Describe your experience with vendor selection initiatives and the artifacts you were responsible for.
This question is asked by interviewers who anticipate the need for an IT business consultant to drive or participate in the section of a technology solution that will be purchased. Vendor selection efforts can be complex and lengthy initiatives. It can be essential for a candidate to have experience in the main phases involved.
Avoid detailing the areas of vendor selection that you were not personally involved in during an interview. Interviewers understand that companies share the responsibilities of this process differently and know that a generally knowledgeable candidate can quickly come up to speed to meet their specific needs.
"I have led vendor selection initiatives for large and quick-hit solutions. I have experience facilitating the business requirement discussions, researching potential vendors, developing RFI and RFP documents, facilitating presentations, developing a scorecard to compare vendors, and serving as a technical subject matter expert during contract negotiation."
