Short version: I have a presentation to give in a job interview, HALP!

I struggle with long sentences version:

I have an interview for an internal position on friday… It’s a supervisory job in a university, mostly working the financial side, but also student facing. I’m quite comfortable in interviews, and I’m well qualified for the role and have tons of relevant experience so I’m definately in with a shot but part of the interview is to give a short (sub-10 minute) presentation on “What the first 30 days in the role will look like”

Now, to be fair, I have only a vague idea. I have a good grasp of the main elements of my own personal workload but not really that much of the other areas which I’d be supervising and occasionally covering (not expected to, according to the ad, and tbh it’d be a difficult combination of skills to find so I’d be surprised if they find a candidate who can do better).

So it seems to me there’s 3 ways to go, with their own pitfalls:

1) Total go-getter. I will reinvent the area, invigorate the team, increase or cut everything, be awesome. Sounds good in the interview to some people, but is unrealistic so would put off sensible people, and will not be fulfilled in the real world. or,

2) Be realistic, tell them what I’d actually do- which would be unexciting and could be seen as unambitious. Put as much shine on it as possible but basically be pragmatic-I’d learn the team, learn the role, learn the background, take small but solid steps, lay groundwork for good things to come, etc.

Or there’s 3, which is just 2, but with a bit of being scathing of 1 😉

So, what would Singletrack do? TBH it’s not a role where I’ll really be doing this sort of presentation ever again so the relevance is low, it feels more like a way to shoot myself in the foot than a way to excel in the interview. All in all I’m leaning towards 2 really…

4

Nice one 🙂 Suggestions of additional numbers which I’ve not included also welcome.

Actually, maybe I should be more helpful… I’d appreciate 3 if I were interviewing – but be careful that you don’t alienate anyone who was actually hoping for 1.

Maybe 2, but show them that you are aware of 1 (rather than slating it).

Northwind – good luck with the interview and the presentation. My first reaction is that you need to be very careful with this question – its either a sensible question, a stupid one, or a trap question. Rather like the throw away that people use, “Oh by the way, I am going to the cinema tonight but can’t decide what to see. Any suggestions?” They are not actually asking for suggestions, they are looking to see if you stop, think, and ask them WHAT THEY LIKE first!!

30 days is the give away for me ie, this could be a slight trap. In reality it is impossible to make a meaningful contribution in most roles in that period. The standard rule of thumb is 90 days to reach the point at which you start to create rather than consume value (Google Michael Watkins at Harvard on this). If this is the case then (1) is a non-starter. Non of this will be achieved within one month – so be realistic.

Start with how you will make the break from your current role and what this means. Then spend as much time as poss learning about the new role – you already know about the Uni. Then the key is to make the correct assessment of what is needed (often not what you are told in interviews) in order to match your strategy to the correct situation. Doing (1) means jumping in with pre-conceived ideas and will fail compared with this more measured approach. At the end of the first 30 days, you will understand the situation and hopefully identified some early wins. Much more than that is possibly fantasy IMHO.

You can then describe the next two sets of 30 days out to 90 days. That would really impress them.

But sounds like you know all this as essentially its all in (2). Given its a Uni role, presenting in a Harvard manner might just help though!! Bon Chance!

Can’t help you there coz I have no clue about finance or helping others on finance … I don’t have much £££ you see.

One thing that really puzzles me nowadays is the extensive use of presentation as part of the interviewing process to absurdity. I mean what’s the point of a presentation that only last 10 mins answering a vague question? FFS “What the first 30 days in the role look like? Having a cup of tea/coffee? Chatting up birds? Surfing the net? I mean WTF!

Don’t know about others but I prefer an honest person (that’s just me but you may have twisted interviewers so please do not take my advice) to work with me and not those that keep saying “I love the challenge”, “I have been wanting this job since I was a kid”, “I am so good I can make your company number in the universe …”

🙄

p/s: teamhurtmore has given a sensible answer … unlike me … 🙂

First 30 days Listen and Learn and change nothing – so option 2 for me.

If someone came in to an interview and said they would do 1 then they would be straight out the door.

How do you know that anything needs changing, right now. They may be looking for someone to oversee a well oiled machine, they may have made significant changes already, the team may feel exposed and insecure they require support to help them through change. What is the business agenda and priorities.

If you are being brought in to cut and fire, improve sales and margin by X then so be it. But is doesn’t sound like a job with clear P&L accountabilities.

Cheers folks- especially thanks Teamhurtmore and GJP- very complete answer. I think this is possibly one of those times when you know the right answer but you just want someone else to tell you! I like the suggestion of going past the 30 days very much, I wouldn’t have considered that.

alfabus, think you’re right there too… I’ve a wee temptation to do some gentle ribbing of the “everything now” approach as an icebreaker but it’s probably a risky strategy.

Chewkw, I can’t help but agree… I know it’s straight from the HR policy book, in fact the question is one of the stock presentation questions. Which is another reason to steer away from 1, since the recruiting manager isn’t into the presentation enough to contribute her own suggestion. And I think it also comes down to the fact that our HR department is not very good at all 😉

Option 2 but if you started with your quick assessemnt of all 3 options I would be more impressed with your self awareness.
First 60-90 days are all about understanding the detail, listening, observing and forming options.

As all the above say, go with two, listen, consult, understand, form opinion. Weave in some context s to where the financial situatiion is now with the projected situation in the future… assuming there are forward financil plans in place.

2 with a minute or two of 1 at the end.

Option 1 mate. There’s a new Sheriff in town and his name is Sheriff Northwind.

Watch this before you go in to get in the right frame of mind:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI[/video]

1) Liability who will do nothing but upset people and not take no notice of others’ ideas and opinions.

2) Will put the assessing and planning into the role that was lacking under the last 1)hothead who promised the world but did nothing but upset the team 😉

The best advice I ever got from a senior bod in Ernst and Young on starting a job or project was ‘establish the facts’. So agree with posts above, first days are about establishing the facts, building a rapport with team. understanding the capabilities in the team and forming a view on how to deliver the outcomes you are asked. Good luck!!

Just as a wee follow-up… The presentation ended up being just a total sideline, they didn’t have any AV kit! So a bit weird that they asked in the first place. I ended up just winging it based off the paper copy I’d taken along, but it was a bit of a waste of everyone’s time. I went with 2 with a dash of 3, incidentally, a gentle ribbing of anyone who expected instant gamechanging. They did not LOL but they did wry smile.

But I got the job anyway, so who cares! Don’t tell anyone though, it’s a secret til next week.

Cheers folks.

I struggle with long sentences but this a chance ot show you’ve got a clue about the new role what challenges you might face – so demonstrate you have thought about those.

I’d never do the Jerry Springer thing as per 1., but it’s not my personality, you could say you’ll be looking at how things work and what you could do to improve.

The presentation ended up being just a total sideline, they didn’t have any AV kit! So a bit weird that they asked in the first place

AV and ppt is a crutch. Skilled presenters know their key points, speak clearly and thoughtfully and engage the audience. I bet they were looking for that skill.

Congratulations.

True enough that… I do very simple bulletpoint presentations anyway, so it was simple enough to just do without, but if i’d prepared any graphics or similiar I’d not have been delighted.

But no matter.

“I could tell you that I can do <1>, but that’s really not practical in the timescales, and although that would be the long term aspiration, let’s talk about <2>…”

Bullet points, eh? they will help you stand out from the crowd, won’t they?

The presentation ended up being just a total sideline, they didn’t have any AV kit!

😆 😆 😆 BIG TIME FAIL! A presentation is a verbal form of communication so why do you need AV??? 😯
The best presentation I ever saw was done on a whiteboard, the hundreds of crap ones were done on PP. Go figure.

Northwind, I was wondering how you had got one. Well done getting the job and good luck with it!

Always better to be over-prepared. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best!!

What the first 30 days in the role will look like

Trying to bypass the Uni internet ban on STW

Congrats on getting the job.

Don Simon – you are so awesome.

Thanks for kind words, folks. And for the rest, well…

don simon – Member

Bullet points, eh? they will help you stand out from the crowd, won’t they?

Yes, because obviously I use them to stand out from the crowd 😕 Content is where I want to stand out, AV can be a useful tool to support and highlight that content.

don simon – Member
The best presentation I ever saw was done on a whiteboard, the hundreds of crap ones were done on PP. Go figure.

And it was good solely because it was on a whiteboard and the crap ones were only crap because they were on PP, and would have been awesome on a whiteboard. Or, not.

As for “big time fail”, I do not thing it means what you think it means. What with the unequivocal success, and all 😆

bruneep – Member

Trying to bypass the Uni internet ban on STW

Oi! I hardly ever use STW from work. It doesn’t display well in their browser y’see.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-rVUMRBj9E[/video]

😀

And it was good solely because it was on a whiteboard and the crap ones were only crap because they were on PP, and would have been awesome on a whiteboard. Or, not.

Good point, well missed, I wouldn’t expect anything less from STW.
I’m glad you took my general comments to heart and that the experienced writings of the blog are below you. Keep on with your bullet points I’m sure you’ll be a great success.
*Wonders to self whether he should have put more or bigger smileys to help the hard of understanding…*

First 30 days is about learning what the most pressing issues are and beginning to develop your strategy moving forwards.

I was asked this exact question a few months back and at the post-interview review that’s what they told me.