9 Interview Questions to Ask Project Managers
By Marta Gongos You know your business is in need of a project manager when there are too many bottlenecks to fix, a lot of time is being wasted, and projects are slowly spinning out of control.
A project manager should be able to put things in order and help everyone focus both on the bigger picture and the finer details of ongoing campaigns and strategies. In addition to being organized and detail-oriented, project managers must also be honest, have a positive attitude, and have great leadership skills.
But how would you know if a candidate has these traits?
If you’re wondering what questions to ask in a project manager interview, read on. These interview questions will help you spot the right person for the role.
1. Tell Me About Yourself
This is one of the most common questions asked during job interviews. It’s a great interview starter because it gives the candidate a chance to introduce themselves and tell their story.
This open-ended question also allows the interviewer to pick out highlights from the candidate’s introduction and direct the interview accordingly.
2. Why Did You Apply for This Position?
This is yet another common question asked during job interviews. It’s a straightforward question that allows interviewers to measure how passionate and enthusiastic the candidate is about the role and the company.
3. What Was Your Most Successful Project?
A skilled project manager would know what defines a truly successful project. More than just “meeting deadlines” or “being ahead of the deadlines,” look for clues in the story that expose key project management skills such as the following:
- Clear and consistent communication;
- The ability to boost the team’s morale; and
- Effective delegation.
4. Tell Us About a Time When a Project You Were Managing Went Wrong and How You Handled It
Among the project manager interview questions listed here, this is one of the best questions to ask when assessing a project manager’s problem-solving skills.
Problem-solving skills are essential because not all projects will go according to plan. At any given point, deadlines will be missed, employees will take sick leave, among other issues.
A skilled project manager should be able to handle such challenges in an effective and methodical way.
5. What Tools Have You Used in Previous Project Management Roles?
When listing what questions to ask in a project manager interview, don’t forget to include a question about tools candidates have previously used.
If a project manager has used similar tools to the ones your business is using, onboarding will be easier. Furthermore, asking about tools can give more context regarding the details of their past roles.
6. How Do You Prioritize and Delegate Tasks?
This is one of the most important project manager interview questions to ask. A skilled project manager would be able to clearly explain their system for prioritizing tasks. In a fast-paced environment, this is a very critical factor.
Skilled project managers also need to be mindful of the workloads, strengths, and weaknesses of their team members. Both prioritization and proper delegation ensure that tasks have the best chance of being completed properly and on time.
7. How Many Projects Can You Handle at a Time?
By asking about the number of ongoing campaigns a project manager is used to, interviewers can get an idea of the workload the candidate can handle. Skilled project managers can efficiently handle anywhere from three to as many as 20 projects at a time.
8. How Do You Encourage Collaboration Within the Team?
On top of keeping tasks on track, project managers play a critical role in shaping the team’s work environment. Experienced project managers need to be able to encourage collaboration by improving communication within the team and encouraging team members to be proactive.
9. How Do You Handle Unforeseen Extension Requests?
Project manager interview questions like this should give you an idea about what candidates will do when faced with a challenging (but common) scenario. At one point or another, project managers will be asked by a team member for more time to complete their work.
Experienced project managers should be able to lay out the factors they will consider when faced with this situation. They should also be able to share insights on how to prevent this situation from happening.
Find Skilled Project Managers with Ad Culture
That wraps up our guide on what questions to ask in a project manager interview. These carefully curated questions should make it easier to select the best candidate for the job.
If you’re looking for top project managers, we’re here to help. Ad Culture is a trusted digital advertising recruitment firm located in Toronto, Canada that specializes in connecting great employers with skilled candidates.
Contact us today to learn more.
