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What skills can you bring to Accenture that will make you a valuable team member?

With my extensive background in IT and project management, I bring a strong technical skill set combined with the ability to lead teams towards success. My experience in systems analysis has given me a solid foundation in understanding and streamlining business operations, a skill that's integral to Accenture's consulting services. Additionally, I have a proven track record of effective problem solving, often approaching challenges with creativity to devise innovative solutions. Excellent communication is another strength of mine, enabling me to liaise seamlessly between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders to ensure a clear understanding of project objectives and progress. Given Accenture's emphasis on digital transformation, I believe these skills would add notable value to your team.

Why did you choose to apply for a position at Accenture?

Accenture’s reputation as a leading global professional services company, delivering innovation and digital transformation, strongly resonated with me. With my background in IT and project management, I'm eager to contribute to a company committed to driving technological change. Furthermore, Accenture’s core values focusing on diversity, inclusion, and personal development align very closely with my own ideals. I am excited about the possibility of learning from and contributing to such an established and well-respected organization that’s leading in fields like artificial intelligence, and is committed to providing high performance and value for its clients.

Describe a situation where you had to lead a team

At my previous role in ABC Tech, I was assigned to lead a project that aimed to develop a new feature for our main product within a tight three-month deadline. This was a diverse and cross-functional team with developers, designers, analysts, and QA testers of varying experience levels.

My first step was to ensure that every member was clear about the project objectives, their individual responsibilities and deadlines. I facilitated open communication by setting up regular meetings and creating an environment where every member felt comfortable voicing their thoughts and ideas.

One of the significant challenges we faced was when one of our key developers fell ill during a crucial phase. With time running short, I reassessed our resources, reassigned tasks among the team, and adjusted our timeline. I also had to step in to assist with some of the technical work to keep us on track.

Despite the challenges, the team was motivated and we successfully launched the feature on schedule. This experience not only boosted our confidence as a team but reinforced my belief in the importance of clear communication, active problem-solving, and strong leadership.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your professional background?

I come from a strong background in the IT industry, with over five years of experience working with diverse teams on a range of challenging projects. I started as a Junior Developer at XYZ Corporation where I was involved in various phases of the software development lifecycle, from designing and coding to testing and maintenance. Through this role, I mastered several programming languages, software QA methodologies, and project management. My journey then led me to join ABC Tech as a Project Manager, where I guided a team of ten towards successful product launches and process improvements, honing my leadership and communication skills. I have a passion for leveraging technology to solve complex problems and I believe this aligns well with Accenture's mission.

In your previous job, what are some actions you took to increase efficiency or productivity?

In my previous role as Project Manager at ABC Tech, I noticed that recurring weekly meetings were taking up a significant amount of the team's time without adding much value. I proposed to redefine the purpose and structure of these meetings to increase productivity.

First, I introduced meeting agendas, assigned specific topics to team members, and asked them to prepare in advance. Second, I encouraged team members to communicate minor updates or issues via email so we could focus more on discussion and problem-solving during the meetings. Lastly, I implemented a rule to stick to our meeting times religiously to avoid any overruns.

Over the next few weeks, there was a noticeable improvement. Meetings became more focused and efficient, leading to quicker decision-making and leaving more time for the team to work on actual project tasks. This not only boosted the team’s productivity but also enhanced their job satisfaction since they spent less time in meetings and more on meaningful tasks.