Not what I expected. Completely unrealistic to the real world. Great if you want to quote a text book, PMBOK or Scrum Guide. 1. I would never run a scrum planning meeting with out first and foremost having an in-depth meeting with my team members and Product Owner explain the scrum process and roles. This is not something will ever or should ever be done in the first sprint planning meeting. Just bad consulting and communication. 2. I have never had a client care about the different types or definitions of scope.... its more along the lines of here's what I need done now figure it out. Projects are fluid unlike the interview process. Maybe focus more on... "How do you handle the situation when 2 developers are at odds, but needed to pair program to complete a piece of important code?" "How do you handing the situation when you under estimated your story points and now you are mid-sprint and need to change things?" "Tell me about a time you had a CTO breathing down your next because you are already $2.5M in the whole and the vendor is not delivering their end of the contract?" I'm just saying.. its a little more then a textbook answer.
I stopped the interview over halfway through because I was getting the impression by the questions I was being asked that I was going to be a very hands off PM and just going through the motion then actually making a difference. Maybe that not how it actually is to work for Toptal, but I may also operate in a non-traditional out of the box way that doesn't allow me to shine in "traditional interviews"
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Other IT Project Manager Interview Reviews for Toptal
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Toptal in Oct 2022
Interview
Interviewer was rude and unpolite. He asked several questions and criticized answers, if it wouldn't fit exactly to his definition. After several questions, he finished interview and I will be able to apply only after year and half.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
About basic terminology and more advanced notions, though interviewer requested exact definition for all them.
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Toptal
Interview
Very well structured interview. The interviewer is definetly not a regular HR person but an expert in the field. Those guys know exactly what they are doing and my view on the company changed a 100% after i have been trough their interview process. As a PM i am frequently asked to hire external talent and i will definetly consider them.
I applied online. The process took 4 days. I interviewed at Toptal (Wigan, Inglaterra) in Feb 2021
Interview
First time I tried Toptal I was software developer and did not pass. This time I would like to apply as project manager, but the website does not offer this possibility (1st red flag). So I have to explain this to the interviewer. As for her, that changes a lot of things.
Then she asked me to explain my experiences as a manager.
She was surprised, as did not believing in my experiences (2nd red flag).
She told that although I have improved my English since last year, their standards are higher for management positions and I am not suitable.
After, was told that there is a lack of technical vocabulary, what was really intriguing, because she did not even know what an "user story" is, and I have a lack of vocab? I am a Scrum specialist. Funny.(3rd red flag).
Then was told about how to improve my English skills, that will be in my inbox, but guess what: only suggestions of comercial apps to practice more. C'mon. (4th red flag).
So, briefly, my feelings:
1-looks they need only linguistics professionals to work with. Good luck to them!
2-The reasons of not forwarding are very generical, as they mention themselves as communication specialists, I was really expecting a more professional/linguistic feedback. Not "ok use this app and we see next time in n months if you are better".
Really funny (not in a positive way).
Interview questions [3]
Question 1
She asked me to explain my experiences as a manager.