1. Why Amazon?
3 reasons:
Referred from my friend key characteristics1) Customer centricity – putting yourself in the feet of customers to win their trust and
confidence. For me, in this this role - producing customer friendly products for the tax
business where can I add value, what business processes can make your life easier.
2) Autonomy (being trusted to make good decision) and the people (proactive and asking
where they can assist rather than waiting)
3) I enjoy deep diving and staying connected to details, and from what I’ve heard Amazon
is a very data driven company so I would enjoy using data to make key decisions
2. Tell me about a time when you had to leave a task unfinished.
S – BT as the lead project manager for Making Tax Digital. Requirements Gathering - To build new
consolidation and assurance tool for the VAT business.
T – Requirement phase If we continued finishing with capturing requirements – it would result in the
tool not being delivered by the legislative deadline.
A-I made a decision to not finish requirements- build tool based on core specification and any
customization to the tool i.e. non core elements, we would capture at a later date
Make clear what was core and non-core, ensured there was a clear plan communicated to key
stakeholders so they knew what to pick up on the unfinished task
R- There was a tool ready by the legislative deadline date – tax team had early play with the tool
3. Tell me about a time when you gave a simple solution to a complex problem
S – EY Tax projects
T – Junior team members had regular periods to study and taken take exams. Which would leave
period of work where unable to complete activities on time
A – I understood when people were free, built a plan around this,
Asked other resource if they were free
And if not available I flagged as a risk to senior management
R Provided suitable resource, high staff morale
4. Tell me about a time when you invented something
S – EY designed a platform for a bank business
T- Their customers had to meet regulations (FATCA and CRS – where different tax
authorities speak to one another). Currently had staff working through complex logic per
client which was timely and increased error
A – Once template form is completed, automate logic of business rules for each customer.
R- 3 month process now tool 4 weeks
One off capex cost – little work to update each year
5. Tell me about a time when you had to work with incomplete data or information.
S&T – Project manager at EY for a new tool to index customer’s data to ensure they were
GDPR compliant. Testing the tool, and key Developer member who understood the problem
and fix went on leave
A- As a team held a discussion as to what we could do. No options seemed great.
I spent time after the meeting reviewing testing issue via emails and defect tracker I was
able to draw some conclusions by looking at the brief. I made a decision that enables us
to continue
R- Made a decision that could fix the defect – it was the moment of taking time apart form
the group at reviewing the evidence that made the most impact
6. Tell me about a time when you influenced a change by only asking questions.
S&T – Managed video conferencing service at BT. Service was poor
A-Asked and listened questions to local users of the tool. What their issues was, how lfrequent their
issue was, what impact it had.
Went into each conversation with no preconceived idea, listened to understand rather than respond
7. Tell me about a time when you solved a problem through just superior knowledge or
observation.
S& T- underutilising budget is one area and overspending on external spent
A – Clear table:
Project spend to date – underutilised budget – over spendNot trying to prepare budget within a predefined box but communicating clearly what the facts are
in order for the tax business to make a decision
The tax business were then able to understand that more than budgeted external spend
8. Tell me about your proudest professional achievement.
Meet GDPR deadline for a Bank
9. Tell me about a time when you took a calculated risk.
Left stable job to join graduate scheme
10. Tell me about a time when you had to work with limited time or resources.
Current role
11. Give me two examples of when you did more than what was required in any job
experience.
Video conferencing
Current role
12. Tell me about an unpopular decision of yours. Working longer hours
First call:
1) A time you failed on something? How did I get them to be ok with this? What was the
reception? What would I do differently?
Failed exams at first job – gutted at first but quickly look at why I failed, what I could have done
differently. Helicopter view.
Listened to feedback
2) When I changed a process or had a new idea? How did I get them onboard? How did they react
to this idea?
Risk management tool
3) How have I convinced a team member of my ideas? What were their concerns? How did I
convince them?
Not customized tool – see what in house processes will be built
4) Something halfway through I saw there was a bigger opportunity than planned?
Tax data tool- can be used for other clients
Second Call:
5) When I overachieved on something? What were the 3 obstacles? How did I convince them?
Secondment for ABC – Unknown area
6) When I dived deep into data to find and answer? What was I trying to find?
Audit of printers
Assessment day on video, 1st:
7) Done something to a tight deadline? What decided the change? What would I do differently? How
did I get people to do this task? What was the conversation like? How did it all fit together?
GDPR deadline
8) When I overcame an obstacle? What was the start of the issue? How did I find the issue? Talk me
through how you used data to find this?
Support arrangement provided was not fit for purpose- no support organisation
9) When I did a task I didn't think I could achieve? How did I make it happen?
Secondment – ABC and CCO. How would I do this
2nd (Head of SVM, the boss)
10) When I used data to find and fix a problem (some questions are repeated)
Printers and video conferencing
11) When I had a complex problem with a big amount of detail to consider? How and where did I
find these points?
Baseline journal list
12) A time when I created a metric? (at this point I realised I didnt want the job!) How did I create it?
How did it change the before and after in working?
Service level agreements with the 3rd party
3rd (Roof Raiser!)
13) A time when a customer was difficult? How did I discover this problem?
Examples where clients expect out of scope requirements
14) When I did something that was outside of my remit? How did I get others to get involved?
Data Gathering process – Understand the mechanics of how data gather
4th:
15) When your manager asked you to do something you disagreed with? How did you deal with it?
What was your approach? What was the result?
Less nice
16) A time when you wanted to do something but your manager didn't agree? How did you get them
onboard? How did I approach it? Did it benefit anyone else?
Iterative Build – manager disagreed
5th:
17) A new idea to improve productivity and morale on my team? How did it help and what was the
result?
Celebrate achievements more
18) When I implemented a new process to make it easier for the customer to shop? How did the
success get measured? Outside of sales, what else made it successful? How did I get everyone to try
it? What would I of done differently?
19) When I thought differently and out of the box and it wasn't agreed with? How did I measure the
success of it? How did I save the business money? What were the main challenges?
Agile – business didn’t agree as should try everything