit/impact's, the option you chose and why together with the outcome.



    Think about your examples so they demonstrate key skills required for the role, e.g. Planning, negotiation, managing milestones, slippage, quality, governance, suppliers, 3rd parties, conflicts etc.
  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    My ghod, is this for a £1,000,000 a year salary or something? If not dude your over analysing it! image 

  • If you need 48 hours to prepare for a role in your own organisation, it sounds wrong for you

  • Runnin man wrote (see)

    If you need 48 hours to prepare for a role in your own organisation, it sounds wrong for you

    Why? My organisation has hundreds of different roles. If you wanted to move to a completely different role to the one you're in you might need to do a fair bit of interview preparation.

  • Nick Windsor 4 wrote (see)

    It might be a way to find out what you know and don't know, could be a good selection process for a cull. I agree though you should know what goes on in your own company.

    How much you know abut a certain role rather depends on the size of the company. Changing jobs in my organisation can be much the same as going to work for someone else.

    And you might know the top line stuff but you wouldn't necessarily know a great deal of detail about how a particular department, or a job within that department fits into the overall targets.

     

  • Screamapillar wrote (see)
    Runnin man wrote (see)

    If you need 48 hours to prepare for a role in your own organisation, it sounds wrong for you

    Why? My organisation has hundreds of different roles. If you wanted to move to a completely different role to the one you're in you might need to do a fair bit of interview preparation.


    In this case the person said I know the team as I'm an internal member of staff, I'd say it was reasonable to assume knowledge

  • Well it depends - if an external candidate would be given time to prepare, it would hardly be fair not to offer the same to an internal candidate.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    It sounds to me like the non-standard interview format (no formal presentation, etc.) is designed not to catch the candidate out, but precisely becauseit's short notice and an internal candidate. There probably aren't even any other candidates.

  • So if you don't get it you must be really sh*t image

    Let us know how you get on and good luck
  • I think times and thins have changed big time with interview processes and every company is different



    In my work I have regular co workers (who are on 16-30 hour contracts) who will be given this upon a CV screen by both HR and relevant department manager



    All day assessment which involves case study + pitching a product to sell (managers from departments assessing candidates, making notes on how they talk, interact with others, knowledge enthusiasm etc etc.



    End of day mangers sit and discuss candidates and THEN select for formal interview



    1-1 interview with manager for desired / appropriate department if them, ticks all boxes



    Grandfather interview on shop floor working for upto 2 hours. Again observed



    Yes, for a minimum wage job.......
    Pain is weakness leaving the body
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