Hello there, everybody.
My name is Richard McMunn from the interview training company How2Become.com, and in this
video, we are going to focus on the PROJECT MANAGER INTERVIEW and in particular, I am
going to give you five brilliant questions and suggested answers that you can use during
your preparation.
Let's get straight into it: A very warm welcome to this tutorial.
That's me there on the right-hand side, Richard McMunn.
I've been helping people like you to successfully pass their interviews for over 20 years now.
In this video, as I say, we're going to focus on the FIVE TOP PROJECT MANAGER INTERVIEW
questions and suggested answers.
As always, please make sure you subscribe to the channel by clicking the red button
below this video.
That way you will not miss out on the weekly interview videos that I upload.
And also, if you do LIKE this video, and you enjoy the content and the answers I'm going
to give you, please do give the video a like, a thumbs up.
That motivates me to do more for you.
Also, tell me the name of your Project Manager interview in the comments section below the
video and I will come on air each day and I will give you some more interview questions
to prepare for to help you pass your interview.
And in this video, I am also going to give you 3 brilliant questions to ask the interview
panel at the end of your Project Manager interview.
So, when you get to the end, they're going to say to you: “Do you have any questions
for the panel?”
And I'm going to give you three brilliant questions you can ask any project manager
interview at the end to impress upon.
OK.
Let's get straight into it.
Question number one.
“How would you begin a newly assigned project?
Great question.
Here's my suggested answer.
“One of the most important things for me, as a project manager, is clarity.
Unless you gain total clarity at the start of the project, it is likely to fail at some
stage down the line.
So, as part of the project management life cycle, I will start off with the initiation
phase.
This is where I define the reason for the project and its purpose.
Once I have completed this stage of the project life cycle, I can then move on to the planning
stage and define the people, resources, and finances needed to complete the project to
the required standards and specification.”
So that response tells the interview panel that you have a clear plan on what you're
going to do at the start of every project and in my opinion that should be clarity.
You've got to gain clarity straight away and it also informs them you know what you're
talking about, but also you have a clear indication in your mind how you are going to start every
project.
So, it is unlikely to fail.
Question number two.
“Describe a time when you were involved in a project that failed?”
Now, some people will say during this tough project manager interview question “I've
never failed a project.”
Everybody has been involved in a project that hasn't gone well.
Now it's how you respond to it.
That is the important part.
So, what they're looking for, from you, is that you have failed, but more importantly
you have learned from the process.
So here is my sample response for you.
“There was one particular project I was involved in that didn’t go well, but it
is also perhaps the one project that I learned the most from.
I was part of a team of six people who were tasked with delivering a time-sensitive project
for an important client.
Because there was not much time to complete the project, the initial brief and task allocation
delivered by the project manager was inadequate, in my opinion.
This obviously had a knock-on effect whereby important milestones were missed.
In the end, the client abandoned the project and I felt quite embarrassed having been part
of the team that failed.
However, I took a tremendous amount from that experience and I always use it now as a reminder
of what not to do.
Whenever I am managing a project, I will always conduct a thorough brief based on my plan,
allocate tasks to people who I can trust and also who will do the job for me, and I always
hold regular team meetings to monitor progress.
If things are not going to plan, I will always take decisive action quickly and put things
in place to get them back on track and to specification.”
So, that is a great response that you can use during your Project Manager interview.
If they ask you whether you have failed before in a project, and the important part is a
second bit that you have learned from that process and tell them what you've learned.
Next question: “What do you understand by the project lifecycle?”
Okay, now this is a simple response but unless you know what the project lifecycle is, then
you're not going to be able to answer it.
Here we go.
“The project lifecycle describes the individual phases of a specific project.
These are the INITIATION phase, which is basically defining the reason for the project and its
purpose.
Then there’s the PLANNING phase of the cycle, which is where I define the team skills, establish
the actions, and also set the timelines for completion.
Next, we have the DEVELOPMENT stage, which is essentially putting the team together and
also establishing the budget and resources necessary to complete the project.
Then we move on to the IMPLEMENTATION and TESTING stage, which is taking the steps necessary
to complete the project on time, to specification and to budget before delivering the final
submission to the client for review.
The CLOSURE phase of the cycle is the full and final delivery to the client and a review
of the project by everyone involved to see what lessons can be learned for the next project.”
And that is a brilliant response!
It is structured and you are covering the project life cycle stages of initiation, planning,
development, implementation, and closure.
So, if you don't know that, or you’ve not done that before, take down those steps and
use them in your answer.
Okay, next question “What do you consider to be the most difficult aspect of project
management?”
Now, I recommend you use, provided you believe in this, that dealing with clients can be
the most difficult part because it probably is.
But you explain how that part is also the most rewarding and what you do to make sure
it goes right.
So, here's my suggested answer for you.
“What do you consider to be the most difficult aspect of project management?”
“The most difficult aspect of project management, and at the same time the most rewarding, is
dealing with clients who have unrealistic expectations.
I’ve been in situations before whereby I have spent a considerable amount of time discussing
the project with a client, and also making them fully aware of the timelines and specification,
only for them to place undue pressure on the project with altering expectations.
Having said that, I do believe I have become highly competent at managing client’s expectations,
and I do this by effective communication and making the client fully aware at every stage
of the process we are working to.
In my experience, by keeping the client fully onboard, and communicating with them competently
at every stage, this saves time and problems later on down the line.
The truth is, the client is the person who brings revenue into the business and it is
my responsibility as a project manager to manage their expectations and keep them focused
on the initial project aim and mission.”
So, what you're doing there is you're acknowledging there are difficult aspects to a project but
you are also saying they are the most rewarding part and you are also saying how you overcome
them.
Okay, so you're being truthful and honest because there are difficult parts of every
project, but you are explaining what you do to make sure they run smoothly.
Next question: “As a project manager is it better to be feared or loved?”
Brilliant question, really difficult But here's a cracking answer” “In my opinion, it
is better to have a fine balance of both.
I believe that, if you are feared, people may not feel motivated to work for you, and
conversely, if you are loved, some people may take advantage of your good nature and
the project can suffer as a result.
An effective project manager, in my opinion, is someone who clearly defines the expectations
and standards from the get-go, but who is also approachable and can use competent leadership
and motivational skills to drive their team forward to complete the project for the client
or the employer on time, within budget and to the required high standards.”
In my opinion, that's a brilliant response to that question.
Now three questions to ask at the end of your project manager interview to get to the end
of the interview.
Don't forget, if you want more sample project manager interview questions, I've put the
link to this video and the next one right at the end on the next slide, and also in
the link in the description below the video.
So, here's the three questions to ask.
Here we go.
“Who's your biggest competitor and how can I help you better them within this role?
You’re saying who's your biggest competitor and what can I do in the role to improve and
to better them.
Next question: “If I'm successful what will be the first thing you would want me to focus
on as your Project Manager?”
You’re trying to find out more about the role!
And finally: “I noticed on your website you've launched a new product or service.
Has this been successful?”
So, go on the website of the company you're applying to become the project manager for,
and have a look at their latest project and ask them about it because that shows that
you have researched about their product and their service which shows that you care.
So, to get more free training, click the link below the video which will give you the other
project manager interview video that I did, right here on YouTube, which are different
questions and also don't forget to click the link in the description and you can get access
to my free interview questions and answers course, which is at the website www.PassMyInterview.com.
Guys, don't forget to subscribe.
Please do give the video a LIKE!
Thank you very much for watching and good luck with your project manager interview.