Pop Quiz! Project Management Interviews!

[kimera]

Ok I got a few interviews lined up in the infrastructure/comms project/PRINCE2 project management arena

Can anyone give examples of questions they faced, and any particular areas that may be focused?

The harder or more silly the better!

[malvolio]

Prince2 wonk questions:

How do you get from needs analysis to PBS?
How you manage R&I?
How will you measure success and track progress against milestones?
What manpower utilisation percentage would be appropriate?

Real world questions:

How much was your last project worth?
Was it delivered on time?
Was it delivered on budget?
How much rework was required after completion?

Guess which set I use?

[kimera]

Prince2 wonk questions:

How do you get from needs analysis to PBS?
How you manage R&I?
How will you measure success and track progress against milestones?
What manpower utilisation percentage would be appropriate?

Real world questions:

How much was your last project worth?
Was it delivered on time?
Was it delivered on budget?
How much rework was required after completion?

Guess which set I use?

lol im guessing the second set!

By rework do you mean assocaiated work on that project after offical closure?

[malvolio]

Yes, a useful (if belated!) measure of the efficiency of the original project. For example, Digital, back in the dark ages, used to keep their project team on support for any new tools until the fault call rate had dropped below a certain level, when they could move on to the next piece of work. Since developers hate support, this was a good incentive to get it right first time.

[Mailman]

The answer to those questions is;

"By surrounding yourself with brilliant people who know what they are doing. I like to think of myself as more of an enabler than a doer, hence the reason you are paying a premium for my services".

Regards

Mailman

[malvolio]

Oi! I've been doing that for about ten years. Don't give away all the trade secrets in one hit...

[kimera]

The answer to those questions is;

"By surrounding yourself with brilliant people who know what they are doing. I like to think of myself as more of an enabler than a doer, hence the reason you are paying a premium for my services".

Regards

Mailman

*prepares to answer every question including "what is your name?" with above response*

[AlfredJPruffock]

Ok I got a few interviews lined up in the infrastructure/comms project/PRINCE2 project management arena

Can anyone give examples of questions they faced, and any particular areas that may be focused?

The harder or more silly the better!

Who won the FA cup in 1952 ? ...is an old favourite.

[kimera]

im back

"must demonstrate strong project financial control"

What questions would be asked? apart from "was in on budget?"

[malvolio]

Are you aware of the unit cost of everything on the PBS, and how have you determined them?

Are you aware of manpower costs and manpower resouces required and what percentage utilisation have you assumed?

What contingency have you made for the above two?

Have you a rigid process to record, track and resolve Risks and Issues, and does that include cost impact analyses?

Do you have firm change control for any request that affect the agreed deliverables, with agreement on how to manage any subsequent re-costings?

If you can answer all five of the above, then you will come in on budget. And just for a laugh, guess how many the average HMG project can answer correctly...