Project Manager Interview Questions

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How would you describe your communication and leadership style? See answer
What general metrics do you use to determine if a project is progressing on track? See answer
How do you help the team prioritize competing or simultaneously urgent tasks? See answer
What is your strategy for working with an underperforming team member? See answer
How would you describe the outcome of your last project? See answer
What approach do you take when a project hits a roadblock and does not go according to plan, despite the team’s best efforts? See answer
Have you managed a project in our field or industry before?
What’s your process for delegating tasks to your employees?
Tell me about the most challenging project you’ve ever had to complete. What was your process for managing it?
Have you ever had to manage remote employees? How do you keep track of both them and your in-house employees?
Describe your process for managing a budget for a specific project.
How would you describe your ideal project to manage?
Tell me about your most successful project. What metrics did it bring in?
Do you use any project management systems?
What’s your strategy for dealing with scope creep.
What would you do if your team wasn’t feeling motivated or they were overwhelmed by many projects?
Have you completed any projects you’re particularly proud of?
You’ve just been assigned a new project. How do you get started?

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8 Project Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

Have you managed a project in our field/industry before?

A:

While there are a number of general skills and transferable professional experiences that go into the making of a successful project manager, a certain degree of knowledge and familiarity, especially in specialized fields like finance or technology, require hands on experience to ensure that the candidate is a good fit for the position.

What to look for in an answer:

Relevant experience
Results
Confidence

Example:

“As the project manager for Company X’s international rebranding project, I led a diverse and multifaceted team of creative, technical and administrative staff and was able to ensure that all deliverables were met on time and on budget.”

Q:

How would you describe your communication and leadership style?

A:

In order to successfully steer a project to completion, a good project manager must be able to lead and inspire a dynamic team. The ability to communicate effectively and keep people motivated can all come down to the candidate’s communication and management style. This question can help to determine their level of self perception and awareness in this regard.

What to look for in an answer:

Self awareness
Personal leadership style
Approachability

Example:

“I would describe myself as a direct and approachable manager with an open door policy, which makes it easy for team members to discuss issues or problems as they develop.”

Q:

What general metrics do you use to determine if a project is progressing on track?

A:

Managing a project with many moving parts requires the ability to balance and solve competing priorities. This question can help to gauge how the candidate approaches managing a team and handles various time and budgetary concerns.

What to look for in an answer:

Ability to delegate
Organizational skills
Time management skills

Example:

“I try to structure each project so that each team member works efficiently on a task by task basis in order to meet larger project milestones and objectives. I try to give the team the freedom and space they need to get the job done, while keeping an eye on the big picture to ensure that we are on track to meet the project goal.”

Q:

How do you help the team prioritize competing or simultaneously urgent tasks?

A:

In a perfect world, projects would move along a linear trajectory. In reality, there are often competing tasks that all demand immediate attention and resources. This question provides an understanding of how a candidate will handle inevitable snags along the road, and help the team to stay focused.

What to look for in an answer:

Flexibility
Problem solving skills
Personal management style

Example:

“In this situation, I would work with the team to identify the most mission critical tasks to keep the project moving forward and help the team to re-evaluate the most urgent priorities in the moment.”

Q:

What is your strategy for working with an underperforming team member?

A:

Teams of all sizes will inevitably encounter friction and a member or two who struggle to perform up to standards. The ability to keep people motivated and identify problem areas (and how to solve them quickly and efficiently) is a fundamental quality in a good project manager.

What to look for in an answer:

Communication and diplomacy skills
Coaching and motivational abilities
Empathy

Example:

“Keeping every member of the team performing at their very best is one of my top priorities on each project. My first step would be to work with the team member in question to identify where they are struggling, and try to design actionable and manageable steps that they can take right away to get back on track.”

Q:

How would you describe the outcome of your last project?

A:

Every project and organization measures success differently, and there are many factors that go into success in addition to whether a project was completed on time and on budget. This question can help to establish how the candidate evaluates performance and success and whether they can take away lessons for future growth.

What to look for in an answer:

Quality and quantity of work
Ability to set and meet goals
Capacity for growth

Example:

“While the client and sponsors were happy with the results, I believe there is always room to improve and learn from the experience. I learned how to identify and address problems as they arise, and in the future I would spend less time on non-essential tasks.”

Q:

What approach do you take when a project hits a roadblock and does not go according to plan, despite the team’s best efforts?

A:

Even the best planning can’t account for the problems that can develop along the lifeline of a project. What a project manager does when things are going wrong is essential for a project’s success.

What to look for in an answer:

Accountability
Creativity
Problem solving skills

Example:

“My philosophy is to act quickly but efficiently. I would work with the team to identify what isn’t working, and help to design better workflows to get the project moving in the right direction.”

Q:

What's your process for delegating tasks to your employees?

A:

One of the project manager's key responsibilities is to delegate tasks to their employees. They must properly analyze the employees who work below them to determine which tasks they'd perform the best at to create an impressive final product. This question gives you an opportunity to understand the candidate's process for assigning tasks that align well the employee's strengths, abilities and interests. Look for a candidate who has a clear plan for delegating tasks to ensure they deliver an impressive project that aligns well with the client's goals.

The candidate's answer should emphasize:

Leadership style and ability
System for delegating tasks
Ability to match specific tasks with the skill level and interests of employees

Here's an example of a quality candidate answer:

Example:

"When I first receive a project, I'll determine which departments are needed to successfully complete the tasks for it. Then I'll make a list of tasks and will move each task under its respective department. When I know which tasks and departments I'm working with, I'll assign responsibilities to employees who I know have completed similar work items in the past. For employees and tasks I'm less familiar with, I'll meet with the department head and will ask their opinion on which employee they think is the best option for certain responsibilities."

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Last updated: Apr 21, 2021