Struggling with explaining projects during interviews

Hi Erikka,

All the stalwarts have given you good guidance, additionally you could search on the net, get across scenario based Project management questions. Write them down, step by step as to how you will answer. How you will start your explanation. Give anecdotes. By the time you answer all the scenario based questions you would have covered good ground. Practice speaking, maybe you are getting nervous and the flow of explanations might not be clear. Ask a friend or colleague to ask you those scenario based questions you have collected, or if that is not possible – record your own video and review it to improve your explanations. Once you are well prepared, you will be able to handle the interview well.
All the best, do share you success.

Tha important thing is to said what your interviewer like to hear. When going to an interview you have to perform the same activity when you are asigned to a project: elicitation. You need to know all you can about the organization where you are applying. Mainly you need to know about the pain they have and are the reason to search project managers. That´s the focus.

Very good tips already provided. In addition, think of a project or two about which you are extremely proud. Perhaps because you took it over from a lousy PM and were able to turn the project around, or because it was company's mission critical and you delivered it with flying colors. Showcase them well, exceed interviewers expectations and get the job! Good luck!

Remember this Alan Davis (the Master on requirements) said to me: people will not buy the product or the project. "Those interested in the solution are not buying the resulting product, nor the project that gives rise to it. They are buying the security that the person in charge of the project and the product, can offer them respecting that their expectations about the product and the project will be reached "

I have the same problem. I can prepare in advance, but I feel like I stumble through the interview trying to explain my past projects. They ask a question and I struggle to recall a relatable answer (until after the interview)

Just try to give some information about the size and complexity of the project and then describe your actions using PM terminology and add the examples from your project for each significant step.

Think about specific instances where you made a significant impact on your projects. Write down:
- What was the situation?
- What did you do? (How you got it done.)
- What was the outcome?

Be very specific. You are trying to explain how you determined the right course of action and followed it through to affect a positive outcome. Writing down those specifics on a variety of your best PM moments will give you a portfolio of stories to use to explain your value to the potential employers.

Hi Errika,

Most of the valuable points already suggested by experts and I would like to suggest in some different angle so that its help you to explain them and give them what they are asking?

You are the project manager in the HR Department and if some requirements/project come to your from different departments as a resource requirement for their project then how you deal with them?

ask yourself How you will initiate it?, Plan it? , execute it?, Monitoring & Control them? and How you will close that requirement or Project? till department project complete... in this aspect you have to think and note down the steps systematically with respect to project management ways so if you work out in this manner, it will help you to overcome nervousness and give lot of confidence to explain them and answer them the way they are asking hope this will help to explain in interview....