My Story: Where I've been and where I'm heading

An outline of the things I've learned throughout my career:

Intern – U.S. Senator:

• Handle myself well in fast-paced environments
  
• Multi-tasking is not the exception, but the rule
  
• Communication is HUGE. Learn to listen and convey appropriate responses.
  
• Establish and nurture relationships with local government and non-government agencies. Required poise and confidence.
  
• Organization, Process and Attention to detail. Institute new processes to manage ongoing correspondence between co-workers and between constituents and staff.
  
• Disliked the limiting confinement of political structure

Event Supervisor - Full Service Catering Company

• Hard work pays off
  
• Customer service is essential to running a successful business
  
• I have the ability to multi-task like no other
  
• Poise and hard work are essential tools for leadership
  
• Be as specific as possible when asking somebody for something
  
• Delegating is an art form
• Prepare: don't be on time, be early and be prepared to be late if necessary
  
• Improvise, think on your feet, make something up, just get the job done
  
• A smile and a polite attitude go farther than you think

Project Manager – Technology Start-up:

• Foundational business skills. Writing a business plan and creating an adaptable business model.
  
• Establish procedural foundations for co-workers and interns
  
• Initiate and manage two major company projects.
  
• Create template outlining processes for co-workers to repeat and continue the project after my departure
  
• Preparation is HUGE. Constantly meeting with potential clients, partners and investors and need to be able to answer any and all questions.
  
• Learned to think on my feet and maintain composure and poise at all times.
  
• In start-ups, there’s early and then there’s too early

Software Quality Assurance Analyst – Market Research Company

• Communication is essential to managing large scale projects across multiple company departments
  
• Respect for process keeps the project focused and on-time
  
• Understanding the big picture and your role within that picture
  
• Organization helps you manage your day-to-day responsibilities and makes reporting status much easier and more efficient
  
• Building solid relationships and gaining trust helps your ability to influence project team members
  
• Planning and managing resources is essential to getting a project done on time
  
• Be vocal about your goals within your company
  
• I have the skills, desire and initiative to become a great Project Manager
  

Cover Letter and Resume: Painting a Picture

A cover letter and resume should paint a picture as to what you have accomplished and should show a logical progression as to where you are heading.

Mental Note: Detail my story. Make sure it coincides with what my cover letter and resume are saying.

PM Podcast Episode 62: "How can I become a PM?"

Some notes from the podcast (click on the link to right to find the podcast):

• A successful PM is a great Communicator & Motivator and has thick skin.
  
• Let your Management know you want to move into PM*.
  
• Prepare: take classes, read books, understand the profession.
  
• Position: being in the right place at the right time.
  
• Perform: Begin using PM skills as you are developing them. Any assignment can be treated as a Project:
  
  
  
  1. Define your Project - Document an assignment request and present it back for verification. (Project Plan)
     
  2. Plan your Project - Develop an approach for accomplishment with a schedule for hours, dates and durations.
     
  3. Track your Project - Keep record of efforts and how long they take.
     
  4. Report on your Project - Create a simple status report for co-workers.
     
  
  
• PMI always has projects that need to be worked on.
  
• Consulting offers insight into several companies and allows you to greatly increase your skills and perspective.
  
• Networking is the key to getting your foot in the door. It's not always what you know, but who you know.
  
• 3 Main Character Traits of a PM:
  
  
  
  1. Communication - Risks, Issues, Status, Budgets, everything involves excellent communication
     
  2. Integrity - Read the PMI Code of Ethics
     
  3. Thick Skin - protect your team from upper management, while dealing with backlash from your team regarding time-lines and work loads
     
  
  
• 3 Career Moves to Make to Get into PM:
  
  
  
  1. Preparation - read and learn about PM, practice what you've learned and treat everything like a project
     
  2. Certification - tells people that you are willing to make a career move
     
  3. Positioning - Networking, letting your company know your career plans, taking an entry-level PM position to get your foot in the door
     
  
  

My Biggest Weakness

This is always a tough interview question to answer because you don't want to say the wrong thing and set off a warning sign to your interviewer, but you also want to come up with something real and significant to show that you can be critical of yourself and you understand the area(s) in which you need improvement.

Presently I don't have a good answer to this question, so I'm giving myself a Mental Note to think of one during the next week.

PMBOK Study Schedule

For week beginning on:

• 09/24/07 - Chapter 3
  
• 10/01/07 - Chapter 4
  
• 10/08/07 - Chapter 5
  
• 10/15/07 - Chapter 6
  
• 10/22/07 - Chapter 7
  
• 10/29/07 - Chapter 8
  
• 11/05/07 - Chapter 9
  
• 11/12/07 - Chapter 10
  
• 11/19/07 - Chapter 11
  
• 11/26/07 - Chapter 12
  

Check for Exam dates for December.

MBA Books

This list came from an article in the WSJ. Note: It appears to be heavy on the Princeton Review.

• 'Best 282 Business Schools' - Nedda Gilbert & Princeton Review
  
• 'Your MBA Gameplan' - Scott Shrum & Omari Booknight
  
• 'Cracking the GMAT' - Princeton Review
  
• 'Business School Essays That Make a Difference' - Nedda Gilbert & Princeton Review
  
• 'Guide to Your Career' - Alan Bernstein & Princeton Review
  
• 'Math Smart for Business' - Paul Westbrook & Princeton Review
  

My Best Quality (as an employee)

An interview question that is commonly asked is, "What is your best quality?". Here is my response to that question:

My best quality is my ability to see the big picture. When working on a project, I am able to identify the overall team goal, my role in helping to attain that goal, and how I can effectively work with others to help reach the key milestones.

Obviously this response is quite brief. In an actual interview I would elaborate and be much more descriptive, but this is the general gist of my response to this question.

Another question that is often asked is, "What three words describe you professionally/personally?" I may not always have a standard response to this question. It depends on what job I am applying for, or what I think the person interviewing me is looking for, but I feel like this is a decent response to the question:

Professionally:

1. Diligent
   
2. Poised
   
3. Leader
   

The goal here is to paint a picture of someone who is self-confident and who leads by example.

Personally:

1. Quick-witted
   
2. Personable
   
3. Well-rounded
   

Not sure what the overall goal is here. I guess it says that I have a positive personality and I get along well with others.

Again, there are lots of different words that could be used. I could probably dedicate an entire post to good words to describe yourself as in an interview.

SPSS: Predictive Analysis

A brief overview of SPSS:

• Make data-driven analytical decisions
  
• Statistical Highlights include:
  
  
  
  • Linear Regression - Relationships between predictors
    
  • Factor Analysis - Identify variables that explain correlations within a set of observed variables
    
  • Cluster Analysis - Group and analyze data in multiple large sets
    
  • Ordinal Regression - Predictions based on ordinal responses
    
  
  

Phone Interview Questions - Estimator/Project Manager

I had a phone interview on August 22nd, 2007 for a position as an Estimator/Assistant Project Manager. Here are the questions that were asked:

• Why are you interested in this position?
  
• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
  
• How would you deal with a scenario where you were behind schedule?
  
• How would you deal with a scenario where you have a conflict with a co-worker?
  
• What do you hope will develop in this role?
  
• What are your salary requirements?
  
• Talk about your experiences in Project Management.
  
• Talk about your experiences dealing with clients.
  
• How adept are you with MS Office?
  
• How adept are you with reading construction plans?
  
• What is your reason for leaving your current position?