The interviewer wants to see whether you negotiate shared resources realistically instead of overpromising, and whether you consider the impact on the other project.
Show that you would review both timelines, identify critical versus non-critical tasks, propose a specific allocation, and escalate only if the shared resource still cannot cover both needs.
Start by framing the conversation as a partnership with the other project manager, not a demand for the developer. Say plainly that you would first request the developer's current task breakdown and the other project's critical path, then identify which of their deliverables can be shifted or absorbed by someone else without breaking the timeline. Propose a concrete split, such as two full days per week or a fixed block of hours, and make clear that you are willing to adjust the sequence of your own tasks to fit around their hard deadlines. Mention that you would also check if the developer can do some work outside peak hours, which is realistic in a BPO setup where shifts and overtimes are flexible, but be careful not to assume they can simply work extra without DOLE rules on rest periods and overtime pay. If the other manager still cannot release enough time, escalate to your respective sponsors with both schedules in hand and a recommendation, not a problem. Close by emphasizing that you would communicate the agreed allocation in writing to the developer and both stakeholders so everyone owns the compromise.
A common mistake is to immediately say yes to the stakeholder and promise the resource without checking the other project's schedule, often phrased as 'Sige po, kaya naman natin yan.' Instead say, 'I can support this, but I need to first align with the other project manager and confirm which tasks can be deferred or covered.'
Situation
In my previous role as a project coordinator for a Philippine IT services company, I was assigned to a website migration project that required a senior developer for database work. That developer was already committed to a separate payroll system rollout for another client.
Task
I had to secure at least 12 hours of his time per week for three weeks without delaying the payroll rollout.
Action
First, I reviewed both project timelines and identified which of his tasks were on the critical path. I then met with the other project manager to propose a shared schedule where the developer would work on database migration in the morning and payroll fixes in the afternoon. I also asked the developer to document reusable scripts to reduce future requests. Finally, I raised the risk to my manager and requested a junior developer to handle lower-complexity tasks so the senior developer could focus on the critical database work.
Result
The senior developer completed the critical database migration tasks on time, and the payroll project still met its go-live date. My manager later approved the junior developer request for two weeks, which reduced the senior developer's workload by about 20 percent.
Coordinate with the other project manager before asking for shared resources, and bring a specific schedule, not just a request.
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