Tag Archives: Advice

guest blogger, Interviews, Project Management Interviews

How to Assemble an Effective Interview

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There’s no “one size fits all” mold for conducting job interviews. Every industry and every job within those industries has its own qualifications and requirements. Still, there are a few ways to ensure your interview process contains the elements needed to separate strong and weak candidates.

Trust the interviewer

One often overlooked aspect of an interview is whether or not the person conducting it is qualified. This isn’t to say that you need to start interviewing you interviewers. Rather, assembling a panel of workers who offer diverse perspectives can lead to a broader understanding of whether or not a candidate is right for the opening.

For example, a wholesale makeup distributor is looking for a new warehouse manager because the old manager is transferring. The problem is the person in charge of hiring decisions deals much more with the product and customer side of the business than the behind-the-scenes dirty work. Therefore, this person might ask the previous warehouse manager as well as someone in HR to sit in on the interview and perhaps participate.

Each person on the panel can then judge each interviewee based on their own knowledge and experience with the company, making for a more informed decision. The HR manager may love a candidate’s people skills, but the previous warehouse manager thinks a lack of forklift experience could lead to problems. Second and even third opinions can offer insight that might not be apparent with a one-on-one interview.

Throw out some curveballs

If nailing the interview is the most important part of landing a job, then you shouldn’t make it too easy for candidates to supply formulaic and often rehearsed answers. That’s why it’s important to include a few questions aimed at taking the interviewee out of his or her comfort zone. Asking an out of place question allows the interviewer to see how a candidate is able to improvise, which is often an important part of any job.

If you’d prefer not to ask a random question to keep candidates on their toes, putting through a creative test or exercise might help you reach the candid response you are looking for. For instance, the makeup company looking for someone to work in sales might put candidates through an improvisation selling exercise. But because job seekers will be prepared to talk about the key product, in this case makeup, it would be wise to choose something out of the ordinary.

Give your interviewee a child’s toy or a bag of trail mix and then ask for their pitch. These kinds of tests, which have no “right” answers, put candidates on the spot and display the candidate’s problem solving skills.

Offer interview training

Just as there are strategies to impressing your interviewer, there are also ways to improve the way you interview. You might find it advantageous to require those making hiring decisions to read interview books in preparation or attend training sessions led by HR professionals or consultants.

guest blogger, IT Project Management, Software, Technology

The Importance Of Release Managers In Software Development

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How do you know when your software is ready to be released to the public?

Your release manager says so.

What is release management?

Release management is a relatively new, highly specialised job that involves testing new software and software upgrades until they are ready to go into mass production. Release managers oversee the granular processes involved in software development, such as planning, work flow, scheduling and technical support.

According to The Release Guy, release managers identify and devise processes directly related to the release of software. They are in charge of quality control, and they facilitate communication between the different departments involved in software development, testing and deployment.

According to Project Connections, the responsibilities go a little deeper than that. They also need to align software development with customer needs, as well as with the needs of the company, especially in terms of time and cost.

Release Management

Skills

As release managers are involved in every process of software development, they need to have advanced coding skills. They also need project management skills and need to be able to work well with people. This is not a skill traditionally associated with IT specialists, but it is essential to ensure cordial relationships between teams and between teams and upper management.

Release managers might also have to go in to bat for their teams and explain or defend progress to upper management, which means they need to be supportive, tactful and thick-skinned. The thick skin is necessary because they might have to bear the brunt of upper management’s displeasure – and then not take it out on their staff.

Communication skills are a given.

Benefits of release management

  • Proper planning and management ensures that each team is prepared for the changes to come.
  • Teams understand exactly what is required to maintain and even enhance the quality of the product.
  • Proper planning and management reduces the risk of errors and increases the chances of cross-compatibility.
  • Cost savings, which is a natural by-product of reduced errors, teams co-ordination, and time saved.

Software development companies have a lot riding on the successful deployment of their products – reputation and profit-wise. This is why they have a host of professionals working round the clock to ensure that their software packages are compatible with a range of devices and operating systems, not to mention free of bugs and errors. Release managers ensure that those professionals keep their eye on the target and work to the best of their ability to provide the (almost perfect) product on time.

Written by Sandy Cosser on behalf of SAP Careers, which advertises a range of SAP-related jobs in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

guest blogger, Job Hunting, Recruitment

Three Steps On the Path To the Job You Love

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If you are not yet on the path to the job you love, then you better begin immediately. Many people are suffering from burnout nowadays because they are stuck in jobs that pay their bills but don’t sustain their interests. Who knows, the job you love may be just beyond the walls of your office. You just have to be diligent in seeking. Once you get a job that you really love, you will feel that you won’t have to work at all. Your job will feel more like play rather than a means to pay your bills.

So how do you do it? Here are three practical tips for you to follow on the path to the job you love:

1. Look into yourself and know your passion

Many of us think that passions are for children who don’t have families yet, but that sort of thinking has gotten many employees stuck into their day jobs. Don’t do as the others usually do; think actively about the type of work that can allow you to satisfy your passions and at the same time help others. That may mean reading more books, recalling past events in your life, asking for counsel from other people you trust, and having more experiences so you can delve deeply into possible fields where you may want to work. Here are some practical tips.

2. Plan ahead.

Identifying your passion isn’t enough. You need to act so you can fulfill your dream of getting a job aligned with your passion. Set a time frame; that can be as short as you wish (spanning weeks) or as long as you wish (possibly years, if you need to go back to school and study). Then take note of specific actions you can take. Although later on, you may act differently from how your plan proceeded, as long as your actions are aligned with your passion, that is okay. Here are some moves you can make: being an intern, studying at a college or university, starting a business, and talking to other people who can help you find the job you love.

Find your pot of gold

3. Leave everything you aren’t passionate about

If you want to get a new job that suits your passion, then leave your old job. The more you persist in doing your old job, the more you will lose sight of your passion and your goal to seek out the job you love. Also, hanging on to your old job gives you a feeling of safety, which can be hard to give up when faced with the risky challenge of going on your own. Once you are out of your old job, you will have nowhere to go except to your new job. However, be prepared. Have some savings because it will take some time to think about what you really want in life and find a new job you will be passionate about.

When it comes to finding the job you love, don’t hesitate and don’t delay. At first, you may need to adjust because thinking about your passion is different from the thinking you do when working on a usual day job. Just remember that in the end, if you persist, you will reach your goal.

Danny Duric is an avid blogger from Australia. He earned a degree in Business Management. Ever since he discovered his passion about psychology, he is reading and writing actively about HR, career and marketing related topics. Lately he is researching the mining industry in NSW, Australia.

Hiring Manager, Project Management Certification, Transferable Skills

Project Management Frustrations – PINO

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An interesting and often frustrating subject when carrying out project management recruitment has to be buzzwords – over the years I have discussed employers’ requirements for project management jobs and been asked the dreaded qualifications question. Now I believe in a balanced and proactive approach to gaining experience and qualifications in project management. After all, a true professional should be keeping abreast of effective methods and as part of their continuous professional development (CPD) training and studying is expected. However in most organisations, a pragmatic approach to implementing and following PM structures is common place – which is how the methods are anticipated for use by the authors and bodies. There are many PM badges available and those who are successful in the PM field tend to dip in and out of a number of methods for delivery and supporting project delivery.

When an employer is looking for a new project management professional they will usually create a job description which includes a number of core competencies and required experience – however for years now a great deal of these employers will ask for PRINCE2. When asked if they use this structure they often say no, but they want someone who has the certification as this means they are qualified. I have pushed back on this preconception dozens of times and only on a few occasional have the hiring managers or HR actually understood that experience counts for more than just a certificate. I have dealt with hundreds of candidates who have no PM experience but have taken their PRINCE2 qualification in the hope of getting a job in project management. Equally I have spoken with hundreds of project professionals who have a great deal of demonstrable experience in delivering / supporting often complex projects and programmes but have no PM related qualifications. I know which I would rather have responsible for my expensive projects.

Don't follow sheepWhy is PRINCE2 so commonly asked for from employers who do not use the method?

Because it is a buzzword – PRINCE2 has been very well marketed over the years, and as such it has gained popularity within the PM field. Just like MP3 players are referred to as iPods, not all are actually the genuine article but the fantastic marketing of Apple has ensured iPod is a household name for personal music playing devices. Therefore if you look up project management on search engines – you guessed it, PRINCE2 pops up straight away. I can understand to a point why employers will then assume that this is the standard for PM professionals but more education is required for the hiring managers to ensure they are not losing out on exceptional candidates just because they don’t tick that box. The use of PINO (Prince In Name Only) needs to be addressed after years of use and a better understanding of what structures are used (and required) still needs clarifying when writing job descriptions.

There are a number of project management specific recruitment agencies available in the UK – if you are an employer who is looking for a new project management professional to join the team, it is well worth talking to one or more as a sounding board and to assist you in understanding your actual needs.