Management Skills Interview
Author:
Alycia Damp, PhD IRHRThis skills-based manager interview focuses on a collection of core skills required to be successful in a managerial role and is designed to identify candidates with strong managerial skills or potential.
Focus area:
Question
1
How do you see this opportunity in the context of your career, and what is one thing you hope to achieve in this role?
What does this question reveal?
Inspired to grow and advance their career in this role
Explore tips
- Is seeking an opportunity to grow by applying and developing multiple skills
- Wants to make a defined impact on others and the organization’s success
- Clearly articulates what they hope to achieve
- Is motivated to add value to the company's culture and work environment
Question
2
Can you describe a strategy or initiative that you created in the past that helped your company achieve one of its main objectives? How did it align with the company's goals, and what was the outcome?
What does this question reveal?
Take ownership over advancing the organization’s mission/goals
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- Clearly describes how their strategy was connected to company’s main objectives
- Explains the steps they took to both develop and execute the strategy
- Shares specific metrics used to set goals and track progress
- Shares any challenges they faced and how they overcame them
Question
3
If you joined our company and were asked to lead a strategic project, how would you identify and engage the relevant stakeholders in the project planning process?
What does this question reveal?
Understand company interdependencies and manage stakeholder involvement
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- Understands inter-relationships between company departments in your industry
- Gives example of identifying specific stakeholders in a given business scenario
- Suggests structured approach for consulting and managing stakeholder involvement
- Considers challenges associated with involving multiple stakeholders
Question
4
If you were leading a new project, tell me about what you would do to design and implement a work strategy for the team. Which technologies/digital tools you would use to support your goals?
What does this question reveal?
Plan strategically and allocate resources effectively for team projects
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- Uses SMART goals to break work into smaller tasks and monitor progress
- Allocates roles and responsibilities according to team members' expertise
- Solicits feedback on progress and strategy from team members
- Uses specific technology/tool to plan, allocate, and monitor work and progress
Question
5
Tell me about a time where you were managing a team and certain members were unable to work effectively with one another. Why was it ineffective, and what did you do to manage the conflict?
What does this question reveal?
Reduce team conflicts
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- Emphasizes the importance of communication and engaging each team member
- Strives to identify the underlying cause and address it as appropriate
- Shows they can use collaboration to overcome challenges and improve situations
Question
6
Give me an example of a time you had to provide constructive criticism. How did you deliver it? Would you do anything differently next time?
What does this question reveal?
Be respectful, thoughtful and strategic when giving feedback
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- Ensured they had their facts straight about the matter
- Framed the feedback as an opportunity for development
- Started the feedback with positive notes, followed by the constructive criticism
- Provided recommendations to help the individual achieve their performance goals
Question
7
Imagine you are hosting a performance review meeting with an employee. The employee says they are eager to be promoted within the next six months. How would you respond? How would you help them work toward that goal?
What does this question reveal?
Enable others to improve and advance their careers
Explore tips
- Discusses showing confidence in the employee's ability to achieve their goal
- Suggests identifying and discussing where support is needed
- Discusses pointing them toward resources to support their development
- Suggests acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses with respect to the goal
Question
8
In most team contexts, managers are responsible for evaluating and tracking team performance. As a manager, what steps would you take to monitor and evaluate your team's performance?
What does this question reveal?
Evaluate team performance
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- Creates and communicates performance goals clearly to the team
- Creates measurable performance metrics (e.g., KPIs/OKRs)
- Provides consistent feedback to employees on individual objectives
- Suggests methods for tracking progress and staying on schedule
Question
9
How do you define success as a manager, and can you give an example of one of your past successes that you are most proud of?
What does this question reveal?
Set and achieve goals to advance oneself and the organization
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- Sets goals and creates specific plan to measure and achieve those goals
- Uses examples to explain their specific approach to goal achievement
- Connects individual, team, and organizational success to each other
- Explains how they use incentives/rewards to achieve goals and measure success
Question
10
Delegating work is essential when managing a team. If you were managing a team here, what factors would you consider when delegating work?
What does this question reveal?
Delegate work effectively and avoid micromanaging
Explore tips
- Considers who is best suited to a particular task
- Uses judgment to decide when to check on progress
- Delegates authority as well as responsibility
- Ensures employees have the necessary resources to be successful
Question
11
Tell me about a time you delegated a task but something went wrong. What would you do differently next time?
What does this question reveal?
Analyze a delegation strategy and improve one's approach
Explore tips
- Would consider who is best suited to a particular task
- Would ensure employees have the necessary resources to be successful
- Would use judgment to decide when to check on progress
- Would delegate authority as well as responsibility
Question
12
Tell me about a time you were working on an important project under a tight time constraint, lean budget and with fewer people than you needed. How did you overcome these challenges and ensure the project was successful?
What does this question reveal?
Ability to manage, allocate, and leverage resources under constraints
Explore tips
- Describes the project and how their resources were limited
- Explains how/why they made resource trade-offs to ensure the projects success
- Exhibits flexibility in their approach to managing based on context constraints
- Shares measurable outcomes they achieved with project's success
Question
13
Imagine your organization is being acquired by a larger company. You know the culture will change; however, it is not clear exactly what the change will look like. How would you manage and respond to the change in your role?
What does this question reveal?
Effectively respond to changing circumstances
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Question
14
What is one thing you wish I had asked you in our conversation today?
What does this question reveal?
Self-awareness of unique strengths and value-add
Explore tips
- Gives a response that is relevant to the role in question
- Justifies their suggestion by explaining their value-add
- Exhibits strengths that were not previously covered
