WTF Do They Want?

My latest interview was with an up and coming company for a position that I was perfect for, and visa versa. Most positions you settle for, but this one I really wanted. It was my dream job and I was primed and ready. The interviewer asked only two questions: ‘What do you like to do?’ and ‘What is your project management technique?’

I spoke of team building, succeeding or failing as a team, personal accountability, communications, stakeholder updates and the need for complete documentation. I then talked about empowering the team to do their best work, creating a firm, but realistic schedules, and never chewing someone’s ass in front of others. Respect should flow both ways.

Nailed it!

He seemed to agree with me on every point, so you can imagine my surprise to hear he passed on me because he felt that I was ‘not tough enough’. Not tough enough? Are you fucking kidding me? I’m the one that my teams call a hard-ass, tyrant, and a cross between a Tasmanian Devil and Superman, which in my opinion is a perfect balance for a project manager. He wanted ‘someone that was street-wise’.

How’s this for street-wise: I have my PMP, black belt in Six Sigma, Masters in project management, and enough pdu’s each year to choke a horse. I literally live, breath and crap project management. So my question is ‘what the fuck do they want?’ Or more accurately, ‘does he know anything at all about project management? That’s probably a more accurate question, but that doesn’t help me at all.

My dream job has vanished. Of course he was wrong and because he was an inept interviewer, he’ll never know that he passed on exactly what he needed; me. Who would have guessed that being a competent, PMI spouting project manager, lost me my dream job.

And my search continues…..