I have an interview next week for a job that requires the use of PeopleSoft. It would be a great advantage if I had some knowledge or background in it, but I have never used it. Any advice for at least getting me familiar with it?
You can’t get any real experience with PeopleSoft without working for a large company and even then, the implementation that each one uses is unique. PeopleSoft falls into to the category of enterprise management software. It isn’t like a program that you would install on your home computer. PeopleSoft is usually used for Human Resources management but also used for financial management, supply chain management. You would have to know what specific modules and sub-modules the company your are interviewing with uses and, even then, it would be set up as a custom configuration consisting of hundreds of user screens, reports, web interfaces, and other tools.
Other software on the same scale is SAP, JD Edwards, and Oracle Financials. You simply can’t learn much about them without taking a course dedicated to the module that you are specifically interested in. They are so large that they literally run the biggest companies in the world and cost millions or tens of millions of dollars to install.
I would just familiarize yourself with what PeopleSoft is and then try to relate specific experience you have that fits in with that. If you think they are interested in the Human Resources Management piece for example, talk about other human resources software you have used or the formal processes you know. I don’t think you can fake it especially if they start to ask any type of detailed questions.
Don’t feel bad. Most other candidates would not have PeopleSoft experience either unless they worked for a company that used it so just be honest and try to fit what you do know well.
This is for an academic advising position at a large university. Any idea what module I would be using?
In addition to HR and Financials, PeopleSoft has a product line for Higher Education. This link takes you to the marketing overview of that product line.
Granted, that’s a whole pile of stuff that doesn’t get you any closer to saying you know how to use the product, but it’s a little light reading in case you are interested.
If you google “using peoplesoft academic advisement” you will find some user guides posted online. Curiously, universities put a lot of stuff out there for the public to access on the web.