It is easy to let Project Manager interviews intimidate us – after all, they can decide if we will eventually land our dream job. But, interviews are necessary demons that we need to conquer even if we do not want to.
So, the trick to being successful in a Project Manager interview is to do lots of preparation. Your preparation for an interview should be concentrated on two areas primarily – job knowledge and behavior.
While this might be easier said than done, it is not wholly impossible.
Since you have identified which areas to concentrate on, your preparation will be more organized now. If you can prepare answers to the questions that you may be asked, you have it all figured out!
Prepare for the Project Manager interview with one goal in mind, and that is to identify which candidate fits the bill.
It means that there will be a lot of scrutiny and testing during an interview procedure. It is up to you to give the employer what he or she is looking for.
See also: Project Manager Resume
Here are some sample interview questions (and their answers) for the position of project manager that you may be interested in.
1. What is the purpose of reviewing project proposals?
The purpose of reviewing project proposals is to determine time frames and limitations and figure out project procedures and staffing requirements. It is essential to review project proposals because this activity provides us with information on how to handle resources for each stage of a project to ensure that deadlines are met properly.
2. What do you deem the most important out of all the duties of a project manager?
Establishing work plans, handling staffing requirements, developing product specifications, and coordinating business unit managers are some of the most essential duties of a project manager. Equally important is outlining work plans and assigning tasks to staff members and handling budget management activities.
3. If you were to describe your job in one sentence, how would you?
Leading, planning, designing, deploying, communicating, and implementing detailed project plans.
4. If you were to work with two team members whom you know have issues with each other, how would you deal with it?
It is not always possible to work with like-minded people. In a situation where I have to work with team members who dislike the idea of working with each other, I usually talk it out with them individually first. I explain to them that both of them are equally important to the project in question and that they must forget their differences and work together.
5. What are the steps involved in managing a project?
Every project begins with a client meeting to determine project objectives. Once through with the client’s expectations, we move to the budget allocation and timeline development phase.
Then, with regular team coordination, the milestones are accomplished one by one. These include venue selection, invitations printing, and dispatch, procurement or renting of AV equipment, travel and stay arrangements, catering orders, and the actual event itself.
6. What strategies do you use to reduce the communication gap in your team?
In addition to weekly progress meetings and regular project status updates I hold a short meeting with my team at the end of each day to ensure timely communication of any hindrances or issues being faced by the team.
7. What is your biggest strength as a project manager?
I possess impeccable interpersonal and communication skills, which are an asset in project management. Technically my strongest point is risk analysis. I am good at making calculations and known for playing it safe always, since the client’s money, and the company’s reputation is at stake.
8. Tell me about your experience in project management?
I have been working as a project manager for the past five years and have managed numerous projects at the national and international levels, including conferences, fundraisers, inaugurations, convocations, and product launch projects.
9. What do you do to ensure regular status updating?
I maintain a digital bulletin board at my office, which is kept updated at all times by my secretary. Team members have a look at it every day, and in this manner, the whole team is kept informed regarding the status of the project.
10. How do you prefer presenting the project results at the time of the conclusion? How do you go about with the feedback?
I am a tech-savvy person, and in addition to giving a printed report on the finished project, I always prepare a PowerPoint presentation explaining the various stages and implications of the project.
Also, I take feedback from participants and clients and analyze it in detail after each project. In light of this regular analysis, I amend my project management strategies.
11. Which project management software are you familiar with?
I am well-versed in Smart Sheet, Podlo, JIRA, and Microsoft projects.
12. Give me an example of when you handled a workplace difference with your team or boss?
Last year when I was assigned a fundraising project, my boss and I differed on the sequence of the program. I wanted the descriptive session to be at the beginning, and the fund appeal at the end, but my boss wanted the opposite.
After spending considerable time in negotiations, I finally convinced him to start by introducing the project and moving towards appeal at the end. The strategy worked well, and the project generated more funds than expected.
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