Common questions I was asked during my last 4 interviews for a project management position.

1. Project Manager Position

2. *Know what you are up against
*Read about the company you’re 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

3. *
*Inter-personal questions (many)
*Background questions (few)
*Experience question (few)
*Technical questions (many)

4. *
*Tell us about yourself.
* Be careful when answering this question. Don’t 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.

5. *
*Why did you leave your last position?
* Honesty is the key, don’t lie under any circumstances.
* If you were fired, tell them why.
* If you quit for no solid reason, a good answer is always “I’m
looking for a challenging position” and explain why you are
doing so.
* Do not bash your previous companies/managers.

6. *
*Why did you choose this company?
* Tell them exactly why and talk about key points from your
reading about the organization.

7. *
*Which skills/characteristics make you fit for a
project manager?
* Time to sell yourself, tell them why you’re the best fit for the
position.
* If you have any training or certification, mention it now.
* Common PM characteristics/skills are (communication, problem-
solving, being alert to changes, time management,
organizational skills… etc)

8. *
*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).

9. *
*How do you resolve a conflict between you and
another employee, manager, consumer,
supplier... Etc?
* Be cautious when answering conflict questions. It’s different
than problem-solving questions, so don’t repeat the same info.
* This question focuses on your ability to communicate & solve
conflicts simultaneously.
* Avoid saying “I never encountered any conflicts”, it’s 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.

10. *
*What are the life stages of a project?
* Initiation, planning, execution, controlling and closing.
* OR initiation, planning, execution and closing.

11. *
*During which stage would you design and
implement an RMP (risk management plan)?
* During the planning stage.

12. *
*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.”

13. *
*How do you calculate cost variance?
* By subtracting the earn value from the actual cost of work.
(CV = AC – EV)

14. *
*What is a slack/float in a project?
* The time where a task that can be delayed without delaying
sequenced tasks or becoming critical.

15. *
*What is a Gantt Chart?
* Gantt chart a graphic presentation of a project’s activities used
in project management software (MS project/Primavera)

16. *
*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)

17. *
*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.

18. *
*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.