Program Manager Interview Questions

This is classic project management professional terminology, which I knew. But since I'm not a PMP I didn't know the precise definitions so I didn't try to bluff it. In the real world the two things are so different that you can't really point out what the differences are. I was left doing a goldfish impression - mouth opening & closing.

An issue is an actual problem which is (negatively) impacting your project. A risk is an unknown or potential future event -- can have negative OR POSITIVE impact (yes!) and may or may not occur.

In Jeopardy you wouldn't get the money! That doesn't say what the difference is, it says what each of them are, but yes a reasonable response can be extrapolated from that (my resume did say "attention to detail" even if it didn't say "PMP"). Non-PMP's will probably laugh at the concept that risks can be positive because in any normal dictionary they are only about negative things ("exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance"). That PMP speak doesn't term them "uncertainties" instead of "risks" is risible.