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Topic starter
June 15, 2018 2:54 pm
An interview question from either the interviewer or interviewee can be "what do you expect the from the first 3 months in the job".
And as a newbie say in transition to a job either in academia or to a new job industry one may have a theoretical expectation of what that could look like.
Certainly some hiring-managers will have an idea what that could look like as well, with respect to the candidates behavior.
The theoretical expectation is something to the tune of being in a learning phase or mode. That includes on-boarding in the form of training and having 1 on 1 meetings with varied stakeholders to persoanlly get to know them, understand their role and how you work with them. Then you get time to understand processes and understanding the broader workings of the organization while have while comfortably having the time to understand the job role and responsiblity, with clear mapping of objectives and tasks. And a key acheivement is at the the end of 3 months you're ready to run with all tools with a clear map to "start" to do the job.
Then, there is reality.
1. On your third day an urgent email comes in with need for data or report in 3 days and you're the only one available to do it. Your boss offer's support but they deliver is you and you boss is depending on your support.
2. During this time another urgent request comes in and in 2 weeks you're expected to give an update on a project you've only just inherited to another Program team. and about mid-way through the second week you're expected to review and comment on a report and fill in the missing sections.
3. Then on the 3rd week you're expected to travel to other site to attend the 2nd kick-off meeting of a project you've only just been in-formed you're the member of.
4. At the end of you're first month, your team-mate quits for another job and you are now responsible for a number of their task too.
5. You start your second month an you have many task on the your plate, you have not mapped any objectives - your role is not clear defined other than you're leading a few project and now standing member on number of task-forces, project teams, and programs.
6. As far as those 1:1 meetings to personally know people....Nope. You've met this folks in a project meeting where you're first interaction is addressing one of their questions and your first 5 minute conversation is name exchage, objective dicussion on task at hand and next steps with a promise to have a more prolonged meeting to get to know you..which ...will probably not happen unless you push through. Next thing you know, you're working with people but you know nothing about them..that's the reality i think these days.
The this was my most recent experience - i am 4 months in to my new job so with minumal time to learn my products, data, learn who people are, I am delviering, pushing and swimming the nose above water. I'm faking it till I make it.
So the theory is a nice period of learn and watch to the reality is, learn by crash-course and putting out fires, you crash and burn OR you swim with nose above water to win.
My very first job was crash and burn. Maybe i didn't know how to ask for help.
But my next job. well by virtue of the job a 3 month learning and train period consistent with the theoretical start.
The rest of company's i've been in has been "running start" just as i"ve described. That's why i can do it now swiming, nose above water. in the past i probably was flapping in the water a bit, but now..slow and steady, bring it on.
So leads me to the interview question. Do you answer with theorethical answer as I described - or do you use the reality answer? My answer..both. Acknowledge the theory but it's ok to discuss reality. You could give examples or if not at least you're acknowleding a potential reality.
I also think these days this is what's driving hiring managers who looking to hire folks ready to run. Training..what training? do the job..that's the training.
So, What have been your first 3 month experiences? Thoughts on my this post, do share!
Best,
DX
June 18, 2018 4:26 am
Great post, DX. I think you are taking the idea proposed in another thread and taking it in a logical direction. What is it that happens early on in a job, and how can managers ensure they hire people who have the stick-to-it ability to hang in there while all this stuff happens around them?
I think it would be refreshing, personally, to have people interview who actually admitted that while the 90 day plan you describe would be ideal, it may be impacted by just plain old life inside the company. As an interviewer, I really don't know what "else" can happen, what urgent stuff can be thrown in my lap, and so leaving it a bit open for these events is a good plan. And admitting that as organized as we are, there's always going to be "stuff" that happens.
Dave
Dave Jensen, Founder and Moderator
Bio Careers Forum
Topic starter
July 18, 2018 9:29 am
Hi Craig J,
Yeah maybe we do! Another issue that could be relevant but more political is how do to manage if they say in 3 months no longer have the boss who hired them! Which in my new job now, my boss who hired me is already "moved-on".
I was smirking because someone was telling me that they had 10 bosses in 6 years, because in my last company I had 10 bosses in less than 4 years.. So that's another theory vs. reality: that your boss is long term!
I think academics don't know or realize that in the industry world our supervisor also have their development plans as well, to include private out of company agendas...they can also fall out of political favor....so that's another issue to consider related to this post is ability to manage change.
And more and more in the context of "transformational changes" that many companies are going through be it a new executive board coming in place, a cost cutting re-organization, a M&A, boss-leaving, ambiguity in roles and functions, political changes of powers, etc etc. ...getting down to how flexible the candidate is!
Personally i've florished i these environments, alot of opportunites came my way experience wise while....others floundered. So i do think alot of this comes down to change management response as well.
These days the its pretty rough at least where i sit so sometimes i envy those still in the academic world who have no clue to the realities awaiting them - nearly wish i could go back to that innocence.
DX
September 7, 2018 1:09 am
SCT, sounds like a difficult start to a new job.
The company is in trouble -- let's be frank. You have joined an organization with some serious issues. So, dig in, do your best, and try to come out of this as the person who fixed it. Not someone who contributed to the ongoing disaster. Should they turn around, you could be a key person on their management team. Good luck!
Dave
PS -- Your other option is to make a very fast turn-around job change.
Dave Jensen, Founder and Moderator
Bio Careers Forum
Topic starter
September 10, 2018 9:03 am
Hi SCT,
Congrats on the job and thanks for sharing your experience. As you noted the running start is more the normal than the exception and the storm you've walked into, some of the elements of at least, is also more the normal than the exception.
Today many companys in pharma are in a pertpetual state of transformation, reorganization, etc. resulting in a perpetual change management situation. As it is said, the only constant is change.
That being said from your post, it is clear you see the challenge ahead of you and you see the opportunity. You understand there is a behvior change needed contrasting that of your predecessor and you understand from your post, that success is alot about how your work with people, not necessarily technical or deep scientific expertise. All that means nothing if you can't related to people.
So my advise to you which I think you already get - as a project manager a key role you have to help mitigate risks. Yes you are a project tracker and you must caputure deviations from plan to include delays for example. Sometimes that does in fact require courage because people don't like seeing red - but in your role you must capture and report that. A red...is a red, you report that upwards. YOu know that from project management 101.
HOWEVER, for your success, a key part of your role is, I think you already get ,is to be a fellow risk-mitigator. It works well when you help others try to understand the issues behind a deviation, if not try to role up your sleeves a bit and then put a risk-mitigting plan in place...together ..with your colleagues. That way, when you do report that "red" or deviation - you report it with some additional commentary i.e. "WE identified AB and C, and WE have decided XY and Z will be done" It's about the "WE". Don't alienate people - show you're with them, they'll already feel bad about deviation, don't put salt in an open wound.
The best project managers I worked with were the ones that stood by my side.
Good luck and remember..keep and eye on those critical passes and mind the gaps 🙂
I'm sure you'll make it past your probation period, you know the issues.
Best,
DX
September 11, 2018 11:43 pm
Anyway, my role is probationary for the first 6 months - after that period, I can leave or the company can let me go without hard feelings from either party. So I'd like to stick it out until then. If the assurances offered by the senior management are backed up by action - and I get the support I need - who knows, the company could be back on track and we can all be proud of ourselves.
You've got the right attitude about it -- good luck and keep us in touch!
Dave
Dave Jensen, Founder and Moderator
Bio Careers Forum