Electrician Talk banner

Interviewing for a managers position.

3K views 28 replies 15 participants last post by  John Valdes 
#1 ·
I've recently applied for a maintenance mangers position at a company I've been working at for a while now and most likely will be asked in the interview what sort of things I would do to improve the department. I'm not looking forward to this question as I've basically been managing myself as a technician already and have brought the facilities equipment up to almost 100% functionality so I'm a little strapped for ideas in terms of making further improvements. I'd have to be more involved in building maintenance if I got the position but they're already pretty solid in those regards too. Any general ideas of way's to deal with this inevitable question?
 
#4 ·
Sell yourself.
From my experience with the company I've discovered how to be proactive vs reactive...

As to managing people
If our employees show up on time and perform in the interest of the organization that's all I ask for. I have no concern about their politics and lifestyle choices. I know this place inside & out and can tell them the best way to accomplish each task....
 
#5 ·
I've recently applied for a maintenance mangers position at a company I've been working at for a while now and most likely will be asked in the interview what sort of things I would do to improve the department. I'm not looking forward to this question as I've basically been managing myself as a technician already and have brought the facilities equipment up to almost 100% functionality so I'm a little strapped for ideas in terms of making further improvements. I'd have to be more involved in building maintenance if I got the position but they're already pretty solid in those regards too. Any general ideas of way's to deal with this inevitable question?
Well, that's a good start right there.

Good luck.
 
#6 ·
"How would you improve the department?"

For starters, I would continue the track record I have already established of having the machines at near-100%. I would make sure that others on the team under me understand my vision and goals at keeping it that way, and improving the rest of the facility not currently under my jurisdiction.

Second, I would do a comprehensive evaluation of the department, and take an inventory of the supplies and tools we have on hand, in order to reduce costs for future repairs. Eliminating waste and streamlining our shop should bring the efficiency up while simultaneously bring costs down.

*******

Bringing up reduced costs is sure to get their attention.
 
#7 ·
"Knowing this company and the ins and outs of it as I do my intention is to keep things under constant watch so that small problems are handled long before they become big ones, doing these repairs in a cost effective manner.

I intend to keep better records on the equipment and keep preventive maintenance on schedule to keep the entire machine well oiled.

I intend to keep the people under my supervision busy in a manner conducive to a happy and healthy work environment"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sparky Mcgregor
#8 ·
You've already got the job.

Just don't shoot yourself in the foot 'politically.'

ie, you're a team member kind of guy... and easy to work with.

You are confident in yourself and your skills.

You are able to mentor new talent as appropriate.

( not a control freak, you're willing to step back from the tools )

You work to a plan, can deal with the paperwork aspect of the job.
 
#9 · (Edited)
how can one improve a maintenance department ?

1) tireless and regular sourcing for the best suppliers with the best materials for the most competitive pricing to help the bottom line for your company.

2) regular review of procedures to prevent downtime of any processes, especially critical ones, and implementation of new procedures and manuals to prevent downtime, accidents, and unnecessary and unforeseen costs in the future. this includes review of any recent incidents as well in order to prevent the same old mistakes in the future.

3) regular training sessions implementing #2 above into the maintenance teams' mantra, and also to familiarize new employees with procedures so previous mistakes are not repeated.

4) failure prediction/lifecycle prediction : accurate tracking of critical components, their process importance, their install date, as well as records for preventive maintenance can give the department a wealth of information in order to predict areas where failure might occur in the near future. When the department is lightly labored, parts that are used in critical processes can be rebuilt/replaced before downtime occurs, using either rotational replacement or failure prediction.

etc.
 
#11 ·
geez re phase
you sure know how to pile on the poo !
did you used to sell cars
or a politition maybe

:jester:

but the truth is
tell them what THEY want to hear !

if you cannot dazzle them with brilliance ?
Baffle them with bull !


:thumbsup:
Yup, exactly the tactic to use!
 
#12 ·
Just my own observation:
If you are as good as you say you are, the chances of this company moving you out of this job into a management position is not likely to happen.

This statement comes from years of observation.
Its not always the best person that gets the job is what I really mean to say.

I hope I'm wrong BTW! Good luck!
 
#14 ·
The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams:

I wrote The Dilbert Principle around the concept that in many cases the least competent, least smart people are promoted, simply because they’re the ones you don't want doing actual work. You want them ordering the doughnuts and yelling at people for not doing their assignments—you know, the easy work. Your heart surgeons and your computer programmers—your smart people—aren’t in management. That principle was literally happening everywhere.
 
#23 ·
In an interview once I said this.

I went in for a interview once, and first person was head of HR.
After about 10 minutes she asked said “everything has been positive so far tell me something negative about yourself.
I paused then said up till a few months ago I had a attendance problem due to traffic, but since I am on third shift that has changed.
She said tell me something else.
I said " I hate management"
Her jaw dropped and She said " but I'm hiring you for management"
I said you are hiring me to keep your plant running and safe, I can do that. But I don't play the management games. You tell me to raise my right foot, I do. Then you say raise your left foot and I do. Then I fall on my ass I won't do that.

I got the job.
 
#24 ·
I went in for a interview once, and first person was head of HR.
After about 10 minutes she asked said “everything has been positive so far tell me something negative about yourself.
I paused then said up till a few months ago I had a attendance problem due to traffic, but since I am on third shift that has changed.
She said tell me something else.
I said " I hate management"
Her jaw dropped and She said " but I'm hiring you for management"
I said you are hiring me to keep your plant running and safe, I can do that. But I don't play the management games. You tell me to raise my right foot, I do. Then you say raise your left foot and I do. Then I fall on my ass I won't do that.

I got the job.
HR recognized independent thinking and a trouble solving skill.
 
#25 ·
There is a larger problem here: Big Business is using women to decide hiring and promotion -- about professions and roles they know absolutely nothing about -- and are often alienated from.

This means that they have no grasp of which metrics matter.

It's also why Big Business is so Feminist.
 
#28 ·
Man hater

There is a larger problem here: Big Business is using women to decide hiring and promotion -- about professions and roles they know absolutely nothing about -- and are often alienated from.

This means that they have no grasp of which metrics matter.

It's also why Big Business is so Feminist.
I found out later she was a man hater! I never had a problem stayed till plant closed. But I did go to hire a realy good electrian once and she over ruled me saying he was not a team player, because he said he didn't think it right to have operators in panels checking fuses. Thats a differant story.
 
#29 ·
The minute you tell them it will cost money to save money, you will not be considered.
Production is all they care about.
When I was at the pipe plant, the plant manager (I really liked this man) told me all he cared about was making pipe and shipping it out the door.

The maintenance super was told to get as much as he could out of each line.
So, they had big DC motors running way over base speed and pulling higher current. They wanted as much as they could get out of them.
We were replacing motors and drives monthly and sometimes weekly.
It got old in a hurry and when I told this plant manager he told me that it was cheaper to fix, swap out and over work the machinery than to slow things down. I told him it was his plant.

The very day he left (retired) I made a conscious effort to get all extruder motors within base speed and with as little field weakening as possible.
Left that job not long after, so not real sure what my actions had on the plants bottom line. I know we stopped replacing motors every few days or weeks.

I found out later she was a man hater! I never had a problem stayed till plant closed. But I did go to hire a realy good electrian once and she over ruled me saying he was not a team player, because he said he didn't think it right to have operators in panels checking fuses. Thats a differant story.
See my post above. When the plant manager retired, they brought in a woman. I quit two weeks before Christmas.

There was no way me and her could work under the same roof. And yes, I told her that and much more before leaving.

Note: I returned to that plant less than one month later as the motor and drive guy they had to farm out. I went to work for the distributor and did all the technical stuff for them.
Should have seen the look on her face when I showed up. :thumbsup:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top