Tell me about the most interesting project you have worked on this year and the biggest thing you learned from it.

"In my previous role we were working on a variety of projects with fingerprint recognition software. One of the most interesting projects was a fingerprint-based ATM system. It was a test project for a large banking institution. In addition to learning a great deal about fingerprint recognition, I was also able to learn a lot about the critical relationship between software and security."

Discuss with the interviewer one of your recent projects that particularly piqued your interest. Did it stretch you professionally? What was the biggest takeaway for you from that particular project?

"I find the majority of the projects that I have been working on this past year to be very interesting. If I had to choose one, I would choose to work on the Uber app. Since I am still in my internship, I didn't have any major contributions; however, I learned a lot about on-demand apps and building a friendly user interface."

Great communication skills are critical when working as an IT Consultant. Walk me through a time when you were successful in communicating with a person that was difficult to work with, and under difficult circumstances?

"I've worked with all types of personalities, and have found that a diplomatic approach has worked best for me. The first thing I address with the other person is the blame game. Learning why you are blamed gets you once step closer to resolving the problem. In this case the client was having issues meeting deadlines which caused other departments to also miss their deadlines. I immediately focused on a problem, how to solve it, and started by showing my willingness to get along and help get the project back on track."

Throughout corporate America, you'll find your garden variety of different personalities from strategic thinkers, passive aggressive profiles, and of course your ego maniacs. Dealing with difficult people is an art. There's a few ways you can learn to adapt to an environment, culture and difficult circumstances without compromising the success of the project. First, start with the common issues that a difficult person will present to you. He/she will likely try to take credit for the work you completed, or blame you for missing their deadlines. An easy way to handle this is to explain that even though they blamed you, you have no ill will towards them, and actually offered to help with their project so they could get caught up. Another approach is to summarize the issue, then explain that you communicated with the other person and spent time with them to solve the problem.

"It's extremely important to me to avoid getting upset or venting about the person who was difficult to work with. I had an instance where a client was rude, and verbally abusive, and didn't give me access to servers, and software that I needed to complete my work. I kept my cool and was polite the whole time. I demonstrated how they would see immediate results and a turn-around of their project if we could all work together and I could have access to certain files and folder to get my work done, and they agreed."

The way we approach clients in our business is we identify client needs and recommend solutions to their needs. Tell me about a time when your knowledge and expertise allowed you to make a recommendation to resolve a problem or address a pain point?

"I've been a firm believer that the customer is always our highest priority and that I need to be the eyes and ears of the customer. With that said, there some examples I can share that will hopefully resonate with you. I typically ask what solutions have been proposed in the past, and how they have worked. Are there metrics to track the success or failure of past efforts? Having data to review helps me understand the process and approach previously used. Knowing the team makeup, and what methodology they used will also give me a deeper insight into what they were thinking. I like to conduct a voice of the customer survey, which I believe adds tremendous value to this campaign. Lastly, it's important for me to analyze the cause & effect relationships from the customer surveys, because It reveals a lot of underlying issues like task failures, root cause problems, and how good or bad the data is."

The is a classic example of the hiring manager asking you to role play your response. The way it works is the hiring manager asks you to role play as the consultant, and he/she is the client who asks you to give them a pitch about why your company is a firm that they need to work with. There are a few ways to make this role play work in your favor. Here are a few examples you can use in a response. 1. Act as a problem solving adviser that can find and recommend solutions quickly, 2. Tell the client they have accessibility to you and other team members as needed, 3. Point out the benefits that they will get when they hire your company, 4. Share some examples of successes from companies of a similar industry, size or market.

"My recommendations would be based on what the customer wants and how well they articulated the deliverable. If, for example, the client wanted something that resembles a ketchup bottle, but the team delivered a salt shaker, that would indicate a miscommunication of what the client requested. My approach would be to closely dissect the customer requirements, then build a mock-up of what they requested, and have them review for approval before going to the next phase of development. After this phase is approved, I would do testing and debugging before presenting it to the customer. Mapping the customer journey is a visualization process a customer goes through and tracks each step along the way with the vendor, so everyone is on the same page."

Your client is Apple. The year is 1984. They just released the Macintosh computer. They want you to estimate the demand for this product over the next 20 years. What do you tell them about market demand and whether there's a market for this invention?

"Given the date is 1984, the data would have to come from a number of different sources to present findings that would be able to tell you whether or not your product would be in demand or would have a market for it. I would start by obtaining data from consumers currently using computers, and what their experiences has been. My subjects would be a test panel with participants ranging from entry level users to experienced users. I would present the new Macintosh model to the panel to get a holistic perspective from all the users on the MAC's different layout, graphics, size, pricing, operating system, and software. This would give me an idea of their openness to a new type of computer, and if they were willing to try one out."

This question is typically asked by hiring managers that work complex projects, or do thorough interviews to select the right person for their environment. Given this is a multi-part question that requires an element of strong Technology and Business Knowledge. This mix required a well thought out response that addresses every part of this question. Let's examine some scenarios of how this could be answered, and how you can prepare for a similar answer. IT Consultants and Management Consultants might come across this question since it addresses the approach you would take, where you might be able to find this information, and some market analysis to determine product demand in the market. An example response might be that you used market intelligence data to research demand, consumer spending, demographics, and other related factors. Since this a hypothetical question by the interviewer, they will be looking for what you would do to obtain this information, and how you present it for review.

"Early in my career, I've had to do a similar product demand assessment. In this particular case, our leadership asked my team and me to test market a new product to estimate demand for the product. When I look at such an initiative, I offered my objective advice and expertise in line with corporate strategy, and how the product will play a role in their current product mix and expected presence and market share. Estimating market demand is a skill I possess, and I know what approach and market research are needed to execute a new product introduction. Here are some questions and considerations that will need to be part of the planning process in order to be able to understand projected sales volume, demand, and consumer interest. 1) How big is your market - 10, 000, 100,000, 1,000,000+ consumers? 2) What geography will you be selling your product in - Local, regional, national or International? 3) What technology will be used to produce this product? 4) How will you arrive at a price point that consumers will pay? 5) How will you estimate sales for year 2, 3, 5 and beyond - This will depend on projections, and whether or not pricing and costs stay the same, go up or down. 6) Who will your customers be by demographic - Age, income, profession, marriage status, spending habits, etc. 7) What will the product availability look like in the short and long term? 8) Brand Awareness - Do you plan on executing Marketing, PR, and Branding for the product? 9) How many of the new products will be used for test purposes? 10) Monitor what your market share is versus your competition in order to see if it's worth staying with that product. 11) How will the product be sold - Direct to Consumer, Retail, Wholesale, Dealers, etc. 12) What will production time and product availability look like?"

Your client is a Tier 1 Automotive supplier interested in entering into a non-automotive market through organic or inorganic expansion. How would you advise them to proceed?

"Every industry changes, evolves, and matures so that your business gains market share over time. It's my job as an IT consultant to keep up with technology changes that affect how a company runs their business and where they plan to be in the future. My primary role involved the examination of the technology environment of an organization, and what was needed to expand into other markets with new product introductions and if existing technology could support such an ambitious endeavor. Another consideration that I advise on is whether the new market will support organic and inorganic growth and the strategy that needs to be implemented to execute successfully."

The automotive industry has had its ups and downs over the past 30 years, and by necessity has had to reinvent themselves to be competitive and to survive. It would be understandable, if not expected that an automotive supplier might want to diversify their portfolio of businesses if or when another economic downturn happens. Given how this question is asked, an interviewer would like to hear you talk about four things: your knowledge of the automotive industry, your hands-on experience of product development, your involvement with mergers and acquisitions, and your expertise with marketing and branding. Your focus should be on assessing the current situation, and looking at whether the supplier might have products or materials that may be redeveloped for non-automotive applications. Doing some research on cross-over products from different industries might help move the conversation in the right direction.

"There are a number of identifiable characteristics that need to be discussed so that I have a clear understanding of how your company wants to expand through organic and inorganic penetration in a non-automotive market. I take a systematic approach to obtaining this information so that It can be used to advise my clients on how to proceed, or not to continue. Here's a high-level breakdown of the market research data that I capture, and present to the client. 1. Cross-over technology compatibilities - Can the current infrastructure handle the new data transactions 2. Create a plan to enter a market - Define new market strategy 3. What are the demographics - a profile of the customer.....gender, age, income, profession, buying habits, etc.? 4. Market Analysis - How do you uniquely position in the new market 5. Is the new market expanding, declining, or flat over the last 10 years. 6. Who are your competitors - How do you rank against them, and how much market share do they possess? 7. Can you compete in the new market - How do you compare with pricing versus the competitors, and can I be profitable? 8. What are the expected quarterly and annual sales projections?"

Tell me about a time where you made a great recommendation that you think would have greatly benefited your client, but they just didn't like it. What approach did you take to convince them?

"When someone doesn't like my ideas or recommendations, I don't take it personal. I show empathy towards people who may disagree with my ideas or recommended solutions. I understand that some people may not be clear about how the technology or solution works, and how it may benefit them. When it comes to change, it is sometimes difficult to implement change since people like the way they work, and get used to a certain routine at work. One of the approaches that I used to convince them that my recommended solution would benefit the company was to highlight the areas that directly benefited them, and how it would make their daily tasks easier to manage."

It's a challenge when you have to deal with a company that has different opinions and management styles. Depending on whom you are working with, and their role and responsibility, you will likely have to craft a compelling value proposition to clearly show that your recommendations will yield a return on their investment in a relatively short time. Consultants know this all too well. Push back from the client comes from managers who either don't understand the idea, concept or solution, and how it will help the organization. This type of interview question is asked to see how you handle rejection from the client, and if you recommend another solution that might work better. In addition to a compelling value proposition, provide a similar example that you recommended to a client that worked very well and had a good return on their investment.

"Another way I was able to convince this client that they need my recommended solution was that I gave them ownership and involvement in the project very early on so they could see first-hand where they would be able to realize the benefits that directly apply to their department. I made them feel they were an important part of the process. As an outsider (consultant) telling them how I could improve their operations, I know I had to be respectful to their concerns. I avoided confrontation, and took a non-intrusive approach to learn how they worked so I could document and show them exactly where they benefited from my recommendations."

We want to hire people at NetLight Consulting AB who have the desire to lead others. How many people did you supervise at your last position?

"Currently, I am supervising 12 employees with an overall portfolio responsibility of $24MM. In my role, before this one, I managed 23 employees but with a smaller portfolio of $6MM. I can handle a large range of employees."

Discuss with the interviewer your level of responsibility in your current position. If you have managed larger teams than you currently are, you can also discuss that particular role from your work history.

"Although I did not officially supervise anyone in my most recent position, I always had my eye out for opportunities to lead or mentor the more junior staff."

Your client is considering entering a new market. They have a choice of buying an existing company, or developing the technology in-house. What approach would you take about advising them on making the best business decision?

"Mergers and Acquisitions were big in the late 1990s, and that's the first time I was part of a merger/acquisition deal. It taught me a lot and made me the consulting professional I am today. The consulting approach I took was to look at the business drivers, and what the company wanted to achieve financially. It was important for me to understand what their plans were to scale that particular product line, and what the branding campaign was going be. I conducted research for both scenarios, and presented my findings in the form of a report with my recommendations, and how I arrived at my recommendations."

In this case, NetLight Consulting AB wants to assess your business consulting knowledge of mergers and acquisitions, and if you're qualified to advise them on entering into a new market which they may not be familiar with. It's best to start with your knowledge of Mergers and Acquisitions, and how you advised companies in a similar situation. Highlight the risks and rewards involved in such an endeavor, and use a case study to prove your point. They may also want to pick your brains and get your opinion on whether it makes more business sense to acquire a company with a complementary product or develop a new product.

"When I'm consulting a client about entering a new market or acquiring an existing company, I look at a number of different things to determine whether developing a new product internally, or acquiring a company that compliments their existing product line up is the right decision. I typically go through a series of questions to better understand their business motives. Here's a list of questions that I would ask: 1. Current state of manufacturing capabilities - are they able to produce a similar or better product at quantities that will be competitive? 2. Is there a market for this new product? 3. Research the competition - who owns the majority of the market share 4. Is this product seasonal or sold year-round? 5. Do they have internal expertise to develop a new product? 6. Are there any laws or legislation that would restrict or prevent the manufacture of that new product outside the US? 7. What the market plan to scale this product?"

Explain qualitative vs. quantitative reasoning.

"When researching, I find that quantitative data is best to gather first, as it's more fact-based. After gathering the quantitative data, I can bring in qualitative research, since it is more related to the reasoning behind the hard data."

Consulting is all about making judgments and best-case scenarios based on logic, analysis, and reasoning. The interviewer would like to see that you understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative reasoning, and when each is best used. Qualitative reasoning is used for problems related to processes, controls, and diagnosis. Quantitative reasoning is more related to the gathering of facts, and hard data. Keep your reply simple, and easy to understand.

"Although I can use quantitative and qualitative research together, there are important differences to keep in mind. Quantitative research is objective, while qualitative research is subjective. There needs to be a balance between the two in every piece of research."

What would you consider your technical specialty?

"Computing and Network Communications has always been a solid area for me. I have a big interest in how network communication improves our daily lives and our overall business efficiency. I see that you are looking for team members who are experts in network communications which is what caught my eye when I first saw your job posting."

Do you have any particular areas of interest or ability? Talk to the interviewer about your strengths and be sure to highlight any specific skills that you excel in. It's a great idea, if you can, to highlight particular skills that may be listed on the company's job posting/job description. If there is a related area of interest where you'd like to expand your skills, you can mention those as well.

"I have been focusing my career on becoming a cloud integration specialist although I do have cross-platform app development expertise as well."

Are you LEAN Six Sigma certified?

"I have looked into LEAN Six Sigma training and would be very interested in expanding my education to include this esteemed certification. There is a course beginning next month, and I am happy to register if you feel it would be the value added that NetLight Consulting AB is looking for."

Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that teaches how to eliminate waste of all kinds, within an organization. The education certifies you as an expert on efficiencies in the workplace. When it comes to Six Sigma certifications, there are a variety of levels which you can obtain. You begin with white, and work your way up to yellow, green, and black, with the highest option being MBB (Masters' Black Belt). Share with the interviewer if you are Six Sigma certified. If you are, discuss how far you have taken your certification. If you do not have your certification, show enthusiasm for the idea and express that you are open to expanding your professional knowledge and training.

"I am currently earning my green belt in Six Sigma. My goal is to earn my MBB level certification within the next five years. I have learned a great deal about business process and streamlining. I fully believe that every person in the management consulting and implementations sector should become white belt certified, at the very least."

How do you assess a clients' current technology systems and solutions?

"The first step that I take when assessing a clients' current technology is to poll the existing employees, asking them to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their existing hardware and software. I ask them if the technology currently affects their workflow, and which issues they identify on a regular basis. Next, if the conclusion shows that a new system is needed, I put into consideration the financial resources of the client, as well as the available timeframe. Then, I consider the tech options, weighing the pros and cons of each. Is this similar to the processes in place at NetLight Consulting AB?"

Walk the interviewer through your process when it comes to discovering, and correctly assessing, the tech systems in place, when you take on a new client. Show that you have a process in place, are methodical, and use logic when making assessments.

"Step one is always to assess what is existing, and what is working just fine. This information usually comes from polling the current employees and spending a few days in their offices to try the tech in person. Then, I tap into the support services offered by the current tech providers. If a solution is not workable from there, I will create a list of the items we need to change and start researching the best viable options."

How do you define success?

"I define success by my ability to reach the goals that are set out for me. On a personal level, the things I wish to achieve in my life. On a work level, the targets that are set out for me as well as the professional development that I seek."

What does success mean to you? Tell the interviewer how you see success and be sure to tie your answer into the success that you plan to bring to this particular position, should you be offered the role.

"I consider a project a success only when I have produced work that I can be proud of."

A client of ours wants to discuss a possible divestiture of some of their company locations. What are some key points during a consulting discovery that you want to understand to determine if our firm can potentially assist them?

"When a client puts their full faith and trust in me, I feel honored. Performing a divestiture is a time-consuming task, and it takes a team of people to make this transaction happen. It starts with monitoring the portfolio to see which locations or business units are profitable, and which ones are ripe for a divestiture. As an IT consultant, I always look at the technology implications first, then the business drivers for perspective. Performing a divestiture comes with legal obligations and corporate valuations that need to be addressed as well."

This particular hiring manager is asking you to give a scenario where their client has approached them about a divestiture of some of their locations, and they want to make sure they make a sound business decision for this client without having negative consequences on their business. As a consultant to this client, they would be looking to you as a trusted advisor and consulting firm that can help them through this process. It's important to note that the interviewer wants to know what key points you plan to discuss to determine if they could be a client or not. Your answer should drill down into how you conduct a discovery call and how it relates to the impact it will have on their business after a possible divestiture. I advise highlighting your analytical skills and how you were able to come up with a few options for them to choose from will greatly improve your response.

"A divestiture is not easy, especially if it means a location is closing and people might lose their jobs. Several considerations need to be accounted for including severance, identifying who the new buyer of that location will be, and the possible benefits of divesting. Managing the transition does present a challenge, but I have extensive hands-on experience managing this process through its entirety. I've seen companies divest for many reasons, but it always comes back to the strategic focus of the company, and where they can be most profitable."

Describe a situation where a project you were managing failed. What did you learn about this failure, and were you able to salvage or turn it around?

"I was a consultant managing a project with five other team members, and our goal was to develop a loan application app to qualify a buyer for a mortgage. I noticed that we were not able to meet deadlines or present mock designs of the app when the client requested it. I later found several flaws in our methodology and approach which led to delays and cost over-runs. I had to take a step back a re-evaluate exactly what went wrong, and quickly make corrections. Here's what I did to turn it around, and the educational journey it took me through.1.) Take a step back and evaluate how you arrived at this point 2.) Temporarily stop the project 3.) Figure out why the project is failing 4.) Set up a turn-around (war) room 5.) Draft an agenda to go over findings, from quantitative reports to team member interviews 6.) Re-assignment of team member tasks and roles 7.) Gather all notes and project collateral 8.) Set clear objectives, and ask each team member to provide you a work list with specific tasks they are responsible for on the project, and their understanding of the team goals"

As much as we don't like to think about it, sometimes projects fail, and in some cases for reasons beyond our control. Hiring managers realize things do go wrong and projects have to get back on track and show a successful outcome quickly. The more complex the project, the higher the chances are that the project might fail. This question focuses on your ability to bounce back from failure, and what you did to turn it around. Give some thought as to how you might explain why the project failed, and outline the steps you took to turn it around. It is important to list what exactly happened, what lessons were learned, and what you do now to safeguard future projects from failure.

"A failed project can be humbling, and eye-opening at the same time. If not managed and executed properly, it can go horribly wrong. That's why when I put together a team for a project; I religiously follow a methodology that works flawlessly. I've learned to become good at this methodology after a failed project a few years ago. It also made me good at spotting where projects go wrong, and where I needed to make immediate changes. Let me break down what I learned about the failed project, and what I did to turn it around: 1.) What did I learn from the process 2.) How did it affect me and the team 3.) What were the key issues that caused the failure 4.) I found that the key issues were.....Complexity, External Influence, Financial, Organizational, Technology, and Scheduling"

Have you ever created a user manual or book of operational procedures?

"I have created three manuals in the past. One was for my internal team, as a reference guide related to processes and operational procedures. The second, was a troubleshooting shortcut document for my client, after a major tech implementation. The third was related to resources and tools for my clients and their employees to utilize at their discretion. I enjoy technical writing and found these projects to be very satisfying."

Creating a user manual, or operational book takes a high level of industry knowledge, technical writing skills, and a great deal of vision and organization. If you have created documents of this sort, it's a great idea to bring them with you to your interview, to show the hiring authority your work first hand. If you do not have experience, perhaps you have contributed to a similar project. Or, maybe you have taken a technical writing course, helping you to feel confident that you can take on a task such as this.

"I have not directly created any user manuals or operational procedure books; however, I have contributed to a couple of client manuals that my supervisor created. I helped to research the data that she included, and I also performed some proofreading tasks."

Getting team members on the same page and committed to common goals has its challenges when you encounter differing opinions. Tell me about a time when you were able to influence team members to be more committed to a project?

"I've found that tapping into an employee's commitment and resonating with them at many levels builds trust and shows that I am genuinely interested in their success. This approach has helped me garner support for my teams, and it has allowed me to paint a picture that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Presenting the challenge to the team, and having them step up shows accountability and the impact they can make on the team. Recognition for work performed is a big part of everyone participating and knowing they will get recognized not only by their manager, but by senior leaders as well."

Team participation can be cause a rift between team members when the team does not see the same goals and expectations that everyone else sees. There are also personalities you have to contend with, along with miscommunication and different work styles. In order to get everyone to communicate and work together, there needs to be a common goal everyone if working together to achieve. The interviewer wants to see how you handle pressure managing different personalities, and how you get everyone to work together despite everyone having their own agenda and working style. It helps if you mention to the interviewer that you communicate to each member the importance of their job role, and that you make each team member feel important, and that their contribution is valuable.

"Participation of any sort takes commitment and dedication. My consulting style has always been to make a connection with the team so they can see the importance of their contribution. Convincing the team to believe in the company mission, vision, and goals is important. The tact I take is highlighting the credit they will receive and attracting attention for their quality work. I pay close attention to these areas as they are important to foster team building."

At NetLight Consulting AB we take privacy and confidentiality very seriously. Are you willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement, if hired?

"I have signed non-disclosure agreements in the past; although I am not currently under one. I see the importance of agreements such as this and am most willing to comply."

Signing a non-disclosure agreement is quite common in the software and technology industry. If hired, you will likely become privy to trade secrets, pending patents, and other innovative projects that must remain confidential. Talk to the interviewer about your willingness to sign an agreement. If you are currently under non-disclosure or non-compete agreement with your present employer, now is the time to discuss that.

"I am happy to review any privacy and confidentiality agreements that you have."

We're a company of innovative thinkers; we rely upon our innovative thinking to solve client problems. Tell me about a time when you came up with a breakthrough idea that was not obvious to others. Describe your idea and how you developed it?

"I've always considered myself an Outside the Box thinker. Settling for the norm has never been my working style. I always work with the expectation that my idea will serve many purposes, and bring value to our customers. One example is when I came up with an idea to train the trainer at multiple locations via remote video conferencing. This idea was well received, and was implemented at over 50 locations worldwide. I came up with the idea because I was responsible for training multiple divisions and didn't have the budget to fly everyone in from multiple locations for the training sessions."

Innovation is the cornerstone of any successful company. If you show me a highly successful company, I will show you people within that company that were innovative thinkers. Great examples are Steve Jobs from Apple, Bill gates from Microsoft, and Jeff Bezos of Amazon just to name a few. The hiring manager is posing this as a two-part question to see if your response is clear, concise, and related to the question. Stay on point with your response, because that's what they're looking for. Think about this question for a minute to dissect what they are asking. They are a company of innovators.....which means, will you fit into their culture and be able to come up with ideas that will be innovative. They will be listening attentively to how you articulate your message about your breakthrough idea. Walk them through how you came up with the idea, what your thought process was, how you got approval to move forward, and how you executed on the idea.

"I was working on implementing a friendlier looking graphical user interface solution for a financial services client. The inspiration came from the feedback I received from people at the client site complaining about processing transactions on a mainframe computer that wasn't much fun to work with or look at. They were used to the dreaded Green Screen on a mainframe, but my solution had a Windows look and feel which they liked quite a lot."

Describe a time you helped implement a new technology for your client. Did you encounter any challenges, and how did you address them?

"I find that ultimately it's up to the client to make a final decision on whether or not they choose new software. It's up to me to provide all the necessary information needed for them to make an informed decision. There are many factors involved when evaluating new software. I'd like to provide some details about what goes into an evaluation and deployment of new software, and how challenges might be overcome. 1. Strategy and Technology Alignment - what are the goals of the organization, and how is the new software able to meet their business needs? 2. Is there Buy-in from senior leadership or stakeholders - Did management request to look at new software technology, or did it come from an external source? 3. Possible challenges that might come up - Is there anyone in the company that is against implementing new software, and why? 4. Will the new software integrate with existing technology infrastructure - Perform a system analysis to see if additional hardware is needed to support the new software? 5. Team training - How many people within all the departments will need training. My recommendation would be the train-the-trainer method. 6. Who will be maintaining the system once it goes live - Is there internal resources within the company with the proper expertise to maintain the system?"

Anytime you are introducing new technology to a client, you'll have your fair share of people who agree with you, and an equal amount of naysayers in that group too. This is an opportunity to talk about how you were involved in the process from start to finish, and where you encountered challenges, either with the software or personnel and what you did in a problem solver role to resolve those problems. If you look at it, the real purpose of introducing software to an organization is to improve the performance of a business. Give a couple examples of how you were able to get a consensus from department managers and their subordinates to move forward with the implementation. As you're going through these examples, be sure to mention how exactly they will be able to achieve their goals using the new software, and that you'll be able to bring value to the project immediately.

"It is my belief that when a company is exploring the possibility of implementing new software, there needs to be alignment from executive leadership and everyone else that could be impacted by new implementation. This includes the strategic, operational, and tactical perspective of the company. Let me give you an example of how I was able to propose a new software and the approach that I took to address challenges. 1. I showed examples of what the Risk vs Reward would look like after the software was implemented. 2. I inventoried all existing software to see if there were any other software packages that could address current issues without having to buy new software. 3. I gave management a timeline of how long it would take to implement, and how much it would cost. 4. I provided a post-implementation plan that included support and maintenance so that they knew what to expect going forward, and that there weren't going to be any surprises."

There are times when you need to consider a broad range of options before recommending a solution. What was the situation, and did the solution help the client?

"As an IT Consultant, I regularly keep up to date on new technologies in software, hardware, networking, security, and programming. It goes without saying that any consultant would have to fully understand a client's business needs before making any recommendations. In one particular case, i had a meeting with the COO to learn what the business drivers were, and why he thought they needed a new software solution. I learned that their sales organization didn't have a CRM to track and manage customer and sales data. I researched three Customer Resource Manager (CRM's) that met the client's qualification, and after a 30 day trial period, I suggested one that met their needs. After implementation, the client was able to view a pipeline of sales activities, customer order data, closed sales, sales reps activities, which is exactly what they wanted."

When you're in a position of trust with a client, they lean heavily on you for advice, guidance, and direction. This is a great opportunity for you to explore multiple options that will yield a desirable result for the client. The client will expect you to present options that not only fit within their budget, but meet their business requirements. Some examples might be one or more of the following; Sales Pipeline Development, Product Order Status, Invoicing, Production, Accounts Payables/ Receivables, Project Management, etc. The solution could be a software or hardware solution. Thinking outside the box will give you an advantage. Start with a high level business requirements approach from a strategic level, and drill down to operational and tactical levels if you really want to understand where the customer is coming from, and where they want to be in the future.

"When I build relationships with clients, the first thing I think of is to help my client improve their performance and growth which can result in increased sales and increased value for the business and stakeholders. I start by conducting onsite research, monitoring day to day operations, and analyzing data to learn their business. I take it a step further to learn where manual intervention is needed, and whether a solution will be technology-based, personnel/resource based, or process based. I found that the requirement was personnel/resource-based and that they needed a team of programming experts, along with business analysts and project managers. I suggested bringing in a team that I knew would be able to handle the task of building an application to support their warehousing distribution business."

Volvo claims it's one of the safest cars in the world because fewer people die in a Volvo than in any other car manufacturer. As a consultant, how would you answer this question not knowing the accuracy of this information?

"When someone presents a claim about their company, the first thing I look at is how have the presented facts been acquired, by whom, is the source credible and reliable, and how were the facts validated to confirm that what is presented is accurate. I've found that data that is derived by a third party research firm typically has accurate and reliable data. If I'm asked a question like this, I am a bit suspicious and also ask if the statement is self serving, and if this claim has a social, cultural or political slant to it to sell more Volvo cars."

A hiring manager will pose a question like this to gauge how you will respond to facts and data that you are not able to provide at that moment in the interview. This is mostly used to see if you answer incorrectly by guessing, or taking a more prudent approach and answering more analytically which should be the correct approach. This approach will tell the interviewer that you are honest, and think through all your responses in a logical manner, and base your response on data driven facts that can be proven or verified. In order to show respect to the interviewer, I would compliment them on asking this question to you, and follow that up with how the interviewer wants you to answer that question. They might want you to explain a process you use to validate the information or ask additional questions to learn more before responding.

"Anytime I am asked to answer a question about a claim that I'm not familiar with, I always ask additional questions to validate that the claim is in fact correct and that the sources that are presenting the claim are reliable. I'll give you an example of some qualifying questions that I ask to learn more about a claim before I answer a question. 1. How credible and reliable is the data, who gathered it, and over what period of time was this recorded? 2. How was it verified - Internallly within the company or through a third-party research company? 3. What sources provided this data - Accident survivors or others? 4. What extent has Volvo gone to in order to make this claim and what were survivors asked about the vehicles to determine their safety, reliability, and features that saved their lives?"

IT projects rely on teams and each other to succeed. Describe a scenario were you lead your team to a successful outcome?

"Teams respond in different ways based on how their manager leads. I found this to be true in many cases when I manage teams. I feel that effective collaboration and leveraging the appropriate resources is important to reach a goal or target. I strongly believe that building strong relationships with my team and stakeholders separates me from mediocre managers. Igniting a passion in my team has helped me show them that anything is possible when you work together as a team to achieve a successful outcome. It's not difficult to envision a goal if you nurture a belief in your team, and trust their capabilities. Case in point, I was tasked with creating and documenting a sequence of events for our IT Project Management team so that projects could be assigned more efficiently, and everyone from the project management team would get task notifications to complete before the next phase of a project could be assigned to another project manager. This resulted in projects starting and completing 40% faster, and with an established sequence in place, this was easy to follow and maintain for the department manager."

Here's a great opportunity to show the value and worth that you can bring to the organization. While you were managing a team, you can describe how you motivated and empowered your team so they could have ownership and accountability on the project. Your goals should be to illustrate how you recognized the team's achievements, and inspired them to work towards a successful outcome. Don't forget to provide examples of when you were able to meet deadlines, and overcome obstacles that might have delayed your project. Lastly, provide a purpose for the project, and how important their involvement is, and why it's important to have a successful outcome for the project.

"There was a particular instance where my team and I were assigned a project to re-write the functionality of a module from our enterprise software. Our goal was to develop new features in the manufacturing module so it could perform real-time data analytics and the plant manager could track inventory levels, and error rates in the production environment. I made sure that my team was well prepared and understood what needed to be done for this to be a success. This initiative resulted in timely reorders when stock was low, and it also reduced error rates by 70% which also resulted in cost savings to our bottom line."

Help me understand your standards for success in your last job. Please describe what you did to attain those standards, and if you fell short of expectations, what did you do to remedy the problem?

"There are standards that I follow which have made me successful. I start by putting together a winning team. The way that I select a team is I look for winning attitudes, and quality attributes that fit within our team dynamics. Each team member must possess a willingness to learn from failures, and the eagerness to practice and improve even under challenging deadlines. Each person on my team has to accept ownership of their role, and be accountable for their work. Lastly, each and every person on my team has to be respectful to each other."

If you look at companies of all sizes, you'll find different types of standards for each one of them. A smaller company's standards might differ from a larger one, and this could be based on processes, management and overall operations. They hiring manager in this case would like to hear if you value standards, and if you are involved in setting standards or following them. Ideally you want to explain that you have involvement with both. Start with some basic facts about the standards you have set, and how you have garnered support from leadership and have successfully maintained those standards over a long period of time. It's also important to talk about times you had challenges maintaining standards, and how you were able to remedy issues that came up, and regain the support of your teams. This shows the interviewer your human side, because everyone falls short of expectations at some point, but what you did to remedy the problem will be something they will pay close attention to.

"When it comes to standards, there are many ways to measure success. For me, customer satisfaction is a very important measurable metric. It's my job to figure out what the client is looking for in order to ensure complete satisfaction. I admit, client satisfaction isn't always easy to measure, but once you develop a system that allows them to measure success, you will have a better idea of how to meet their needs. This is a common practice that I developed and use with all my customers. In rare cases where I fell short of my client's expectations, I always examine where things went wrong, and implement a change to immediately right the ship. It could be a number of things like budget, bureaucracy, unrealistic timelines, etc. I document all project cases so I prevent failures in the future."

Have you worked on application development projects, if so what technologies have you used, and what was your specific role on those projects?

"I've worked on several client-side coding projects in my current role, and in past roles as well. My preference and strength is client-side coding, but it doesn't discount the fact that I'm equally as strong on server-side coding. Most recently, I'm leading a team of web developers on a few projects. On one of our projects, we're using HTML, JavaScript, Ajax, and jQuery frameworks development tools to develop an e-commerce web portal to sell our company products globally. I Incorporated Magento as the shopping cart solution to make it easy to order using a credit card or other online payment options."

Application development is a broad set of technologies, and it can apply to building applications using tools from several software brands. There are typically two categories of technologies within application development. The first is client-side scripting/coding using technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, etc. The second is Server side scripting/coding using technologies such as PHP, ASP (Microsoft), Cold Fusion, Python, etc. The reason a hiring manager at NetLight Consulting AB would ask this question is to see which category you fall under. They want to know if you're qualified to do both. Most consultants who have spent considerable time consulting on application development projects should have a solid working knowledge of both. The hiring manager might also ask about the application development lifecycle which is now more geared toward web application development. Almost all applications nowadays will be developed for the web. When you answer these questions, make sure you understand what they are asking before giving a full explanation.

"Although I can work on both client-side and server-side, I'm mindful that web servers need to be addressed a little differently so both server-side and client-side can co-exist in harmony. As part of any development project, there are certain guidelines and standards that need to be followed to ensure the project is a success. My role is to be hands-on when it comes to identifying which web application frameworks to use for specific projects and to make sure the team is adhering to coding guidelines and standards like folder structure, file names, coding logic, file organization, classes and functions, and naming conventions. As with any development project, I do follow the web applications lifecycle model which covers; defining the application requirements, analysis, architecture design, team development, programming testing and bug fixing, and implementation."

What is the highest ROI percentage you have delivered to a client?

"The highest ROI I was able to deliver to a client was a whopping 62%. Our company's standard at that time was 26% so you can see my excitement when our team was able to generate such a great result. The client did not expect such a significant return, and I attribute the success to our highly collaborative approach, excellent communication, and an exceptionally talented team. I look forward to delivering similar results to NetLight Consulting AB."

An excellent consultant will know exactly what they have delivered to clients in the past, and why they were able to achieve such exceptional results. Talk to the interviewer about the greatest ROI you have been able to help a client achieve. Include your thoughts on what made the project a success and assure the interviewer that you will be able to repeat that success.

"Last year, my average ROI was 17%, with an industry average of 9%. I believe my success is directly related to the fact that I perform regular progress reports, ensuring my clients are fully aware of where the project is headed. Clear communication means a smoother project and top-notch results. I am excited to bring these same results to NetLight Consulting AB and your clients."

A client wants to implement a new software system that was recommended by a different division of the same company. How do you evaluate it to ensure it's the right choice?

"I've been in similar situations like this before, and have consulted clients on what needs to be considered before a new software implementation can take place. In a consulting engagement, a proper discovery and background must be conducted on the business. This step is absolutely critical. If you don't understand why the customer is asking you to evaluate new software for their business, you'll miss the most important part of why you are evaluating the software. My experience has shown that if you find the compelling event or pain point that's prompting them to look at a new system, you'll know if it's the right choice for them."

It's not uncommon for many corporations with multiple locations or divisions to have different computer systems and networks that don't necessarily talk to each other. They may share a few common systems that allow them to communicate with other locations or business units to conduct business as usual. Since companies that are decentralized have systems, networks, and/or software that could differ from other locations, hiring managers will ask how you will gather information, who you will talk to, the method you will use to evaluate the new software, and how you will arrive at a decision to recommend or not recommend the software. Giving an example or short checklist of what you will cover in the evaluation process will be important.

"There's a step-by-step process that I follow that yields great results when it comes to evaluating new software for a corporation or division. As mentioned earlier, a proper discovery of the business operations is critical. Let me walk you through the process I use as part of the discovery: 1. Have the client explain the need for the software and the problems they expect it to solve for them. 2. Ask if they have the technical expertise internally to maintain the software, or do they plan to outsource the maintenance for the software to an IT Consultant or firm. 3. Do an assessment of their current technology infrastructure to see if they can support this new software and if they need to purchase additional hardware to run the system. 4. Find out how many people would potentially need to be trained on the new software, starting with key personnel (Administrators/Power Users) managing the system. 5. Provide a comparison of similar software with similar features, benefits, along with a breakdown of pricing for each software solution, and what it will cost in the long run. 6. Ask when they want you to submit a report on your evaluation."

Our clients have high expectations of our work, tell me about a time you worked with challenging time constraints, but were still able to exceed client expectations.

"Almost every project will have time sensitivity challenges and deadlines that need to be met. I am very mindful of these things, and take the appropriate steps to ensure projects are planned properly with the appropriate amount of resources, technology, and approvals throughout the process. The way that I start and execute on a project is always with a project plan that serves as a roadmap for success. If I am to avoid time constraints and other challenges, I clearly identify the deliverables, and follow through on the most efficient way to produce them. In order to avoid distractions, I take a close look at design and test times, project risk, team focus, and management involvement so that we minimize delays from the executive level."

If I only had more time. I hear this all the time. It's a fact of life in the business world. Being prepared for situational questions that ask about project planning, resource planning, expectations, delivery, and how you anticipate distractions will show the hiring manager that you have meticulously planned and know each step in the process. Your answer should reflect the steps you take to resolve a problem, or minimize risk so problems don't occur. Walk the interviewer through one of the steps in the process, and detail how you address time constraints specifically, and how you are able to still meet client expectations. Detail this response with how you set up a project plan, the step-by-step approach, and why everyone needs to follow the process in order to avoid delays, and to deliver on time.

"When I start a project, there are a number of tasks and milestones that I consider very carefully. The most important one is identifying risks up front to avoid surprises. I take a systematic approach to each step and phase of the project. It has been my experience that setting quality expectations in advance sets the tone for a much more favorable outcome for the project. Keeping a focus and not deviating from the original plan is important for meeting milestones and expectations. I understand that changes happen, and change management needs to be addressed if this happens. If or when change happens, we refocus the project using rapid application development RAD to stay on schedule so the delivery date of the project doesn't change."

Listening to our clients is absolutely essential to understanding their business and technology needs. Tell me about a time when you're listening skills helped exceed their expectations in the delivery of the project?

"I've worked with many clients at different levels of an organization, including executive level management personnel. Being a good listener is an absolute requirement, and getting the opportunity to collaborate with clients and help solve their problems is very rewarding for me. It's important for me to show clients that they are getting the highest value possible for their money. When I have conversations with clients, I sometimes find that they don't know what they don't know, and I find that this is a good base level start because you're starting from scratch and identifying problems as you walk through their environment from top to bottom. My basic qualifiers start with technology, and how they use it. Here's a basic outline of questions I posed. 1. What platform do you run your ERP or enterprise software? Windows, UNIX, Linux, etc.? The reason I ask this questions is after I find out what they are using, it's easier for me to suggest a software solution. After explaining the pros and cons of their current set up, I recommend a solution that will help solve their problem. 2. What database are you using to store your data? SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, BD2, etc. The reason I ask this question is to see if they are up to date with current versions, and the capacity of data and where it resides. I also ask whether their data is On-Premise or in the Cloud. Depending on the responses, I would be able to make suggestions on efficient ways to work with that data."

It's easy for a client to overlook small details, that's why they hire IT Consultants so they can stay in the know. IT Consultants typically take a deeper dive into a clients operation from a technology and business perspective. One of the biggest reasons that clients look to IT consultants is to look at their organization from an outsider's point of view. Having a vantage point into client operations, and how they do things tells the client that another pair of eyes sees things they might have missed. It's important to recognize that a client is relying on your expertise to give them a perspective that an internal employee would normally not see. Some of the areas you might want to address with the client is how they run their operations, and even have them rate their current level of expertise with all their technologies. This will reveal a few things. One of the most important is where you need to navigate and lead the interview discussion. Asking questions like what do you like and dislike about your current operations. Offer up that you like the challenge of solving problems, and working in different types of environments, and perfecting your craft.

"My prior work has taught me that asking the right questions at the right time is very important. When I do discovery with a client, there are a number of questions that I ask to arrive at a few core problems they are facing. Let me give you an example of what I ask, and why. 1. Walk me through your current process, and highlight an area where you are experiencing pains and challenges? The reason I ask this is to build trust with the client, and get them to talk extensively about their problems, and how you can propose a solution. 2. Is it your belief that a software application will be able to solve these problems for you? I ask this question to see if they think they need a software solution, or is it just a process fix that can be achieved by process and productivity improvements, along with process re-engineering."

Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.

"The greatest accomplishment in my career was graduating University as an honors student while still working full time in a related field. I was top of my class, and working full time. This accomplishment showed me that I could dedicate myself to my career, and reach the goals that I set for myself. It felt great to accomplish so much and be recognized for my dedication."

Talking about your most significant accomplishment will give the interviewer a firm idea of where you place your values. It will also show the interviewer more about your personality, how you like to be motivated, and how to coach you in the future. It is okay to brag a little bit when answering this question. Show that you are proud of yourself and your career accomplishments!

"My greatest work-related accomplishment was the management promotion I received at Company X after just one year. I worked very hard for that promotion and was so happy when my work and dedication was rewarded. It kick-started my career."

NetLight Consulting AB Interview Questions

Go Back

1. Tell me about the most interesting project you have worked on this year and the biggest thing you learned from it.
2. Great communication skills are critical when working as an IT Consultant. Walk me through a time when you were successful in communicating with a person that was difficult to work with, and under difficult circumstances?
3. The way we approach clients in our business is we identify client needs and recommend solutions to their needs. Tell me about a time when your knowledge and expertise allowed you to make a recommendation to resolve a problem or address a pain point?
4. Your client is Apple. The year is 1984. They just released the Macintosh computer. They want you to estimate the demand for this product over the next 20 years. What do you tell them about market demand and whether there's a market for this invention?
5. Your client is a Tier 1 Automotive supplier interested in entering into a non-automotive market through organic or inorganic expansion. How would you advise them to proceed?
6. Tell me about a time where you made a great recommendation that you think would have greatly benefited your client, but they just didn't like it. What approach did you take to convince them?
7. We want to hire people at NetLight Consulting AB who have the desire to lead others. How many people did you supervise at your last position?
8. Your client is considering entering a new market. They have a choice of buying an existing company, or developing the technology in-house. What approach would you take about advising them on making the best business decision?
9. Explain qualitative vs. quantitative reasoning.
10. What would you consider your technical specialty?
11. Are you LEAN Six Sigma certified?
12. How do you assess a clients' current technology systems and solutions?
13. How do you define success?
14. A client of ours wants to discuss a possible divestiture of some of their company locations. What are some key points during a consulting discovery that you want to understand to determine if our firm can potentially assist them?
15. Describe a situation where a project you were managing failed. What did you learn about this failure, and were you able to salvage or turn it around?
16. Have you ever created a user manual or book of operational procedures?
17. Getting team members on the same page and committed to common goals has its challenges when you encounter differing opinions. Tell me about a time when you were able to influence team members to be more committed to a project?
18. At NetLight Consulting AB we take privacy and confidentiality very seriously. Are you willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement, if hired?
19. We're a company of innovative thinkers; we rely upon our innovative thinking to solve client problems. Tell me about a time when you came up with a breakthrough idea that was not obvious to others. Describe your idea and how you developed it?
20. Describe a time you helped implement a new technology for your client. Did you encounter any challenges, and how did you address them?
21. There are times when you need to consider a broad range of options before recommending a solution. What was the situation, and did the solution help the client?
22. Volvo claims it's one of the safest cars in the world because fewer people die in a Volvo than in any other car manufacturer. As a consultant, how would you answer this question not knowing the accuracy of this information?
23. IT projects rely on teams and each other to succeed. Describe a scenario were you lead your team to a successful outcome?
24. Help me understand your standards for success in your last job. Please describe what you did to attain those standards, and if you fell short of expectations, what did you do to remedy the problem?
25. Have you worked on application development projects, if so what technologies have you used, and what was your specific role on those projects?
26. What is the highest ROI percentage you have delivered to a client?
27. A client wants to implement a new software system that was recommended by a different division of the same company. How do you evaluate it to ensure it's the right choice?
28. Our clients have high expectations of our work, tell me about a time you worked with challenging time constraints, but were still able to exceed client expectations.
29. Listening to our clients is absolutely essential to understanding their business and technology needs. Tell me about a time when you're listening skills helped exceed their expectations in the delivery of the project?
30. Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.

NetLight Consulting AB Interview Questions

1. Tell me about the most interesting project you have worked on this year and the biggest thing you learned from it.

2. Great communication skills are critical when working as an IT Consultant. Walk me through a time when you were successful in communicating with a person that was difficult to work with, and under difficult circumstances?

3. The way we approach clients in our business is we identify client needs and recommend solutions to their needs. Tell me about a time when your knowledge and expertise allowed you to make a recommendation to resolve a problem or address a pain point?

4. Your client is Apple. The year is 1984. They just released the Macintosh computer. They want you to estimate the demand for this product over the next 20 years. What do you tell them about market demand and whether there's a market for this invention?

5. Your client is a Tier 1 Automotive supplier interested in entering into a non-automotive market through organic or inorganic expansion. How would you advise them to proceed?

6. Tell me about a time where you made a great recommendation that you think would have greatly benefited your client, but they just didn't like it. What approach did you take to convince them?

7. We want to hire people at NetLight Consulting AB who have the desire to lead others. How many people did you supervise at your last position?

8. Your client is considering entering a new market. They have a choice of buying an existing company, or developing the technology in-house. What approach would you take about advising them on making the best business decision?

9. Explain qualitative vs. quantitative reasoning.

10. What would you consider your technical specialty?

11. Are you LEAN Six Sigma certified?

12. How do you assess a clients' current technology systems and solutions?

13. How do you define success?

14. A client of ours wants to discuss a possible divestiture of some of their company locations. What are some key points during a consulting discovery that you want to understand to determine if our firm can potentially assist them?

15. Describe a situation where a project you were managing failed. What did you learn about this failure, and were you able to salvage or turn it around?

16. Have you ever created a user manual or book of operational procedures?

17. Getting team members on the same page and committed to common goals has its challenges when you encounter differing opinions. Tell me about a time when you were able to influence team members to be more committed to a project?

18. At NetLight Consulting AB we take privacy and confidentiality very seriously. Are you willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement, if hired?

19. We're a company of innovative thinkers; we rely upon our innovative thinking to solve client problems. Tell me about a time when you came up with a breakthrough idea that was not obvious to others. Describe your idea and how you developed it?

20. Describe a time you helped implement a new technology for your client. Did you encounter any challenges, and how did you address them?

21. There are times when you need to consider a broad range of options before recommending a solution. What was the situation, and did the solution help the client?

22. Volvo claims it's one of the safest cars in the world because fewer people die in a Volvo than in any other car manufacturer. As a consultant, how would you answer this question not knowing the accuracy of this information?

23. IT projects rely on teams and each other to succeed. Describe a scenario were you lead your team to a successful outcome?

24. Help me understand your standards for success in your last job. Please describe what you did to attain those standards, and if you fell short of expectations, what did you do to remedy the problem?

25. Have you worked on application development projects, if so what technologies have you used, and what was your specific role on those projects?

26. What is the highest ROI percentage you have delivered to a client?

27. A client wants to implement a new software system that was recommended by a different division of the same company. How do you evaluate it to ensure it's the right choice?

28. Our clients have high expectations of our work, tell me about a time you worked with challenging time constraints, but were still able to exceed client expectations.

29. Listening to our clients is absolutely essential to understanding their business and technology needs. Tell me about a time when you're listening skills helped exceed their expectations in the delivery of the project?

30. Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.