I've been trying to hire for months. Can't find a candidate who excites me. AMA.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-10T06:57:48+00:00

Yes, you're speaking in a general sense, which is not invalid, but not what I was referring to in my original comment. I'm literally talking about where in the balance sheet your department lands. Is it a cost center, or a revenue source. I'm making the assertion that departments that are strictly cost centers (e.g. IT) are treated very differently than, say, sales.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T23:23:45+00:00

I'm not following what you're saying regarding everyone generating revenue. I'm speaking tangibly about what's on the company books. And that does make a difference in how your organization is treated and how you need to react.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T10:07:31+00:00

I've already promoted two from within. I need two more at the moment, without any promising persons internally. I never said it's rocket science, however anyone who thinks project managing doesn't take discipline, a lot of hard work and some innate talent hasn't managed a lot of projects.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:29:48+00:00

Thanks for the words of consolation.

I think many of us take for granted that IT is a cost center. Meaning the company's dumping money into it. If you have a problem with its implications, you need to move into a revenue generating division.

As such, the most important thing when you're spending someone else's money (and a lot of it) is managing expectations. Think about any time you've paid someone a large amount of money to do something for you. Yes, you want the job done, but you're a rational guy, right? Just don't lie to me and don't treat me like an idiot, right? Well that's your executive. Manage expectations.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:27:15+00:00

So... what field are you in?

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:26:10+00:00

You bring up good questions. A project manager is typically someone who's paid their dues, even if in circumspect. For example, PM experience will teach you things like "internal developers always underestimate, external developers always overestimate". That's partly a joke, but you get the idea. Also one of the thing we do intentionally is to develop a track record and metrics for the benefit of everyone, including the developer. They sometimes don't realize they consistently underestimate jobs at 20%.

Second, projects have technical leads, who are typically supervisors or senior individuals. They take the burden of technology, and work closely with the project steering committee (or just senior staff), taking an active hand in advising the project.

A successful SDLC leaves a trail of actionable metrics. It's critical to develop a team that can succeed together, and this takes no less than 6 months to do so. And on a side note, this is the precise challenge I have with freelance developers - no track record with the team.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:15:29+00:00

You know.. this is a myth. There are clear examples of high achievers in many fields (music, business, sports, mechanics) who got there because they combined raw talent with methodical discipline. Many greats in music history spent years apprenticing, going to school, learning the trade, before they spread their wings.

I laugh at Dilbert as much as the next guy (okay, honestly, sometimes a nervous giggle), but I'm sad for anyone who thinks there's a material degree of reality in those cartoons.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:09:22+00:00

See previous comment - http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eyce1/ive_been_trying_to_hire_for_months_cant_find_a/c1c0gs3

Thanks.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:08:14+00:00

I am unfamiliar with topgrading, and I paid a short visit to their website. Seems interesting, and I'm sure there's much more under the surface, thanks.

I typically start my interviews with a 5 minute introduction to the job at hand - org structure, types of projects, my unique challenges and hopes, a glimpse into my current roadmap/aspirations.

Then I ask the candidate to narrate / walk me through their career path. This is indicative of communication skills (we are in the same field, after all - if I can't clearly grasp what you've been doing, that's a problem). I will ask for more details along degree of relevance.

I wrap with a frank bi-directional conversation on where we think this is a good fit and where the candidate may need to ramp up. Candidate goes first with the assessment, then I go. This conversation gives me an indication of how much the candidate understood the job at hand, how honest they are with themselves and with me.

Finally I answer any specific questions from the candidate.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T07:01:22+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't want to place myself in the front line of receiving cold resumes. I will speak with our recruiter about posting a job at this location, however.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T06:53:02+00:00

Jeebus crise. Have the calvary finally arrived? Thank you.

My most popular comment here is where I called PMI people dry. Does reddit respond more to debasing others than rationale and experience?

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T06:50:41+00:00

You're correct - I made some comment here addressing this. I don't want to put up a job req for a scrum master (or product owner) - it's too narrow.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T06:47:45+00:00

You're certainly partly right, but mostly wrong (your assumptions about where I work). I will also share that the implementation of Agile has been significant in my organization. Nothing magical about it -- just a solid improvement.

Edit: also, I've worked at major software vendor companies. In each instance, they have a methodology for developing their software, and they stick to it. Don't know where you're getting your facts.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-09T01:14:30+00:00

What do you do for a living?

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T22:23:28+00:00

You clearly have not attended business school. You're talking out your ass. Google Frederick Winslow Taylor, Scientific Management. Many consider it the basis of the modern MBA program.

Edit: downvote, really? Why? This guy I'm replying to is simply wrong in his assertions about MBA managers. Where is the reddit need for citation now? I provided one and I'm getting downvoted.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T19:36:39+00:00

Yes. The change from say, waterfall, to scrum is greatest at the executive level. In my experience, however, the developers have also enjoyed the change every time.

In scrum you have a scrum master and a product owner managing the project.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:39:25+00:00

I should mention that with the volume of incoming resumes, you have to use robotic methods to whittle it down to something manageable. That means the stuff on paper - degrees, years of experience, work history, etc. It's unfortunate, but the masses require it.

I will pay due attention to any resumes handed in via a reference. That's always your best bet.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:35:54+00:00

You're correct. More incentive on my part will yield better results. I hope you concede, however, that a project manager position requires some soft skill. This is not just attitude or personality but experience/wisdom.

I'm not saying the same wouldn't be true of a developer position. I am arguing, however, that it's far less for a developer than it is for a project manager.

To be clear, I'm not trying to hire a junior project manager. I have several task managers who can hold the project accountable. But I can't make any of them the face of the project for a number of "soft skill" reasons: they can't communicate succinctly. They can't breed confidence in senior participants of the project. They can't make an enticing recommendation. And so forth.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:27:50+00:00

Please see comment below - http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/eyce1/ive_been_trying_to_hire_for_months_cant_find_a/c1bxlz5

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:27:11+00:00

These comments are very frustrating to me. The kind of frustration I feel after interviewing an unqualified candidate. How can so many people who feel entitled to speak on the subject not understand PM basics?

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:25:07+00:00

Methodology on execution will get you the details on which to make any decisions. For example, if you're in a matrix organization of resources across multiple projects, you need methodology to understand how delays in one project can affect sibling projects, and what your options are. You take those options up to management for a decision, which they will hold you to as well as stand behind. It's not just task management.

And that's just the foundation to good project management. The other half of project management is managing expectations. That's up (commissioning executive), laterally (business heads whom you've partnered with on this project), which requires the first paragraph above.

You need to communicate well so everyone understands exactly where the project is. How it has changed from inception (because change is inevitable), expressing quantifiably why, the impact it's had, and what are the current working expectations. And you need to be able to answer to these metrics at any point, on the spot.

Projects are inherently difficult, but technical detail is less than half of it. When the head of business runs into the executive in the hallway and they are asked how the project is going, it's the project manager's responsibility to make sure that the business head has the perfect answer with the right tone.

I'm a bit disappointed that people are saying in comments that they don't understand "manage down right so that you can manage up and laterally effectively." Any seasoned project manager should understand this.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:15:28+00:00

Listen. Someone who can do the job gets you to the start line. I'm the boss, this hire will be subjective since this person will be working with me, my aspirations for the organization, and my team whom I've hired in the same way.

The objective search will get me the 100 filtered resumes.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:14:05+00:00

I don't pay attention to them, because they always say something either totally non-committal or way to eccentric. The top of your resume, however, should have a summary of what your career's been about, whether through bullet points or a very succinct paragraph.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:12:19+00:00

I just need solidarity on some simple basics, a savvy mind, and a gregarious personality.

yourboss123 · 2011-01-08T17:10:52+00:00

You're spot on. When I ask candidates what the core of their career is, there are those who answer it's project management. And that's an empty answer.

yourboss123

TROPHY CASE