how do you manage a project interview question

A lot can be revealed about your character when youre explaining a mistake that you made, and hiring managers want to see how honest you are about this and how you moved forward. But right after you put the date on your calendar, the interview jitters hit. There will be times in your career when you have team members who are underperforming or simply arent the right match for the project and/or team. 12 Project Manager Interview Questions and How to Answer Them This is another good question where you can highlight details from a successful project that match those listed in the job description. What the question means: For the interviewer, its a great way to ease into a conversation, give the candidate a chance to settle in, and give a first impression. Read more: How to Make a Project Plan in 4 Steps. You can also take notes during the interview on points you want to clarify. Talk through your prioritization approach, and dont hesitate to use concrete details from a past position if that helps you explain your strategy. The good news is that going through some common questions can help a lot to be (and feel) prepared. You could also discuss the scopes role in aligning stakeholders with expectations. This is one of the few skills-based questions you might be asked during your interview. 10 Important Project Management Topics and Tips for Using Them Or you may do really well managing multiple small projects that run simultaneously. How to answer: Describe the important information about the project, like the overall goal, team size, and how you approached it. Task: Go on to describe what task you were expected to do to solve the situation. At the same time, there are some more universal qualities interviewers are looking for, including: Sometimes an interviewer will ask you directly about these skills and qualities, but you should also be prepared to demonstrate them throughout your interview. Explain a past situation, what you did to resolve the issue, and how your actions positively impacted the project. Perhaps youre looking to improve your work-life balance and feel like this new company is the perfect place to do so. #CD4848 Talk about some of the challenges youve faced not being in-person and how you overcame them. Think about the key elements you and the team took that led to success. Pick a scenario that didnt end in total disaster, but otherwise be honest. Some Project Managers have client-facing responsibilities, and sometimes there are situations where the client isnt happy with the project outcome. How To Answer Project Management Interview Questions Maybe you prefer to eat the frog and get your biggest and most complex task done first thing in the morning. Read: What is the project management triangle and how can it help your team? This is another answer that demonstrates your empathy and communication skillsand one where you can turn to the STAR method if you have a relevant story to share from your past experience. Also, be sure to go over any lessons you learned and implemented in your daily routine to help avoid team conflicts moving forward. Communicate your data findings more effectivelybuild visually appealing, interactive business intelligence (BI) dashboards with Tableau. I coordinated logistics to shoot some last-minute footage with them to tie the video together. Do you get excited about learning new things and widening your skillset? For this question, you can talk through how you solved any issues and what you learned from the experience. Tip: If you know youll be interviewing over Zoom, have that person interview you over Zoom too. How do you define success for a project, and what metrics do you use to measure it? Learn what the top issues are by reading news articles and listening to podcasts, or reaching out to project managers in similar roles and asking about their experiences.. How to answer: Talk about the project management methodology youre most familiar with and give an example of how youve used it. When I was working at Go to College, a nonprofit that aims to help kids in underserved schools become the first in their families to get a four-year degree, we had an amazing opportunity to screen a short film about the organizations mission at a series of high-profile events with potential donors. So hiring managers want to understand how you can distinguish between whats critical and what can wait. Like the first question on this list, this one isnt necessarily specific to project management. So be honest about your experience and skill level. Do you love showing up for work to solve problems? During a project manager interview, you should expect the interviewer to ask questions about you, your project management skills, your team and stakeholder management skills, and your values fit with the company. Weve put together the top 25 Project Manager interview questions to get you started in your interview prep, along with some brief tips on how to approach each question. This will also help you figure out which of the questions and answers below are going to be the most helpful for your interview prep. We were able to release the initial version of the game on time and it exceeded our first month download goal by 34%. By setting up the mock interview similarly to how youll be interviewed during the real thing, youre giving yourself an added layer of practice thatll help you feel comfortable when it comes time to actually interview. Explore the top questions to ask and tips for analyzing the answers. A skilled manager will use tools and techniques to prioritize tasks by importance and urgencyso make sure to share your go-to approach with your interviewer. Can you describe a time when you had to handle an unexpected challenge during a project, and how you dealt with it? You can refer back to the job description to see what tools are listed as requirements for the role, and be sure to talk about your experience with those tools specifically. Get more information on our nonprofit discount program, and apply. Build project plans, coordinate tasks, and hit deadlines, Plan and track campaigns, launches, and more, Build, scale and streamline processes to improve efficiency, Improve clarity, focus, and personal growth, Build roadmaps, plan sprints, manage shipping and launches, Plan, track, and manage team projects from start to finish, Create, launch, and track your marketing campaigns, Design, review, and ship inspirational work, Track, prioritize, and fulfill the asks for your teams, Collaborate and manage work from anywhere, Be more deliberate about how you manage your time, Build fast, ship often, and track it all in one place, Hit the ground running with templates designed for your use-case, Amplify your team's impact with AI for Asana, Create automated processes to coordinate your teams, View your team's work on one shared calendar, See how Asana brings apps together to support your team, Get real-time insight into progress on any stream of work, Set strategic goals and track progress in one place, Submit and manage work requests in one place, Streamline processes, reduce errors, and spend less time on routine tasks, See how much work team members have across projects, For simple task and project management. You can find her on LinkedIn and Twitter and can visit her website here. Use up and down arrow keys to move between submenu items. A common question to open any type of interview, this statement is a chance for you to describe yourself and your story in your own words. I was involved with the projects these freelancers were working on and was getting wind of their irritation. In a project manager interview, you're likely to encounter questions about your people skills, technical knowledge, and how you would react to specific situations. For example, in my last role, we were getting a lot of questions from freelancers and contractors about their payments. Maybe this looks like finding a mentor within the company, or maybe youre interested in some continuing education opportunities to help you build on your current skills. What the question means: The interviewer wants to learn more about your problem-solving skills and how you approach challenges. What the question means: Happy clients or customers are importantthe interviewer wants to know if you have more than one card up your sleeve when it comes to fostering meaningful professional relationships. Is it a great team that loves to collaborate? I also made sure to share with her how happy I was, and our higher ups were, with the fun, sleek, and effective designs shed come up with. This question can set the tone and direction for the rest of your interview, and if youre feeling nervous at all, hopefully it helps you relax a bit. Projects can be successful for meeting goals, deadlines, and budgets, but successes can also mean being able to incorporate change. Did they appreciate your quick and positive communication? How to answer: Acknowledge that the challenge of communicating bad news is that you have to balance representing and understanding both the emotional response of your team and the decision of higher level executives. So lets take a look at the best way to answer it. If thats true and your leadership style is in fact situational, talk more about how you adapt your style and give examples of when youd apply a supporting, coaching, delegating, or directing style. Theyre looking for a specific example. Perhaps you prefer projects that are super collaborative and innovative. One effective way is to start with the present, then go into your past, and finish with your future. Depending on your field, you may have to deal with customers or clients on a regular basis. Because problems are commonplace, interviewers want to know how you spot them as early as possible, how you communicate about them internally and externally (if thats part of your role), how you collaborate with the team to brainstorm possible solutions, and how you decide which route to ultimately take. And the hiring manager needs to know that you have a track record of meeting deadlines, budgets, and other project requirements. Knowing how to motivate team members and make them feel like they can surface any questions and concerns is often central to a projects success. Focus on efficiency and effectively reaching goals. If you can, you should also discuss how you now build in contingencies to similar projects to avoid these issues, which shows how you learned from mistakes. In my role as a project manager for ABC Architects, I frequently work simultaneously on multiple long-term design projects for commercial buildings with seven- and eight-figure budgets. Project management is a field where people skills can make or break a candidate. What not to say: Dont make up budgets youve never managed or talk about how you manage your personal budget if you dont have professional experience. The way you handle sticky situations, like communicating that youre not hitting a projects goals or are losing funding for an exciting initiative, will be a reflection of how qualified you are to be a manager. In fact, the only way to get this question wrong is to fail to prepare for it. How to Answer the Most Common Project Management Interview Questions I like to ask internal and external stakeholders a lot of questions, especially early on in the process, to ensure that I understand everyones perspective and can take it into account throughout. Top 12 Project Manager Interview Questions and Answers - Indeed Tell me about yourself. Pay attention to how youre communicating to anyone in the recruiting process, Jensen says. Being a part of a project means having to adapt to how the project is developing. While not every project management position requires cost management knowledge, its a very common interview question for human resources, accounting, or finance management positions. Read: What is intrinsic motivation and how does it work? You could sharpen your Excel skills with our beginner-friendly course Analyze Data with Microsoft Excel. What not to say: Dont judge any project management tools. Then name a few skills youve learned in your previous job and how theyve prepared you for this position. How to answer: Think about your past customer relationships and what they valued. Know the risks and benefits of your leadership style so you can confidently answer follow-up questions about your specific leadership skills like: As a democratic leader, how do you ensure that your team still trusts you when you make a decision without their input? Its important that you know how to prioritize work if you want to excel in this position. Also showing your appreciation and gratitude goes a long way! Plus there was some feedback that they were never sure who to send what info to and when. Take a deep breathwere here to help. These Guided Projects on Coursera are free, can be completed in two hours or less, and can introduce you to some common project management tools: Improve Efficiency in Asana for Project Managers, Use RACI charts for work management with Asana, Familiarize yourself as much as you can with the companys industry before the interview. First year. While you may have already given an overview of the kinds of projects youve worked on, an interviewer might also call on you to talk through one example in detail. How to answer: Truthfully answer what project management tools and software youve used in the past. to bottom, 1. Also, industry conferences are another great way to learn more about your industry and meet like-minded professionals. What not to say: Dont try to answer this question with a positive spin. For example, you could talk about your experience with Scrum teams or talk about projects that you managed using Kanban boards. And dont worryif youve landed an interview, your interviewer probably already knows that you dont have formal experience but sees potential in you. 1. 2023 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved. What the question means: The interviewer wants to know what type of projects you feel most comfortable and confident working on. If youre skilled at creating and maintaining solid relationships, youre going to be a great asset to your company. This can help you learn from other peoples experiences, and jog your inspiration to know what to talk about in your own interview. So I reached out to a few freelancers and had short conversations with each of them to make sure I fully understood their pain points. That way, depending on what youve already covered in previous questions, you can pick the story that fits best with the direction of your interview. Explain that the best way to effectively communicate bad news is to prepare yourself. What not to say: Dont just toss around buzzwords. In short, it made everyones lives easier. So the hiring manager isnt necessarily looking for the I always meet deadlines and budgets answer. How to answer: The best way to answer this question is to apply the STAR method. Stay positive, be truthful, and let your passion shine through. Heres what you can expect in a project management interview. A hiring manager wants to hear how you work through this with the client. 3. Its also not a great look to make your teammates look like they messed upthat suggests to an interviewer that a candidate might not be a team player.. This is not going to be a guarantee that youll get the kind of project you describe but its going to give the interviewer a better sense of your skill set. Let your excitement for the new role shine throughthat will set you apart from other candidates. We also worked together to coordinate testing: First we had our coworkers who werent involved in the project test it out. How to answer: Start by answering the questiondescribe what elements you know to be an important part of a project plan (like tasks, milestones, and team members). As the project manager, youll be in charge of adjusting the schedule, communicating changes, and adopting them accordingly. 12 Tips for Your Next Project Management Interview - Indeed Setbacks are normal in managing projects. How to answer: Come prepared to talk about any experience youve had in the industry. When do you speak to someone in person versus writing them an email? Maybe you do your best work when a project is streamlined and there arent too many moving parts at the same time. Landing a project management interview is a big accomplishment. It keeps people motivated!. This is also an opportunity to show off how you work collaboratively, and how you may have brought in other stakeholders or more experienced project managers to best understand the scope of a project. 4. Beyond that, not only did I have a blast learning even more than I already did about Harry Potter with all this trivia, but my nieces and nephews thought it was the coolest thing and have been telling all their friends about it!, If someone tells me everything is all good and rosy, I probably wont believe them, Jensen says. Its also good to show that youre able to pick up new skills. 1. Interviewers ask you this to determine what your outlook is on project management and what you prioritise. It was definitely a very stressful couple of weeks, but I was so proud of the whole team for coming together to figure it out and I think the video turned out even better than what wed originally planned. An interview might ask you about your last project to get a sense of what types of projects youre used to, what project management approaches youve used, the number of people on your team, and other details. Come prepared with a list of questions you want to ask. How to answer: As a project manager, youll be expected to help team members that havent been able to complete tasks on schedule in the interest of the project. Obviously theres a reason youre doing this job interview. But theres no one correct answer. This shows youre a team player who lifts up your team members. Did you personally interact with external stakeholders? Even though this question isnt specific to project management, hiring managers like to open an interview with an icebreaker question like this one. Action: Next, explain what you did and how you did it. Did you make them feel like they were your only client or customer? What is the most important thing a project manager does? Project managers work across industries and in so many contexts that each role is a little different from the next. Perhaps you use the Eisenhower Matrix to find out which tasks need to be done right away or can be scheduled for later, delegated to someone else, or deleted altogether. Project managers are leaders who are responsible for achieving results. Describe what your role is and what you do. What the question means: Motivation looks different to everyone. How to Become a Project Manager in 5 Steps, Google Project Management Professional Certificate, Google Project Management: Professional Certificate, Learn Generative AI with Large Language Models, Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Google Business Intelligence Professional Certificate, Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate, IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate, IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate, Meta Back-End Developer Professional Certificate, Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate, Examples of Strengths and Weaknesses for Job Interviews, How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation, How to Write an Eye-Catching Job Application Email. Think of your answer as your elevator pitchthis is your chance to briefly summarize who you are, why youre here, and what makes you the best candidate. You can talk about your strategy for delegating tasks and how you like to monitor progress, whether its through a project management tool or daily/weekly check-ins with your team. How to answer: Think about what motivates you when youre working. Be prepared to think on your feet: Project management sometimes requires making sound judgement calls in limited time. How did you hear about this position? What not to say: Dont brag about how great you are with clients or customers. At the same time, our marketing team would work on pulling possible alternative footage we had in our archive and brainstorming any other options. To get a sense of what your interviewer expects from you as a project manager, study the job description closely to understand the main responsibility of the position you applied for. On the other hand, stakeholders often want a big-picture overview, so you can focus on eye-catching details with this group. What industry were you in? In projects, your ability to ask the right questions can be the difference between success and missing key goals. 9 Interview Questions About Managing Change (With Answers) Not only does this help you and your team, but it also makes you a more attractive candidate when youre applying for jobs. The interviewer has that right in front of them. What would you do if your manager requested you change your way of working for a project? If youre looking for a place to learn about formal project management concepts or refresh old skills, consider the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate. What I mean by that is they are right there along with their team making sure things are happening.. Read: New to cost management? How big was the budget? Hiring managers want to see how you empower your team and use positive, motivational techniques to drive performance. If youve ever applied for a Project Manager job, you know that there are a lot of steps involved in the job search. If the interviewer asks this question, theyre probably looking for someone who can be bothso its important that you know what your leadership style is. Plus, you ended up hiring that freelancer for your next project because they did such an amazing job supporting your team. Convince the interviewer that youre quick on your feet and have successfully handled project changes before. Explain why you used the given methodology and how it worked for your team and project. If you know the purpose of the tool and a bit about its interface, Campos says, you can draw a comparison to your expertise working with another similar tool and credibly predict youd be able to adjust quickly as a result. As a project manager, youll encounter plenty of challenging projects. What the question means: Virtual managers face more challenges than managers who share the same office space as their teammates. So Im acutely familiar with the pressures that come with big-budget projects and the nuances of interfacing with both clients and designersand Id be excited to put that experience to good use working with Design Your Spaces enterprise clients.. What types of clients were involved? or even a tool that gives you a headache just thinking about it, but now is not the time to pass judgment. Interviewing remotely: Remote interviews have their own challenges. You mightve started by preparing to answer common interview questions, but if you want an extra boost over the competition, there are some specific questions youre likely to get as a project manager candidate that you should be prepared for. Project management is inherently collaborative and youll make a far better impression if your answers reflect that. If your team pulled out a success, what did you do to keep the project on track or be more efficient? in history with a minor in dance at Stanford University and holds an M.S. And, if you can, give an example of a specific project youve done in the past that was really rewarding for you. #CD4848 Not only did we roll out the first version of email recs on time, but the designer was really grateful Id come to her first to understand what she needed to be able to design templates shed be proud of. When youre answering this question, try to talk about a specific team conflict that you were vital in resolving. So I always tie small asks to the bigger picture. She prefers sunshine and tolerates winters grudgingly. There are many different project management methodologies and chances are youve used or experienced more than one before. 12 Project Manager Interview Questions and How to Answer Them Try to bring up details and accomplishments that directly relate to whats listed in the job description. Some questions you can ask the hiring team are: If youre looking for more interview prep or job-hunting advice, check out our Career Center for resume and portfolio support and more interview tips. Here are our favorite tips to leave a great impression. Project manager positions are often team leads or project leads, so your interviewer may want to learn more about your experience in this area. In my experience, everyone can use regular reminders of why were doing what were doing and how each step relates to the larger goals. On one side, our program manager for that school would start a conversation there about whether we could remove any obstacles to using the existing footage. The accounts payable team ended up being able to cut down the amount of time they spent dealing with freelancer payments almost by half, freelancers were getting paid faster in most cases and always knew what was going on, and we were able to increase our retention and focus on our other goals. Interviewers might want to understand your familiarity with different project management tools.. That set the stage for future projects and she became one of my most enthusiastic and productive collaborators.. Is it people management, cost management, risk management, program management, or something entirely different? For example, your goal was to ensure that you could still deliver the project on time. Then, sign up for our newsletter and well deliver advice on landing the job right to you. Give an example that shows you took the time to understand how that person works and also what else is on their plate, Yurovsky says. Part of your job description as a project manager will be to deliver news to your teamgood and bad. Explain how you prioritized helping your team members resolve the conflict, and if you came up with a plan to help resolve the conflict, talk about this in detail too. Then describe past experiences relevant to the role youre applying to. Go through your experiences and find moments when youve helped to improve, plan, or execute new processes.. My goal is to make sure people are aligned at all times and know very clearly whats expected of them and when. You can also mention how you would implement change processes in your project. Our goal was to appeal to a broad audiencefrom adults like me who fell in love with the series when it first came out to kids and teens just discovering it now. The Top 7 Project Management Interview Questions and Answers - GoSkills.com Team conflicts can be as fatal to a project as poor planning. This helps make sure youre covering skills and experience that are relevant to the role. Contact the Asana support team, Learn more about building apps on the Asana platform.
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