Case Study
Case Study: The Power of Probing Open-Ended Questions in a Call
Introduction: Probing open-ended questions are essential in recruitment calls, enabling recruiters to gain a deeper understanding of a candidate’s experience, skills, and potential fit for a role. These questions encourage detailed responses, reveal critical insights, and assist in making informed hiring decisions.
Job Description:
• Position: Project/Program Manager IV
• Location: Seattle, WA 98109
• Duration: 7 Months
• Job Type: Contract
• Work Type: Hybrid
Job Description:
- • This role reports to the VP, Personalization and Discovery, and will focus on core PVPD business operations including headcount planning, tracking SVP, VP, and organization goals, monthly/quarterly business reviews, and other mechanisms.
- • You will interface regularly with senior leadership across PVPD and partner teams, and will be expected to operate with complete independence, often in areas where outcomes have not yet been defined.
- • A successful candidate will be a detail-oriented planner with the demonstrated ability to communicate and respond effectively and efficiently while maintaining flexibility and composure under pressure
- • They will be highly analytical, resourceful, customer-focused, and team oriented, with an ability to deliver results through influence.
- • They will have a proven track record at taking end-to-end ownership and successfully delivering results.
Key job responsibilities:
- • Operate as a single-threaded owner to define, drive & deliver business goals end-to-end.
- • Advise & lead leadership through headcount planning and management based on business priorities.
- • Advise & influence leadership/stakeholder teams on various trade-off decisions.
- • Drive timelines and deliverables for Director & VP-facing reporting mechanisms, such as monthly or quarterly reviews covering strategic level topics, metrics, and upcoming roadmaps.
- • Own various business reviews & documents that articulate clearly - program goals, desired outcomes, risks & mitigation plans.
Typical Day in the Role:
- • Daily Schedule: Most of day is project work- checking in with teams, monthly goal updates, Asana, directly supporting VP
- • Business operations – being VP’s proxy and right-hand
- • HC Management and planning
- • Position IDs in HC system
- • Tracking open reqs
- • Town halls – VP attends
- • Work on org wide comms mechanisms – general oversight, not writing, more people management
- • Goal setting: director, VP, SVP level – review language, work with EA on scheduling
- • Individual projects: critical program reviews (CPRs)
- • Asana – PM tool
- • Working cross functionally with EAs, TPMs, VPs, HR
- • Roster – internal HC management tool
- • Outlook, Slack, Chime, Quip
- • 1x Weekly core team meeting- Ming, HR, EA, worker
- • Pulling data and sharing with Directors
- • Interface with senior management and high-level leaders
Candidate Requirements:
Years of experience:
- • 7-8+ years PM experience
- • Can be tech or non tech background
- • Work with cross functional teams
- • Fast moving deadlines
- • Partnering with people across org Calibri
- • Navigate ambiguity
- • Experience with large org process improvement/ program management
- • Interface with leaders
- • Experience with 1 or more PM tool (Asana preferred)
- • Excellent verbal and written communication
- • Microsoft Excel proficiency (pivot tables, VLookups, pulling data) – using data to tell a story
Degree or Certification:
- • Bachelor’s Degree preferred
- • PM certificate nice to have
KPI:
- • Meeting deadlines and deliverable
Leadership Principles:
- • Insists on highest standards
- • Are right a lot
- • Deliver results
- • Learn and be curious
Top 3 must-have hard skills:
- • 7-8+ years PM experience
- • Experience with 1 or more PM tool – Asana preferred
- • Excellent written and verbal communication – able to interface with leaders, across teams, partner effectively with other orgs
Candidate Resume:
Christy Thom - Creative Project Manager
Dynamic and resourceful technology project manager with expertise in concepting and delivering creative UX and web design strategies that propel businesses to the forefront of their industries. Results-driven industry specialist skilled in streamlining enterprise-level creative workflows to optimize efficiency and profitability. Articulate communicator with talent for cultivating productive working partnerships. Collaborative leader with demonstrated success in building & mentoring teams that exceed expectations. Adept at project management. Experienced in contract negotiation. Committed to pursuing opportunities for continuous professional growth and development.
WORK EXPERIENCE
InfoTech Sourcing - Contract: Meta
January 2023 – Present
Program Manager III
Seattle, WA
- • Reviewing new product launches, focusing on integrity standards to ensure user safety on Meta platforms
- • Identifying and mitigating integrity and safety risks before new products are launched
- • Addressing child safety obligations and escalating high severity harms
- • Developing and maintaining standards which help maintain user trust and safety
- • Maintaining regulatory compliance across Meta’s platforms
- • Collaborating with multiple teams such as Product Integrity and Risk Launches, Privacy, Policy, and Legal
Revive Agency
January 2022 – July 2022
Senior Creative Project Manager (Remote)
Nashville, Tennessee
- • Managed complex digital and rebranding campaigns for hospitals and healthcare organizations using Agency Agile methodology
- • Organized projects into work streams and phases while tracking and reporting status on the entire project, milestones, resource utilization and project finances (including burn-down)
- • Implemented Asana workflows for team usage
DCG One
October 2021 – January 2022
Creative Project Manager
Seattle, WA
- • Managed projects including full marketing campaigns, website, video, augmented reality
- • Supported UX, Design, and Account Services Teams to best organize and serve creative projects
- • Oversaw projects from start to finish including ensuring project outcomes meet the deliverable deadlines and the required standard of quality and budget
Microsoft
May 2021 – October 2021
Senior Creative Project Manager – Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions
Seattle, WA
- • Reviewing new product launches, focusing on integrity standards to ensure user safety on Meta platforms
- • Identifying and mitigating integrity and safety risks before new products are launched
- • Addressing child safety obligations and escalating high severity harms
- • Developing and maintaining standards which help maintain user trust and safety
- • Maintaining regulatory compliance across Meta’s platforms
- • Collaborating with multiple teams such as Product Integrity and Risk Launches, Privacy, Policy, and Legal
Christy Rae Creative
September 2017 – May 2021
Project Manager; Webflow Developer; UX Content Strategist
Seattle, WA
- • Designed customized HTML, WebFlow, and WordPress websites
- • Built skills in UX development, UI design, and UX content strategy
- • Delivered web development and strategy projects for B2B technology marketing firms, providing optimum ROI in terms and time and value
- • Collaborated with TenGun Design to build a website for a global travel company
- • Partnered with CenterLine Digital to develop UX content strategy for enterprise-level information management organization
- • Worked with Lisa Furukawa Music as project manager and social media consultant
Microsoft
July 2016 - July 2017
Senior Project Manager – Business Strategy, Advertising Quality Services
Seattle, WA
- • Optimized user experience for Bing.com
- • Upgraded security for fraud services department within five months by developing and introducing easy-to-understand customer policy guidelines
- • Slashed case time-to-close in half by establishing training curriculum for agents, including site templates and support documentation, while adhering to Microsoft legal department requirements
- • Unified policy judgment application for first time within department
EDUCATION
Seattle Central College
2019
Associate of Science, Information Technology
Seattle, WA
- • Dr. Charles H. Mitchell Fund for Excellence Scholarship
- • Featured Scholar - Believe Gala, Seattle Central College
- • Member, Phi Theta Kappa
SKILLS
- • Software & Programming:Adobe Creative Suite; MS Office Suite; Figma; Sketch; G-Suite; HTML5; CSS
- • Content Management Systems:WordPress; Webflow; SharePoint
- • Project Management PlatformsAsana; MS Project; Jira; Trello; Smartsheet; Microsoft Planner
- • Areas of Expertise: Process Improvement; Project Management; Content Development; Leadership & Mentoring; Strategic
- • Planning; Operational Oversight; Training & Development; UX Strategy; Problem Solving
Example Open-Ended Initial Probing Questions to be asked during the Call Based on the Job Description:
- Could you walk me through your experience managing large-scale business operations and headcount planning?
- How have you navigated ambiguous situations where outcomes were not clearly defined?
- Describe a time when you led cross-functional teams to achieve strategic business goals.
- What PM tools have you used, and how did they contribute to your project success, specifically with Asana if applicable?
- How do you approach advising senior leadership on trade-off decisions and influencing their direction?
- Could you provide an example of how you've managed VP and Director-level reporting mechanisms effectively?
- Tell me about a situation where you had to serve as a proxy for senior leadership. How did you manage expectations and outcomes?
- How do you ensure clarity and precision when preparing business reviews and critical program documents?
- Could you share an example of how you've used Microsoft Excel to analyze data and tell a compelling story to stakeholders?
- Describe a challenging situation where your communication skills helped resolve a conflict or streamline a process.
Guidelines for Updating Initial Probing Q/A in CIEPAL
✅ Correct Way to Update (As per VOC – Voice of Candidate):
- Capture the candidate’s responses exactly as they are spoken, without summarizing or modifying their details.
- Ensure that the answers reflect the candidate's specific skills, technologies, and project experience.
- Maintain clarity and completeness by including relevant details.
- Questions should be probed in an open-ended format, allowing the candidate to elaborate, and their responses should be captured exactly as per the VOC.
❌ What Not to Do:
- Do not summarize or shorten responses—avoid vague answers.
- Avoid generic responses like “Yes, the candidate has experience” without specifying the details they provided.
- Do not assume or modify answers—record the candidate’s words accurately.
- Do not include ChatGPT-generated responses.
- Do not include AI-generated responses.
- Do not copy directly from the candidate’s resume.
Example of Correct and Incorrect Capturing in CIEPAL
❌ What Not to Capture (Incorrect Format)
Initial Probing Questions & Answers Updated in the CIEPAL by the Recruiter:
Q 1: How many years of experience do you have as Project/ Program manager?
A: Over 20+ years of experience as a Project/ Program manager.
Q 2: Responsibilities on recent role?
A: Product Integrity and Risk Launches, Privacy, Policy, and Legal, Maintain project integrity and timelines.
Q 3: Could you mention the skills used in the current project?
A: Asana and stakeholder management.
Issue: These answers are too generic, lack specific project details, and do not fully capture what the candidate expressed.
✅ What Should Be Captured (Correct Format – As per VOC):
Initial Probing Questions & Answers to be Updated in the CIEPAL as per the VOC of the candidate:
- Q1. How many years of experience do you have as Project/ Program manager? Could you please explain it?
A: I have over 20+ years of experience as a Project/ Program manager and have good experience with cross functional team and collaborative leader with demonstrated success in building & mentoring teams that exceed expectations. Adept at project management. Experienced in contract negotiation. Committed to pursuing opportunities for continuous professional growth and development.
- Q2. Could you explain recent Roles and Responsibilities which are performed in regular basis?
A: Currently working with Meta and his responsibilities includes she has collaborating with multiple teams such as Product Integrity and Risk Launches, Privacy, Policy, and Legal. Worked with Asana to maintain project integrity and timelines.
- Q3. Could you tell me the skills used in the current project?
A: Yes, she has used Asana and stakeholder management good experience in her recent project with Meta and while working with Amazon.
Key Takeaways for Recruiters:
- Always capture responses exactly as the candidate explains them (verbatim).
- Ensure that the answers reflect the specific skills, technologies, and project experience mentioned.
- Avoid summarizing, shortening, or modifying responses—record the full details provided by the candidate.
- Responses should clearly communicate the candidate’s technical expertise rather than just confirming experience.
This ensures the CIEPAL data accurately represents the candidate’s qualifications and aligns with the hiring expectations.
Why Should We Ask Open-Ended Questions to the Candidate?
Probing questions help recruiters dive deeper into a candidate’s background, ensuring they align with job requirements.
Outcomes of Effective Probing:
- Enhanced Candidate Assessment
- Identifies technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and soft skills.
- Confirms the candidate’s ability to handle high-pressure customer service situations..
- Accurate Resume Validation
- Uncovers any inconsistencies in the resume.
- Allows recruiters to assess actual experience rather than rehearsed responses.
- Better Submission Decisions
- Ensures recruiters submit the right candidates for the role.
- Avoids unnecessary interviews with unsuitable applicants.
- Reusable Candidate Data
- By storing responses in CEIPAL, recruiters can access previous interactions and make informed decisions for future roles.
Initial probing questions should be documented in CEIPAL by the recruiter who conducted the call with the candidate- in the notes section without fail.
Scenario:
When a new job is released, the MIS Team/ Lead/ Manager updates a set of "Initial Probing Questions" in CEIPAL. These questions serve as a guideline for recruiters to ask during candidate calls. However, in live call scenarios, recruiters often need to adapt their questions based on the flow of the conversation and the candidate's responses.
If the recruiter asks questions matching as per the Pre-screening list, they proceed as usual. However, if the conversation requires different or additional questions, the recruiter must document them in the Notes section of the job page in CEIPAL. This practice ensures that new recruiters or those unfamiliar with the specific client/role have a repository of relevant, real-world questions to draw from.
Example:
JOB Description: Project/Program Manager IV (Same as the above job description)
Initial Probing Questions by MIS Team:
- Can you walk me through your experience with headcount planning and management?
- What project management tools are you proficient in, specifically Asana?
- How do you handle fast-moving deadlines while working with cross-functional teams?
Live Call Scenario:
During the call, the candidate shares an experience about managing business operations in an ambiguous environment. Recognizing an opportunity to dive deeper, the recruiter asks:
- • "Could you share an example where you had to operate as a proxy for senior leadership and make independent decisions?"
Additionally, when discussing their experience with project management tools, the candidate mentions using Excel extensively for data-driven storytelling. The recruiter adapts by asking:
- • "How have you utilized Microsoft Excel's advanced features like pivot tables and V-Lookups to support leadership reporting?"
Since these questions were not in the original MIS list, the recruiter should document them in the Notes section of CEIPAL.
Why is this important?
- • Consistency for New Recruiters:If a new recruiter is assigned to the same client or requirement, they can review the previously documented call questions in CEIPAL. This helps them understand the context, align their approach, and ask relevant questions without starting from scratch.
- • Enhanced Candidate Experience: Consistent and relevant questioning improves the candidate's experience, showing a well-prepared and professional recruitment process.
- • Streamlined Processes: Reduces the risk of duplicated efforts and ensures all recruiters have access to a repository of effective questions that have worked well in real scenarios.
By consistently updating CEIPAL with real-time, scenario-based questions, recruiters create a valuable knowledge base. This approach not only enhances candidate engagement but also streamlines the recruitment process, making it easier for new team members to contribute effectively.