PROUDLY PRESENTS

Roshni Patel
Resident of The United States and 3-DNET® VIP member
Email contact : roshni@exec.org

      

 

INTERVIEW WITH 3-DNET®

Listen to sample sound "bites" from the interview:  

Question 1 : Tell me about yourself

I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, and a Master of Arts in Education Administration. Both my degrees are from University of Detroit. Recently I completed Masters in Business Administration I Human Resources from American InterContinental University from Illinois. I have worked as a teacher and later in administrative positions with Detroit Public Schools. As a teacher I taught Social Science Subjects. As an administrator I supervised two departments plus coordinated the World Language Academy for the entire Detroit Public Schools District. I managed multiple sites simultaneously. I have supervised over 75 employees and have tul6titasking experience.

In my private life I am a wife and mother of two children.

Question:  "Tell me about yourself....?"  

Question 2 : What can you offer to your next employer ?

In addition to offering loyalty and hard work to my employer, I bring in management experience especially in the field of Human Resources. I have experience with interviews, scheduling, supervision and evaluation, training and budget. My specialty is handling conflicts through (ADR) Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques. Conflict management is essential to any organization. My expertise helped prevent conflicts from escalating to litigation stage. I have saved millions of dollars for my employer through ADR methods.

I have created employee handbooks for union/management guidelines. Plus I have worked with diverse workforce and have diversity management experience. In addition to that I am familiar with EEOC requirements, Affirmative Action policies, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations, FMLA, OSHA and much more.

I speak Indian and Pakistani languages. I have traveled extensively and am considered cultural savvy.

Question:  "What can you offer....?"  

Question 3 : What are your strengths ?

One of my greatest strengths is being a good listener. Having been a good listener, I have the advantage of analyzing a given situation. My attitude is very positive and I am a team player. I also believe in fair play and have high expectations for myself. Over the years I have worked with minimal to no supervision, yet to complete satisfaction of my superiors. I am also a very flexible person. Things do not always go as planned, so one has to be ready with plan B and go with the flow.

Question:  "What are your strengths?"  

Question 4 : What are your accomplishments ?

Professionally I am proud of having represented the State of Michigan in Japan as an Educational Ambassador. I also serve on (MEAP) Michigan Educational Assessment Program which is quite an honor for me. My work and reviews affect the entire student body in the state. In addition to that I have published and presented Economi8c paper in Sydney Australia at International Social Studies Conference. I have also represented my employer in Nairobi, Kenya.

Personally I am grateful for what I have. My family is important to me.

Question:  "What are your accomplishments?"  

Question 5 : What are your limitations ?

I have not limitations. I have had to struggle for many accomplishments in my life. Challenges in my life have made me better person, with a stronger personality. Limitations are a mind set. Being flexible is a way to avoid limitations.

Question:  "What are your limitations ?"  

Question 6 : How much are you worth ?

I have and always will be an asset to my employer. I bring in valuable experience and up to date education to my employer. I am willing to learn and grow with the company. I am a sincere and dedicated worker and my record can prove that. I expect to be compensated in line with the professionals in Human Resource Management as the market dictates.

Question:  "How much are you worth ?"  

Question 7 : What are your ambitions for the future ?

My ultimate career goal is to be a Vice president in Human Resource Management with me being a key role player in managerial decisions affecting the organization I work for.

Question:  "What are your ambitions for the future ?"  

Question 8 : How long would it take you start contributing to the firm? 

Once I get the position, and my job is defined for4 me, I expect to start immediately. I will do what I am expected to. My employer will feel the difference immediately with my performance. I will only be an asset to the management.

Question:  "How long would it take ... ?"  

Question 9: What is your management style?

As mentioned previously I am flexible person. I do not believe in micro management. Individuals are responsible for their work. When one fails to perform, then I step in. I am not an authoritarian person but I will get my point across. At times I have had to make tough administrative decisions. It is for the good of the organization and not personal fulfillment. I am very kind and understanding person and a good listener. All individuals are humans. However, I will not let people take advantage of a given situation either.

Question:  "What is your management style .... ?"  

Question 10: Why do you think you have a good potential to be a manager?

I have been a manager. I need to at least carry on in the management field. I have experience with multitasking since I have managed multiple sites simultaneously. As a department head I have worked on several projects from local to federal level. I am also good at delegating responsibilities. I share accolades with subordinates as well as give credit as deserved for accomplishments.

Question:  "Why do you think you..... ?"  

Question 11: What would you look for in hiring people?

When hiring new people, I look for educational background, motivation, willingness to learn and grow with the organization, and sincerity. I am also looking for someone who is willing to change in a global economy. One can bring in past experience but also be willing to change as deemed necessary.

The final quality I seek in a candidate is honesty and integrity. If one is to be trusted in an organization they have to be trusted.

Question:  "What would you look for hiring .... ?"  

Question 12: As a manager, have you ever had to fire someone?

No. Fortunately not. However, I have had to place a couple of individuals on disciplinary review. I have had pay docked, and suspensions when necessary. At other instances I have sat with union/management review board and hearings representing management.

Question:  "As a manager, have you ever..... ?"  

Question 13: What do you see as the most difficult task of being a manager?

The most difficult task for a manager is to bring about the necessary change the upper management wants. Individuals are ser in their daily routine, whether they are successful or not. In order to avoid the boiling frog syndrome, change is necessary. Resistance to change poses a major challenge to a manager.

Question:  "What do you see as...... ?"  

Question 14: Describe what you feel is the best work environment?

A good work environment is where there is cooperative teem effort rather than individual struggle. A cohesive environment is where ideas are shared, for best possible solutions. A wholesome environment includes employee involvement.

A good working environment involves professional development at all levels. Professional development empowers workers with new ideas and improved processes. It is a good scenario for an organization to value the intellects of their intellectual property.

Question:  "Describe what you feel..... ?"  

Question 15: Looking back how do you describe your past employer?

My past employer gave me an opportunity to work with diverse workforce. Hence, I have diversity management experience. In my career path I have not just worked with adults and adolescence. I have worked with individuals based on social-economic levels, cultural diversity, intellectuals, physically and mentally challenged people and much more. Whether I agreed with individual management style or not, it was the end result of our accomplishment together which mattered the most. .

Question:  "Looking back how do you ..... ?"  

Question 16: What have you done to increase productivity, performance, efficiency, etc..?

One of the first administrative responsibilities I had to tackle was to have an employee handbook. The handbooks were the guidelines I created which included the district’s expectations along with administrative expectations for all employees. I had to comply with union policies as my work supervision was for unionized workers. All employees were provided with the guidelines including union leaders. Expectations were written and put into practice. This process helped curb tardiness, and absenteeism. Performance evaluations were also formally given every six months.

Question:  "What have you done to .... ?"  

Question 17: Whether you are a "computer wizard", how do you respond to the financial side of your responsibilities?

As an administrator, I was given a budget for each department under me. The budget constraints depended on the size of the department. I had to set my priorities early. The necessities were purchased early. Then employees were given their budgets, purchases had to be approved by me and then by my immediate boss. In addition to departmental budget, I had separate budget for student books, payroll and also was responsible for various grant money for different projects. I was responsible to account to the State of Michigan and/or Federal government for all grants.

Question:  "Whether you are a "computer wizard".... ?"  

Question 18: How many people have you supervised in your recent job?

For the two departments I supervised teachers, security officers, custodial staff, substitutes and secretaries. As a district coordinator I was responsible for multiple sites and supervised the same. On an average I supervised 70 to 80 individuals. .

Question:  "How many people have you .... ?"  

Question 19: What do you like more, working with figures or words?

I prefer expressing my thoughts on paper. I am a good writer. My negotiating skills forced me to keep meticulous records for conflict resolutions. The spreadsheet sections were handled by secretaries who knew the excel program better..

Question:  "What do you like more ..... ?"  

Question 20: How do you think that your subordinates receive you?

My subordinates were always comfortable working with me. They knew I was fair and understanding. They could talk to me about any thing. They also knew that I was hard working and expected the same out of them. They knew that I would go out of my way to help them. I was known for my integrity and perseverance.

Question:  "How do you think .... ?"  

Question 21: What do you think of your previous boss?

I had more than one boss. I was fortunate that I was able to get along with all of them. I learned something new from each one of them. There was mutual trust between me and my superiors. Each boss had their own management style. I learned to adapt and hence benefited from their experiences and expertise. I have learned a lot from my bosses since they were my mentors. I also learned by observation.

Question:  "What do you think .... ?"  

Question 22: Describe a situation in which your work was criticized?

I had written a memo which went out to a number of departments. There was spelling error. One of the subordinates from another department made an issue out of the spelling error in general staff meeting. I admitted my error at the meeting immediately, thanked the person for pointing it out to me and the next day I corrected my error and re-issued the memo.

Question:  "Describe a situation .... ?"  

Question 23: If I spoke with your boss what he would say about your greatest strength and weaknesses?

My bosses have always complemented me for a job well done. I have been recognized for had work and persistence. One of my weaknesses is being tense as the deadline approaches. I have been asked to relax by my bosses.

Question:  "If I spoke with your boss.... ?"  

Question 24: How can you handle life under pressure and with tough deadlines?

As a manager multitasking and meeting the deadlines is part of the game in management. When there are many deadlines to meet, the way I conducted my business was to set priorities. Every project has deadlines. It is important to stay ahead to the game. I completed the project which is due immediately. In order to do that I often stayed late at work. I also reviewed my subordinates’ work because I was held accountable. The other thing I did was delegate work according to individual’s expertise. This way when the work was turned in, I knew what to expect.

Question:  "How can you handle .... ?"  

Question 25: What do you think you do better: staff work or line work?

I am definitely good at staff work. I am a people oriented person. To me monotony is boring. I strive for creativity. Team work brings out new ideas which in turn improves products and processes.

Question:  "What do you think.... ?"  

Question 26: In your current position, what problem have you identified that was previously overlooked?

As an administrator, I noticed that many individuals used the same teaching methods day in and day out. I almost knew the individual’s routine. I also noticed that new technology was almost non existent in my building. My suggestion to my superiors was to provide me with budget for new technology and professional development. I brought in experts from different sources for professional development. I encouraged the teaching staff to use the technology and methods for student learning. During the evaluation process individuals were evaluated on the new methods and the changes that they made using their professional development knowledge.

Question:  "In your current position .... ?"  

Question 27: If you had a choice of job and a company what would you choose?

I would choose the job. Job satisfaction and career advancement is what I am seeking. No matter where I work I want to have a responsible management position where I make decisions.

Question:  "If you had a choice of job.... ?"  

Question 28:Do you have any objection to take a psychological test?

No

Question:  "Do you have any objection.... ?"  

Question 29: Do you consider yourself as a creative person?

Creativity is the essence of progress. I am creative and always willing to try new processes. I am also willing to tap into new ideas of co-workers and team mates. During my new education process of getting and MBA, I had to be creative to complete a lot of projects given by professors. Plus in my daily managerial skills creativity played a substantial role in my success and progress.

Question:  "Do you consider yourself.... ?"  

Question 30: How do you describe your personality?

I am a compassionate person. I have a few close friends who I can fully trust. I am also quite sociable and enjoy being in the company of others. I try to avoid conflicts and agree to disagree with someone on issues but will still be friends with the individual. I understand that personalities and minds do not agree at all times but individuals are still warm hearted and good people.

Question:  "How do you describe.... ?"  

Question 31: What is your outside reading you do?

If I have time, I will read newspapers, articles editorials and cooking books.

Question:  "What is your outside.... ?"  

Question 32: What are some of your outside activities?

I stay busy working with Lions International. I belong to Detroit Renaissance Lions Club. At present I am the First Vice President of the club. We work for visually impaired people. Our organization supports worthy caused like Leader Dogs for the Blind, Welcome Home for the Blind, Penrickton Center for the Blind Children, Michigan Eye Bank and the Bear Lake Camp for the Blind Children. Our charity also supports research for the deaf and hearing impaired people. Since I am on various committees I keep busy with meeting, conventions and fund raising activities.

Question:  "What are some of.... ?"  

Question 33: Are you continuing your education?

I believe that learning is for ever. When you quit learning, you cease to exist. Attending professional developments, taking formal education classes at universities is just part of the growth. In 2004 I completed my MBA in Human Resource Management. I felt that I needed a new degree to enhance my career. Once I get a stable career in Human Resource Management I intend to go for professional certification in SPHR and/ GPHR.

Question:  "Are you continuing your.... ?"  

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