Project management interview questions are a tool recruiters use to gauge your proficiency and determine whether you’re a suitable candidate for the role in their organization. They use them to evaluate your hard and soft skills and workplace behavior to see if you fit into their team and perform up to their standards.
Let’s explore some of the most common project manager interview questions you’ll likely encounter when applying for a job. We’ll analyze why recruiters ask them, explain how you should answer them, and give examples of good answers.
Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
When answering project manager interview questions, you should be concise and professional and ensure the response is relevant to the role.
Using the STAR method is the best way to give optimal answers to behavioral interview questions.
There are general, behavioral, and technical interview questions for project managers.
To excel in your interview, you should tailor your answers to the company, practice behavioral interview questions, and prepare questions to ask interviewers.
How to Answer Project Manager Interview Questions
To answer project manager interview questions, you should be concise and professional. Keep your responses relevant to the questions, and don’t go off on tangents. Focus on emphasizing your strengths and demonstrating what makes you the right person for the role you’re applying for.
When responding to behavioral interview questions, you should use the STAR method to give optimal answers. This technique gives you a proven structure to follow and provides all the necessary details.
STAR is an abbreviation, and it stands for:
STAR Method
Situation. Start with a brief description of a situation that required your attention.
Task. Explain your responsibilities and the assignments you were tasked with.
Action. Proceed by outlining the actions you took to resolve the situation.
Result. Capitalize on your answer by telling recruiters the favorable results you achieved.
15 Project Manager Interview Sample Questions & Answers
Let’s explore some of the most common project manager interview questions and answers. We’ll start with the basic questions designed to gauge your general competence, examine behavioral interview questions, and finally delve into the technical questions.
#1. Describe the last project you worked on.
Recruiters ask this project management interview question to find out about your most recent work-related experiences. They want to understand where you are as a professional, what role you have in your team, and what your current approach to project management is.
Your answer should show a clear understanding of your role and responsibilities while describing the project.
Here’s an example of a good answer:
Good Example
“My last work as a project manager involved optimizing the supply chain processes for an e-commerce client. I was tasked with creating the project plan and managing a $250,000 budget while coordinating with vendors and the IT team and communicating with stakeholders. We were able to reduce stock discrepancies by 35%, saving the client $45,000 annually.”
#2. Describe your most successful project.
When recruiters ask this project management interview question, they aren’t simply looking to find out about your competence and achievements; they are also interested in seeing how you define success and what your self-assessment abilities are.
A good answer should focus on the specifics of your most successful projects. It should clearly describe the challenges you faced and the results you obtained.
Let’s see that in an example:
Good Example
“My most successful project was implementing a CRM system for a tech company. I was responsible for budgeting and stakeholder communication while managing a cross-functional team of 11 professionals.
I used Scrum to split the project into manageable sprints, kept ongoing communication, and frequently reviewed the progress. We completed the project two weeks ahead of schedule and 25% under budget.”
#3. What skills do you believe are essential for project management?
This is another general interview question typically used to assess an entry-level project manager’s understanding of the role. Recruiters ask this to see whether your project management skills align with the needs of their organization. Your answer should highlight a good mix of relevant hard skills and highly sought-after soft skills.
Here’s an example of a good answer:
Good Example
“I consider essential skills for project management to be communication, organization, and leadership. These abilities allow me to foster continuous exchange of ideas, keep track of budgets and timelines, motivate the team, and resolve conflicts when needed.
On the technical side, I believe proficiency in tools like Jira, Trello, and Microsoft Project is necessary to enhance collaboration and keep track of the project’s progress.”
Now, let’s see how you should answer behavioral interview questions for project managers.
#4. Have you ever handled a project that did not meet the deadline or the budget?
With this interview question, recruiters want to know how you respond to challenges and setbacks and whether you learn valuable lessons from difficult situations and failure.
You want to be honest when giving an answer and talk about genuine roadblocks you encountered. However, you should also focus on your steps to overcome them.
Let’s see that in an example:
Good Example
“I once led a website redesign project that exceeded the budget by 15%. The reason for it was unexpected scope creep combined with requests for unplanned additional features late in the development stage.
I addressed this by reprioritizing first to finish the most critical features while communicating the implications to stakeholders. After launching the project, I conducted an analysis to help me improve further scope management. Even though we exceeded the budget, the project was a success and saw a 21% increase in traffic within two months.”
#5. How do you handle conflicts within your team?
Recruiters ask how you handle conflict to determine whether you can keep your team on track while maintaining their productivity and morale. Disagreements between team members are common when working on projects, so it’s important to resolve them professionally while fostering positive work environments.
Here’s one way to answer this question:
Good Example
“I handle conflicts by addressing them early and identifying the root causes. During a mobile app development project, I had two team members disagreeing over implementation strategies. I initiated a private meeting with them, ensuring each team member had time to provide their arguments.
This approach resulted in a compromise; we found a solution where each team member utilized their strengths to enhance the deliverable.”
#6. How do you handle team members who are underperforming?
This project manager interview question probes into your ability to address performance issues within your team. They want to see if you can approach these situations professionally and what you do to meet project goals and maintain positive team dynamics.
A good answer should showcase communication skills, empathy, and a solution-oriented approach.
Here’s an example:
Good Example
“When I notice a team member underperforming, I first talk to them in a private meeting to understand their situation and find the underlying cause. If necessary, I’ll try reorganizing the team and reprioritizing the tasks to give the underperforming member some leniency and support.
I’ll frequently check in with them until their performance has improved. Going forward, I’ll provide continuous support and foster open communication while keeping projects on track.”
#7. How do you handle difficult stakeholders?
Managing stakeholders is as important as managing different aspects of a project, which is often expected of senior project managers. Recruiters typically ask this question to gauge communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills and see whether you can foster strong relationships, as well as manage expectations.
Here’s an example of a good answer:
Good Example
“Toward the end of one of my previous projects, a stakeholder kept changing requirements, risking delays. I scheduled weekly check-ins to align expectations while introducing a process for changes to be requested formally.
This allowed everyone to be involved in analyzing proposed changes for their feasibility while helping the stakeholder understand the project better and become more collaborative.”
#8. Have you had experience managing a remote team?
Some of the best remote jobs in the market include working on collaborative projects and require competent managers. Maintaining communication and ensuring alignment with a remote team comes with unique challenges, and recruiters want to know whether you’re able to tackle them.
Here’s how you can answer this question:
Good Example
“I once managed a remote team on a mobile app development project. The developers were spread across three different time zones, so I set overlapping work hours to ensure sufficient real-time collaboration.
I used Zoom to conduct weekly meetings and Slack for daily check-ins. I also organized virtual bimonthly team-building activities to maximize team cohesion and maintain morale.”
#9. How do you motivate your team during challenging periods?
Motivation impacts performance, so recruiters ask this project manager interview question to determine your ability to inspire your team during challenging periods. Your answer should emphasize your empathy and communication skills and the specific tactics you employ to keep morale high.
Let’s see that in an example:
Good Example
“To keep the team morale high, I regularly acknowledge their efforts during meetings and provide incentives, like flexible work hours. By facilitating open communication, I can address any concerns early and resolve them quickly. When it comes to large-scale projects, I break them up into smaller milestones and celebrate each achievement to keep the motivation up.”
Finally, here are some technical interview questions for project managers.
#10. What project management tools have you used in the past?
With this project manager interview question, recruiters want to gauge your proficiency in specific tools and software commonly used for project management.
Here’s an answer example:
Good Example
“I have extensive experience in Trello, Jira, and Microsoft Project. I typically use Jira for software development projects to create and track sprints. Trello and its visual task boards are great for marketing campaigns, while Microsoft Project helped me ensure timely delivery for a construction project.”
#11. What project management methods do you use?
This is a project management interview question asked at Accenture, Deloitte, Capgemini, and many other global companies that have multiple large-scale projects. Their recruiters ask this question to see whether you can choose the suitable methodology based on project requirements.
Here’s an example of a good answer:
Good Example
“I adjust my approach based on the project’s needs. For example, I use Agile for flexible software development and Scrum to manage sprints and leverage retrospectives. However, when projects have fixed requirements, I employ the Waterfall methodology.”
#12. How do you prioritize tasks in a project?
Prioritization skills are vital in managing resources and reaching deadlines. Recruiters ask this project manager interview question to gauge your ability to make decisions and prioritize effectively.
Let’s see an example of an answer:
Good Example
“I prioritize tasks by first analyzing and evaluating their impact on the project goals. I typically use the MoSCoW method to identify high-priority tasks and focus on them before moving on to non-essential ones.”
#13. How do you perform risk assessment and mitigation for a project?
Risk assessment and mitigation are vital to ensuring timely project success and softening any potentially negative impact of unforeseen circumstances. A good answer should highlight your problem-solving skills and the ability to identify and assess risks promptly.
Here’s an example:
Good Example
“I use a risk assessment matrix to analyze and categorize risks based on the likelihood of them happening and the impact they might have. Then, I create appropriate mitigation plans that include backup tasks and alternate timelines. A proactive approach allows me to remain on top of the situation and act preemptively.”
#14. Walk me through your process for creating a timeline for a project.
Creating and managing timelines is one of the core responsibilities of project managers. Recruiters ask this question to examine your ability to create realistic plans and meet deadlines.
Here’s how you can answer:
Good Example
“To create a project timeline, I first break the project down into key tasks. Then, I estimate the duration of each task and allocate sufficient resources. Finally, I conduct regular reviews to ensure everything is going according to schedule and make adjustments if necessary.”
#15. How do you measure project success?
Recruiters ask this project manager interview question to see whether you can extract valuable insight from analyzing projects. They can help you improve future performance and fine-tune strategies for better outcomes.
Here’s an example of a good answer:
Good Example
“I typically analyze three key areas when measuring project success—delivery against scope, timeline and budget adherence, and stakeholder satisfaction. This gives me an all-encompassing look into the performance, allowing me to ensure the projects are successful from both the business and stakeholder point of view.”
15 More Project Manager Interview Questions
There are many more project manager interview questions recruiters can ask you, and knowing what they are can help you prepare.
Let’s start with common interview questions often asked regardless of the role:
Common Interview Questions
Why should we hire you?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Why did you leave your last job?
What do you know about our company?
What is your biggest weakness?
Now, here are some additional questions about project management:
Additional Interview Questions for Project Managers
What do you do when the project is at risk of failing?
What is your strategy for managing multiple projects simultaneously?
How do you handle last-minute changes to the project?
How do you manage communication with remote team members distributed across different time zones?
How do you determine the resources necessary for a project?
Let’s wrap it up with interview questions for project managers on the topic of collaboration and leadership:
Collaboration and Leadership Questions for Project Managers
How do you onboard new team members into an existing project?
How do you foster collaboration in a cross-functional team?
How do you ensure accountability in your team without micromanaging?
How do you ensure your team stays aligned with project goals?
What strategies do you have for identifying and developing talent with high potential within your team?
How to Excel as a Project Manager in Your Interview: 3 Key Tips
You can do several other things to excel in your interview apart from knowing how to answer project manager interview questions. Let’s see what they are.
#1. Tailor Your Answers to the Company
Tailoring your answers to the company to present yourself as a suitable candidate is crucial when interviewing for a job. Every response you give should highlight your skills and accomplishments relevant to the role you’re applying for to portray you as the right candidate.
You should research the company and read the job ad to find out which skills and qualifications recruiters look for in candidates. Then, you’ll be able to incorporate those in your answers to demonstrate that you’re the perfect fit.
#2. Practice Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral questions are some of the most common during interviews. To ensure you give optimal answers to them, you should practice the STAR method. This is best done by having a mock interview before the real meeting. You can use it to polish your verbal skills, practice body language, and get valuable feedback from the person interviewing you.
#3. Prepare Questions for Interviewers
You should prepare a couple of insightful questions to ask interviewers. They will typically check if there’s something you want to ask them toward the end of the interview. Posing astute and thoughtful questions that can’t be answered with a simple online search can show that you did your research and are genuinely committed to getting the job.
Final Thoughts
The job outlook for project management specialists is 7%, which is faster than average and amounts to about 77,000 new openings each year between 2023 and 2033. Still, you will likely have to beat the competition to get the job you’re after, and what better way to do it than to ace project manager interview questions?
Remember to be brief and professional and to keep your answers relevant to the role. Highlight concrete results and favorable outcomes from your work history, and you’ll be one step closer to getting the position!
