What do you do if your strategic thinking skills are tested in a Business Relationship Management interview?

1 Understand the business context

Before you go to the interview, research the organization's mission, vision, goals, challenges, and opportunities. Find out how the IT function supports the business and what are the current or future projects or initiatives that involve IT. This will help you understand the business context and the expectations of the BRM role. You will also be able to tailor your answers to the specific needs and priorities of the organization.

2 Demonstrate your strategic thinking process

When you are asked a question that requires strategic thinking, don't just jump to the final answer. Show your interviewer how you approach the problem, what assumptions you make, what data you use, what alternatives you consider, and what criteria you use to evaluate them. Explain your logic and reasoning behind your decision and how it aligns with the business objectives. For example, if you are asked how you would prioritize IT investments, you could outline the steps you would take to assess the value, risk, feasibility, and alignment of each option.

3 Use relevant examples and frameworks

One of the best ways to showcase your strategic thinking skills is to use examples from your previous experience or hypothetical scenarios that illustrate how you applied them in practice. You can also use frameworks or models that help you structure your thinking and communicate your ideas clearly. For example, you could use the SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a situation, or the Balanced Scorecard to measure the performance of a strategy. Make sure you explain how these frameworks or models help you achieve the desired outcomes and how they relate to the business context.

4 Ask insightful questions

As a BRM, you are expected to be curious, proactive, and collaborative. You should not only answer the questions, but also ask them. Asking insightful questions shows that you are interested in learning more about the organization, the IT function, and the BRM role. It also helps you clarify any assumptions, gaps, or ambiguities in the information provided. For example, you could ask about the current state of the IT-business relationship, the main challenges or opportunities for improvement, or the expectations and success factors for the BRM role.