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Construction Project Manager Interview Questions

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  1. Tell me about the biggest or most challenging construction project you have managed. See answer
  2. Do you have experience managing budgets on large construction projects? See answer
  3. What methods do you use to monitor and track the progress of your construction project? See answer
  4. What methods do you use to keep the construction project team motivated? See answer
  5. As a construction project manager, do you have experience hiring subcontractors or dealing with vendors? See answer
  6. If a project becomes more extensive than originally planned, how do you reorganize the budget to ensure you have the resources to finish? See answer
  7. How do you decide how to delegate tasks to your team, who to select for each responsibility and how to keep everyone in communication about their progress?
  8. As a construction project manager, you’ll be in close communication with other professionals like engineers and architects who have input about the project. How would you approach the subject if you were concerned that an engineer’s designs wouldn’t be structurally sound?
  9. What steps do you take to make sure a new structure is up to code and correct and issues before outside health and safety inspectors perform their assessment?
  10. What would you do if your construction team members urgently needed access to equipment that wasn’t currently at the construction site?
  11. What is the largest construction budget you managed and what strategy did you use to distribute the funds?
  12. What are your best practices for onboarding a new team member and training them to meet your expectations?
  13. Construction project managers are responsible for enforcing deadlines to meet client expectations. How do you motivate your team to maintain consistent productivity throughout a project?
  14. Do you have experience collaborating with outside contractors in addition to managing in-house construction team members?
  15. How do you scout out potential construction locations and determine if a site has the ideal conditions for a new project?
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6 Construction Project Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

Tell me about the biggest or most challenging construction project you have managed.

A:

The ideal candidate will explain what the project was, the size of the project and in what ways it was difficult to manage. Focus on how many people were on the applicant’s team. Was the candidate managing multiple projects at once? Did they overcome the challenge? Most strong applicants will provide numbers, statistics or budgets to broaden your understanding of the problematic experience while also strengthening their answer. What to look for in an answer:

  • Concise response with little hesitation
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Specific examples of why the projects being managed were challenging

Example:

“While managing one of my previous company’s largest projects, keeping track of over 40 contractors was an issue. I helped create a system to determine each contractor’s duties.”

Q:

Do you have experience managing budgets on large construction projects?

A:

Budget management is a major component of construction project management. Construction project managers must be able to know what each part of the budget is allocated for on each site. While budget management is not always a requirement for this position, a candidate with experience can also help ensure that the company saves money by utilizing less of their budget. Their answer should include:

  • Understanding of basic accounting skills
  • Actual experience managing budgets for construction projects
  • Applicant’s ability to negotiate with vendors

Example:

“On my last site, the budget for the project was $60,000. I was able to save our company $10,000 by hiring cleaning contractors through a new vendor.”

Q:

What methods do you use to monitor and track the progress of your construction project?

A:

Construction project managers are typically required to provide documentation to show how well everything is going. Since many construction projects have deadlines, it is essential for the applicant to have experience working with different programs to stay on track. The ideal candidate will have time management skills, experience with project planning and the ability to learn project management tools quickly. How often does the candidate forecast the remaining costs and duration of the project? Their answer should demonstrate:

  • Experience with project management tools
  • Time-management skills
  • Working knowledge of how to project plan using baseline data

Example:

“After my initial planning, I create a baseline and reevaluate the remaining costs every week using Microsoft Excel. To ensure everything is running smoothly, I calculate the remaining project duration based on the weekly meetings.”

Q:

What methods do you use to keep the construction project team motivated?

A:

The ideal candidate should have an abundance of excellent methods for keeping their teams motivated. Identify the costs of the methods that the candidate uses and the reasoning that they provide for selecting that specific method. Does the applicant use these tactics for long-term or short-term motivation? The applicant’s answer should help you determine if they have interpersonal skills and people management skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the importance of having a motivated team
  • People-management skills
  • Knowledge of long-term motivation and short-term motivation methods

Example:

“In my last position, I threw a celebration dinner with games and prizes every time we reached a milestone. This long-term motivation method was inexpensive yet inspired my team to work quickly and efficiently daily.”

Q:

As a construction project manager, do you have experience hiring subcontractors or dealing with vendors?

A:

A useful construction project manager can easily communicate with vendors and discuss estimates for both services and goods. The ideal applicant will have experience hiring subcontractors to work on the site. Focus on the candidate’s ability to explain their hiring experience. How many vendors have they worked with in the past? Has the applicant had to hire a large number of subcontractors for a project? What to look for in an answer:

  • A solid understanding of decision-making
  • Systematic storing of vendor information
  • Written and verbal communication skills

Example:

“In my last project, I reached out to 10 vendors for estimates and selected four vendors for services and goods. I prefer quality vendors over vendors that offer discounts yet perform their jobs poorly.”

Q:

If a project becomes more extensive than originally planned, how do you reorganize the budget to ensure you have the resources to finish?

A:

As construction develops, it's common for additional expenses to occur as issues come up with a project. Construction project managers have to handle supply problems, labor costs, safety issues and equipment needs among other factors. Strong candidates will have experience tracking budgets, assessing actual expenses compared to expectations and creating a plan to accomplish project goals within the client's limitations.

A good answer should include:

  • Oversight
  • Strategic planning
  • Flexibility

Here is one sample answer:

Example:

"The best way to adjust a budget is to make sure you're aware of ongoing expenses and constantly adapt based on the project status. If I realize a project will require a major cost increase, I communicate with the client about the new financial strain and discuss how we can shift to a more affordable strategy and avoid the expense or start to seek out more affordable suppliers in all areas of the project."

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