What is a project manager?

A project manager is a professional who oversees a specific type of project from

beginning to end, including managing any staff who are involved. Project
managers usually work towards a deadline, manage the project budget and
allocate resources like work hours. Project managers work in a variety of
industries, including software development, technology, construction and
more. Some project managers have specialised training in their industry, some
may have training in project management specifically and some project
managers have both.

Related: 7 project management roles

Project manager interview questions with

example answers
Here are some of the top project manager interview questions with example
answers:

1. What is the most important thing a project manager does?

Interviewers ask you this to determine what your outlook is on project

management and what you prioritise. Your answer should show who you are
and your understanding of what you feel is most important.

Example: 'In my experience, communicating with your colleagues, sponsor,

management and clients the most important thing a project manager does.
Throughout the project, clear communication can tell you what is expected for your
project and what the priorities are. Communication ensures a project moves
smoothly and that any problems are identified early.'

2. Have you ever had a project that didn't meet the deadline or
budget?

You may be asked this question to identify how you respond to issues within a
project, including how you explain the reason for a missed deadline or a budget
you exceeded. When answering questions like this with the potential to become
negative, it's a good idea to use the STAR technique, which stands for situation,
task, action and result.
Example: 'I managed a project where the client requested an additional feature
near the end of the project. I analysed the workload of my team, how much
development time this feature would require and how my team felt about their
ability to add the additional feature. I determined that the amount of time my team
needed to add this feature would either require not meeting the deadline or
reducing the amount of time spent on another feature. I spoke with the client about
this and they decided to push the deadline back to accommodate the late change to
the scope.'

Related: How To Use The STAR Interview Technique in Competency-Based

Interviews

3. How do you prioritise tasks on a project?

Interviewers ask you this because being able to prioritise effectively is an

important part of any project manager's job. Your answer should show that you
are capable of evaluating the importance of tasks and communicating clearly
with your team.

Example: 'At the beginning of every project, I find it helpful to evaluate all the tasks
that will need to be completed. Some tasks can't be completed until another task is
done first, so that has to be considered. Some tasks require the involvement of
specific employees whose schedules may be limited, which also has to be
considered. After I make my initial assessments regarding what tasks need to
happen and when, I speak with my team to determine what their opinions are and if
they see any tasks that need to be prioritised differently.'

Related: Transferable Skills: Definitions and Examples

4. What was your most successful project?

You may be asked this to evaluate how you determine what a successful project
is and that you know how to manage a successful project. It's often useful to
use the STAR method in answering this question.

Example: 'I was managing a large-scale construction project for a client that
involved building three large mixed-use commercial buildings. The client wanted
one building completed first so that they could use that to lease space in all the
buildings, which meant I needed to manage that building's schedule and budget on
its own as well as the overall project on a more extended timeline.
The client had a large but firm budget and established deadlines for the completion
of each building individually. By allocating my resources effectively, including the
workers that built the building, I managed to get the first building completed early
so that the client could begin showing the space earlier than planned. The other two
buildings were completed on time and on budget, which meant the client's tenants
could move in on schedule. The client was so happy with our work that they hired
my construction company again for another project and requested me as their
project manager.'

5. What is your leadership style?

Potential employers ask you this question because they want to know how you
see yourself as a leader and if your style will fit with their company culture. You
should be honest about how you prefer to lead your teams, but emphasise the
positive aspects of how you lead. It can be helpful to prepare by knowing a bit
about different leadership styles and which would apply to you.

Example: 'I believe I have a coach leadership style, as I really enjoy collaborating
with my team members. I want to offer myself as a resource to those I manage so
that they can grow and learn. I try to mentor my team effectively, communicate any
changes or updates clearly and use this collaborative environment to complete
projects that make all the stakeholders and clients happy.'

Related: 13 Leadership Styles and Their Characteristics

6. What escalation paths do you use when facing a problem?

Interviewers ask you this to determine if you know when to escalate a problem
to your superiors and if you know when you should handle the problem
yourself. Your answer should make it clear that you understand how to handle
escalation effectively. You can also use the STAR technique if you have a good
example.

Example: 'I prefer to handle any issues myself when possible or by working with my
team members. However, sometimes issues arise where I need to discuss a problem
with the client to determine the best way to resolve it. Ideally, I can resolve nearly
everything on a project without escalating, so that when I do need to involve my
client, they know it is a real issue I need their help with.

For instance, once I was managing a project where the sales team had promised the
client a feature we weren't able to deliver. I spoke with my entire team and did a lot
of research before determining that feature was impossible for us to create for this
particular project. Then, I spoke with my sponsor to decide how to proceed. My
sponsor and I contacted the client and explained the situation to them. They were
disappointed, but appreciated our honesty and agreed to have the project proceed
without that feature.'

Related: Top 9 Leadership Skills to Develop

7. What project management methods do you use?

Many companies who employ project managers have at least one method they
use, if not more. When you're asked this in an interview, it's to determine if your
experience will be useful for how they manage projects. Even if you don't have
experience in the specific method they use, by explaining how you use a
different method you can show them your understanding of effective project
management methods.

Example: 'I have researched a few different project management methods

including Lean and Agile, but the one I've used most commonly in my work as a
project manager is the Scrum method. I find that by working in sprints, my team is
often more focused on the tasks that are of the highest priority. Additionally, the
regular meetings used in Scrum allow me to discover and manage any problems
quickly. The meetings also facilitate clear communication for the entire team.'

8. How do you handle team conflicts?

Interviewers ask this because managing conflict within your team can be a
challenging but common aspect of project management. You should show that
you understand your responsibilities for managing conflicts as a project
manager and can use the STAR technique to do so.

Example: 'I often encourage my teams to try to handle conflicts amongst

themselves first. Just like I don't need to take every issue to the project sponsor, not
every conflict requires my attention. For those conflicts that I do need to be involved
in, I work with everyone involved to determine the source of the conflict and find the
best possible solution.

For instance, when I was managing a recent software project, the lead developer
and the web designer disagreed about how something should be created. They were
unable to resolve the issue on their own, so I had a meeting with both of them to
find a resolution. After listening to the evidence and reasoning from both sides, I
determined the best option was the one the developer was suggesting because of its
alignment with budget and deadline goals.'