Blue Shield Of California Project Manager Interview Questions
& Process

Three interviewers. They went over the job and its main responsibilities. They shared their current issues and asked for my solutions. I took each main responsibility area and asked each interviewer about their specific pain points. Then I explained how I would solve their particular problems. For example, standardization was a key area, and their pain points were that each team submitted status reports in different formats, and team leads kept delaying deadlines. I suggested enforcing one single status format that execs approved to ensure they got the necessary data for decision-making. I also suggested a weekly status meeting where team leads had to explain their timelines compared to the previous week's progress. Timeline changes would require driver approval, so any delays would need to be investigated, alternative solutions proposed to get back on track, and then this information presented to the project driver and/or owner for their input and approvals, if needed.

Because I was already a contractor, they kind of wanted to see if I was a good fit for a full-time role. I knew most of the people I'd be interviewing with, so it was pretty straightforward since they needed someone with my skills. Honestly, the people there aren't exactly geniuses, and they're okay with average work. If you can just chat it up with the hiring manager, not even about your qualifications, they'll probably hire you just because they like you. It's like a company full of managers who grew up in the system, meaning they probably lack real skills or training, and even if they have it, they'll just do what they need to to get by.

I sent in my application online and was contacted by a BSC corporate recruiter within 3-4 days for a quick phone chat about my resume and work history. I had some questions for the hiring manager, and the recruiter called back twice that same day to answer them and ask more questions from the manager. They were really friendly and helpful. The recruiter then called a third time to set up a 1:1 interview with the hiring manager later that week. This interview was pretty standard for this kind of role, focusing on team fit and how I've handled working with senior leaders. For Project Manager roles (Associate, Lead, Senior, and Director), they give an online assessment based on the PMBOK, which you can do at home. Knowing Microsoft Project 2003 helps. The interviewers have to ask one of three questions from corporate recruiting, which they write down and submit. A final panel interview was scheduled for the next business day, and I got the offer the day after that via a call from the corporate recruiter. The company culture can really differ depending on the department, so it's hard to know what you're getting into unless you have prior healthcare/BSC experience or a contact there.