It’s customary to talk about your professional background and experience during interviews, although some companies demand more information than others. Some people might specifically urge you to delve into the previous project you oversaw.
From your response to this question, interviewers may infer a variety of things. According to Jennifer Malach, CEO of Westchester, New York-based career and leadership coaching firm 20/20 Career Solutions, “the interviewer may want to know if you were able to communicate with and lead a team.” Or, was there a significant client issue that you handled without much guidance or input from others? The following advice will help you prepare your response.
Choose the right example: Dylan Kissane, a content manager who hires consultants and independent contractors for DOZ.com, a marketing software firm with offices in San Francisco and Lyon, France, advises choosing a project you worked on lately rather than one from a few years ago.
Unless you’re going to discuss how you turned around a poor result, Karin Hurt, former Verizon Wireless executive and CEO of Let’s Grow Leaders, a leadership consulting firm in Baltimore, adds, you should pick a project that was successful. “I’ve been shocked at how frequently folks I’ve spoken to realize they’ve chosen a poor example where the results were disastrous halfway through this story.” Kissane continues by saying that he expects an honest response. Although success is good, “I’m less concerned about whether the project succeeded or failed and whether the candidate can explain why.”
Interviewers want to know how you lead a project in addition to the fact that you did so. Again, the project didn’t have to be a complete success—though that certainly helps—you’ll still need to show how you managed and inspired your team in detail.
Show your leadership skills: You must be specific about what you did once you’ve provided a strong example of a moment when you were thrust into the lead role. Describe your organizational methods, meeting schedules, and tools. Be precise. The interviewer wants to know how you might manage projects in your new position.
For instance, if you were entrusted with organizing an internal client database or establishing and presenting a new marketing campaign, you’ll want to discuss the team members you worked with, their duties, how you handled assigning tasks, and how you informed your superiors of the group’s progress. This will enable you to fully describe the steps you took to complete the work.
You write: “I was tasked with assigning the team members specific presentations, setting deadlines, and editing their work.”
Provide proof of success: Although it is simple to claim that a project was successful, you should provide details to the interviewer to back up your claim.
According to Kissane, “a strong candidate will comprehend that their subjective evaluation of the project is one thing, but that I am probably more interested in something more objective.” Outline the objectives that were attained and describe how your team assessed that the project was successful.
Include information about the lessons you took away from the project, both the successes and failures.
Malach asserts, “If the project did not turn out well, then it is OK to share that.” But you also need to be able to explain how your previous main role helped you learn from the experience. “The finest responses will describe what was learned from the study,” continues Kissane. The top candidates will relate this knowledge to the job they are interviewing for.
You write: “After the conference, our clients gave us 100% favorable feedback despite two of our colleagues missing their deadlines. Even one of my clients sent me an email saying this year was the finest yet.
Learn to say the right things: Every interview question is an opportunity to make the hiring manager aware of your abilities and expertise, but you must pick your words carefully for optimum impact. Do you need assistance with that? Join Monster now for nothing. You will receive interview insights, career counseling, and job hunt information delivered right to your inbox as a member. Deceptively straightforward inquiries such as “Why should we hire you?” and “What did you like least about your prior job?” demand solid, thoughtful responses that are best prepared beforehand. You might get an advantage from Monster.
