Top Project Manager Interview Questions and Answers

29-Feb-2020

Here’s you need to know about Project Manager interview question and Answers

What were the communication challenges that you faced on your last project?

Being a Project Manager, you need to communicate with the team effectively. There is no doubt that communication challenges will arise. In this situation, the interviewer wants to analyze how you have handled the challenges in the past. However, it should be evident that you have successfully handled your team even with the communication issues. Let us take an instance. Instead of having face-to-face meetings, you were able to put webchat meetings when necessary. You can think of a time when this has happened with you and the way you have dealt with this and came out of the problem to ensure that the outcome of the project is still a good one. 

What are the three challenges for the industry today? How can you tackle this?

Your knowledge about the industry of project management will be tested by this question. You should describe the possible solutions to those three relevant challenges faced by you. If we see good examples of the challenges, then you can share the challenges that you have personally experienced along with the effective solutions for that.

You can also think of the top challenges of the industry that can be operated by the organization. The response that you will give will reveal the understanding of the industry, current challenges, market, and the possible solutions. The knowledge should be necessary to the success of any Project Manager as you will be handling the challenges inside the organization if you are hired. 

Do you hold experience in this industry?

Does the candidate have experience in your industry? If you do not hold the experience, this is not a game closer. The project management is the same when it comes to industry to industry. The candidate should have strong skills related to this industry even if you do not hold direct experience. However, if you are experienced, one thing that should be asked from you is how these relevant projects are concluded. The interviewer notes how confidently you are answering the question. 

Explain the communication style with your team.

If this question has been asked by the interviewer, then you should give assurance to the person that you are an effective communicator who loves giving motivation to your team. You should not only be encouraging for your team but should also be clear in their expectations. You should provide the point that you totally understand the importance of being an effective communicator while being a Project Manager.

This question helps the interviewer understand how you can engage your team with others and whether you demonstrate judgment and good sense and are able to use your language effectively. 

In what ways can you ensure that you and your team deliver or exceed the expectations of the customer?

By asking this question, the interviewer wants to see how good and qualified you are as a Project Manager. After all, your ultimate goal is to meet or exceed the expectations of the customer. Giving a generalized and vague answer will not earn you extra points, rather, you will need to give the precise examples as well as the details about your process. 

How will you handle the discontented employees?

By asking this question, the interviewer wants to judge your ability of how you effectively solve the problems of your employees and is a critical thinker. In case, you do not have specific examples to talk about, you can explain that you always care about the team members and would want to uncover the root of the problem. You should find out why exactly the employees are unhappy. We understand that is quite not possible to please every unsatisfied employee, the interviewer wants to see how the efforts will be taken to rectify the situation and be professional about everything. 

By what ways can you communicate the bad news?

It is when you have to deliver the bad news as a Project Manager in the past and the interviewer wants to see how well you do it. The interviewer wants to see that you are upfront and considerate with everyone. You give priority to the facts first but then you thought how will this news affect the team members and not just the person you are delivering the news directly. 

How can you manage the performance of the team as a Project Manager?

It is significant for you to show that you have leadership skills at the time of answering the question. You should be thorough about the daily task when it comes to managing the performance of the team. For instance, you hold weekly meetings and discussions. You should also provide some specific examples of how the management style results in positive team performance.

What are some of the best practices developed by you to build excellent customer relationships?

The thing that makes the best repeat customers is the current client and it is very significant to maintain an excellent relationship that is beyond delivering the customers that they have paid for. The person who is taking the interview wants to know if you feel the same way in which you have explained the ways in which you have maintained an excellent customer relationship. You should be sure that you have to stress the significance of always having a happy customer. 

Tell us the time in which you have kept the promise even that might have been difficult.

The interviewee should think about a time when you agree to a challenging request. You are expected to make things happen. You should explain to the interviewer how you have managed to manipulate the tasks effectively to manage their time to make sure that you have to follow through the vague promise. Even though we have a lot to tell the interviewer, they would want to hear some of the specific examples that show your success in accommodating the additional requests.

Explain how you can monitor and review the delegated responsibilities.

Being a Project Manager, it is responsible for you to routinely stay on top of the tasks and responsibilities of team members. Discuss how you have to do this with specific examples. This can be done by using the Project Management software and scheduling the brief meetings and so on.

Explain how you can set the goals for your teams? Also, explain the method of tracking these goals.

Whether you are talking about the project goals or the deadline goals, setting the goals is an important part when you are a Project Manager. It motivates the team members and helps them to keep projects on track. You should be sure to give particular examples that will demonstrate the method of how you have set the goals for your team in the past. A proper example should be given about how to track the goals. Like, if we take an example, you have to set project completion goals for a particular project that needs everyone to complete the part by a certain date. You have to regularly check in with the team members to check if you could stop by any obstacle that could stop them to meet the deadline and offer the possible solutions.

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