PRTM Management Interview Questions & Reviews

Interviewed Oct 2007 in San Francisco, CA (took 2 weeks)

After submitting my resume to their online website, I heard back not too long after from HR. Maybe a few weeks. I was extended a first round interview by phone with a Principle. You need to be prepared to talk about why you are leaving your old firm, why PRTM, and why you are a fit per the resume you submitted. It's all about fit and relevant experience. If you want to work at PRTM, you must show that you have operational experience and a real interest in the area. Operations pertaining to process improvement, supply chain, etc. Look at the website to look at PRTM's specialties.

After this, I heard back about a week or two later regarding final round interviews on-site. It was a half day process where I interviewed with four Directors back to back. I prepared a lot for this. Read all you can about the company, the Insight magazine it publishes, the people you'll be interviewing with, etc. Come up with relevant questions because every Director will give an opportunity at the end of the conversation to ask. The first two interviews really concentrated around my experience and resume. They asked very specific questions around how you handle issues, strengths, weaknesses, teamwork, and leadership. Specifically, they took one of my project experiences and told me how to handle a problem they came up with so be sure to know your background inside and out. Where they see operations experience is where they will ask you very detailed questions. In my third interview, I was asked some non-work questions. It was a bit random, was never asked such questions. For example, I was asked, "do you have any mentors and how did you acquire them?" I was asked why I want to work for PRTM and why I was leaving my old firm. By the fourth interview, the Director didn't bother to ask any questions. The two things I was asked was describe the role that I'm applying for and to spend the rest of the time asking any other questions.

I heard back with an offer about two weeks later by phone.

Overall, the Directors were extremely down-to-earth and laid back. They were the type of executives you would want to get to know better. The firm really cares about life-long commitment to improving the firm and hiring individuals who are dedicated to that goal. If you come from a consulting background, you'll also notice that PRTM is a very lean company. Some enterprise work will be handled by the consultants themselves. Very few people show up at the office. If they live close, they might. Even for company wide meetings not everyone joins even though it's mandatory. Though the company says they value a work-life balance they don't, so don't be fooled. You're going to work a lot of hours, have phone calls at 10PM, work weekends is expected, etc. Also, their idea of training is just "on the job." You don't learn about any kind of methodology the firm practices. Every Director has a different idea about how to run a project and come up with a solution. There is not a lot of standard procedure used. It's a bit of a mess. Also, if you're new, you'll need to really think about it. I think going to a larger firm and obtaining the right core training is better. This firm does an excellent job in giving consultants who are in their first few years in the industry a good opportunity to get involved in growing the company and preparing proposals for new work.