A great manager will take ownership over business goals, motivate employees, and lead the companys most crucial projects. Letâs just say, they have a lot on their plates.
But a good manager is also a leader. Dedicated to making their team better, happier, and more productive, strong managers cultivate a work-hard-smile-hard environment.Â
Research from Gallup found that 70% of a teams engagement is influenced by its managers. The right manager can make or break your teamâs work ethic. And thatâs why nailing the job interview process is oh-so crucial when hiring for management positions.Â
If youre ready to make your next management hire your best yet, this list of interview questions will help you find your perfect fit. ðð»
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Could you tell me about a time when you improved your ideas based on your teammate’s suggestion?
Geez.
Your interviewer has no mercy. Theyve brought out the big guns already.
Why is that, though?
Among many things, your job is to retain talent. But without listening to your employees, their needs, and opinions, youre doomed to fail. Miserably.
Prove with your answer that your team has a say.
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Situation: We conduct regulatory spot checks for our finance department in England every summer. Task: This year, the team had to complete the process for the Scottish employees, too. So I established a universal process for all employees, and the management approved it. Action: My team member rightfully noted that we didnt have to ask for a signature from the Scottish employees to start the whole process. Whereas in England, we had to. She ran her finding with legal and was right. Result: Thanks to her initiative, we reduced this particular process to one e-mail and completed Scottish checks way ahead of schedule. |
It wasnt so difficult, was it?
Notice theres a trick to coming up with the best answers.
Its the STAR method technique to disarm common interview questions for managers:
That way, youll avoid follow-up questions from recruiters probing for more detailed answers and clutching their teeth while waiting for you to slip up.
Find more STAR-model answer examples in our guide and get some practice: How To Make A STAR Interview Answer And Land Jobs
Additional Interview Questions Managers Should Prep For
You know now the skills and personality traits you need to prove during a manager interview. But—
Theres more.
Its a job interview like any other, so youd better prepare for questions that have to do with your motivation, problem-solving mindset, and skills outside an ideal leader folder.
Heres a bunch of general interview questions at a manager level you should take a look at:
When coming up with answers for such questions, use the STAR method as well. And stay relevant at all times. Your responses should always relate to the skillset, qualities, and experience your employer desires.
So, take another deep look at the job description before your interview. Itll give you all the information you need to nail it!
How do you translate the company’s goals into your team’s strategy?
That serves to determine whether you understand how you and the team fit into the companys scheme.
So, explain your ways of breaking down the overall companys targets and translating them into your and your teams KPIs.
Piece of cake, amirite?
In the end, make sure to describe how you talk about the goals with your team. You need to convince the hiring manager you help your team understand the value they create by doing their job.
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At the beginning of each onboarding, managers explain the values we hold on to in everything we do to their new hires. So during the presentation to our new writer, I made sure to describe each of the four values and how they fit into their yearly goals. That way, our employees are aware those aren’t only empty words, but actual indicators of one’s performance. Thanks to my presentation, my team knows the importance they play in the content team. They know that what they produce as writers affects other departments. No one has ever under-delivered their targets. |