PwC Employability E-learn Interview script - David

Podcast – Innovation:

Candidate: David

Listen option A:

Interviewer: Describe a time when you felt you'd shown creativity or innovation to solve a problem perhaps at home, work or maybe university or college

(Thinks out loud) When I’ve shown creativity or innovation?…..erm….yes….I was living in university halls and came up with a way to change the security access code on a regular basis and made sure all residents were notified . Am I on the right track? [Interviewer – Yes) We weren’t always made aware of what the new code was or when it was going to be changed….quite a few of us had to go round to friend’s flats to stay a few times because we didn’t have the new code – admittedly, usually  at 3 in the morning.

Interviewer: and why was that creative or innovative?

Well it helped solve a problem the whole block had…it…it was a pretty simple solution….. I created this way that meant the code was changed at the start of each month and an email was sent automatically to all residents with the new details. I’ve got some decent IT skills so thought I’d be able to make life easier by devising a simple programme so it became automated and informed everyone in the block…..and it worked! Does that give you enough information?

Interviewer: Well, how did you know this was creative or innovative?

Oh…… well (hesitates), no one had done it before. Umm…it was the first time we’d been able to get around the issue of it not being a manual process with room for error and people being locked out. My flatmates all said it was a really good idea.

Interviewer: What impact did this have?

Erm, a big impact really…it changed the system that had been used for ages and erm…. Once I set the programme up it meant that it happened automatically every month from then on.. er….Does that answer your question??

Interviewer: So, to what extent did it solve the problem?

(Hesitates) Oh, well...really well. No one was locked out as we were all got an instant email with the new code and we all got used to it being changed at the start of every month. Umm…well it meant that we weren’t all relying on the staff to update or inform us, some of the staff didn’t always do this which got a bit annoying. Everyone seemed pleased with it. Do you need to know anything else?

Interviewer: That’s fine, thank you