Can you discuss a job or experience that required you to learn new skills and what you learned from it? Can you give an example of how this skill could prove relevant as an EM at SPS Commerce?
Question Analysis
This question is asking the candidate to reflect on a past job or experience that required them to acquire new skills. It assesses the candidate's ability to adapt, learn, and apply new skills in a professional context. The question further probes how these skills can be relevant to a potential role as an Engineering Manager (EM) at SPS Commerce. This is a behavioral question, so using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method will help structure the response effectively.
Answer
Situation: In my previous role as a project lead at XYZ Corporation, we faced a challenge when our department decided to transition from traditional project management methodologies to Agile practices. This required our team to quickly adapt to a new way of working and managing projects.
Task: As the project lead, I was responsible for ensuring a smooth transition to Agile methodologies within my team. This required not only learning about Agile practices myself but also guiding my team through this change.
Action: I took the initiative to enroll in an intensive Agile certification course to understand the principles and practices thoroughly. I organized weekly learning sessions with my team where I shared insights from the course and facilitated discussions on how to incorporate Agile into our workflows. Additionally, I invited an Agile coach to conduct workshops and provide hands-on training.
Result: As a result of these efforts, our team successfully transitioned to Agile, which improved our project delivery timelines and team collaboration. We saw a 20% increase in project completion rates and received positive feedback from stakeholders on our enhanced flexibility and responsiveness.
Relevance to SPS Commerce: As an Engineering Manager at SPS Commerce, the ability to adapt to new methodologies and lead teams through change would be crucial. My experience in learning and implementing Agile practices demonstrates my capability to embrace new skills and lead teams effectively through transitions. This skill will be particularly relevant in fostering an adaptive, efficient, and collaborative engineering environment at SPS Commerce.