Interview Questions

Project Manager Position

* Know what you are up against

* Read about the company youre applying at
* Revise general project management concepts
* Be prepared for tough questions
* Sleep well the night before
* Eat a light snack before going to the interview

Things to do Before the Interview

* Inter-personal questions (many)

* Background questions (few)
* Experience question (few)
* Technical questions (many)

*What to Expect

* Tell us about yourself.

* Be careful when answering this question. Dont talk about

personal life (age, marital status, beliefs, kids etc).

* Focus on the position and mention everything that could relate
to it.
* Talk briefly about your education, past experience and
challenges you overcame.

*Common Question 1

* Why did you leave your last position?

* Honesty is the key, dont lie under any circumstances.

* If you were fired, tell them why.
* If you quit for no solid reason, a good answer is always Im

looking for a challenging position and explain why you are

doing so.
* Do not bash your previous companies/managers.

*Common Question 2

* Why did you choose this company?

* Tell them exactly why and talk about key points from your
reading about the organization.

*Common Question 3

* Which skills/characteristics make you fit for a

project manager?

* Time to sell yourself, tell them why youre the best fit for the

position.
* If you have any training or certification, mention it now.
* Common PM characteristics/skills are (communication, problemsolving, being alert to changes, time management,
organizational skills etc)

*Common Question 4

* Tell me about a problem/issue you have solved

in the past?

* Forget you math & personal problems, talk about an issue you

faced while working and how you resolved it.

* Do not overstate the problem.
* Mention the outcome of your resolution and the parties involved
with it (who is affected).

*Common Question 5

* How do you resolve a conflict between you and

another employee, manager, consumer,
supplier... Etc?

* Be cautious when answering conflict questions. Its different

than problem-solving questions, so dont repeat the same info.

* This question focuses on your ability to communicate & solve
conflicts simultaneously.
* Avoid saying I never encountered any conflicts, its the same
as I have no answer.
* If you truly never faced a conflict at work, which is very rare.
Explain how you would resolve a conflict if it ever occurs.

*Common Question 6

* What are the life stages of a project?

* Initiation, planning, execution, controlling and closing.

* OR initiation, planning, execution and closing.

*Common Question 7

* During which stage would you design and

implement an RMP (risk management plan)?

* During the planning stage.

*Common Question 8

* Define the critical path in a project.

* The Longest path of activities in a project, which must have the

minimum amount of slack and be completed on time for the

project to complete on due date.
* You can also elaborate by saying If a task is delayed in the
critical path, the entire project will be delayed. However, if the
activity following the delayed activity is completed earlier.

*Common Question 9

* How do you calculate cost variance?

* By subtracting the earn value from the actual cost of work.

(CV = AC EV)

*Common Question 10

* What is a slack/float in a project?

* The time where a task that can be delayed without delaying

sequenced tasks or becoming critical.

*Common question 11

* What is a Gantt Chart?

* Gantt chart a graphic presentation of a projects activities used

in project management software (MS project/Primavera)

*Common Question 12

* What is the most challenging part in project

management?

* This question focuses on previous project management

experience, so there is no direct answer here.

* Most professional PMs find change management to be most
challenging.
* Other challenging topics include (scope inconsistency,
communication, risk management etc)

*Common Question 13

* Be assertive.
* Do not exaggerate your answers.
* Do not pretend to know more than you actually do.
* Do not talk about personal issues, unless directly
asked about it.
* Eye contact and body language are important,
practice makes perfect.
* Ask questions about the nature, duties and
responsibilities of the job.

*Golden Rules

* Project management is truly one of the most

exciting fields out there.

* You will learn a lot, in many different fields.
* You will interact with many people and be on
your feet all day.
* Remember that a successful project is not a
solely achievement. It is a shared victory
between all stakeholders and those whom were
involved.

*Best of Luck