Manager Interview Questions & Answers

Management interviews are often quite different from entry-level or even mid-level positions within various organizations. Most manager interview questions are focused on learning about your management style and how you handle conflicts between staff members. As a manager, you are often responsible for hiring and firing staff, so it can be a tough job. Management interview questions are based less on knowledge and geared more toward learning about your experience.

Manager Interview Mistakes

One mistake that a lot of managerial candidates make in interviews is answering the common "weaknesses and strengths" question dishonestly. For example, you might be tempted to say that your biggest weakness is the inability to leave work behind when heading home, and you tend to work too hard. This isn't a weakness, but an answer that you might think an interviewer wants to hear. Be honest to a certain level when answering this question. Don't say, "My biggest weakness is that I can't get along with anyone,", but maybe say something along the lines of, "I am working to learn about effective conflict resolution practices to develop better relationships with co-workers."

Example Answers to Managerial Questions

When applying for a job in management, it is important to prepare some answers to questions you might be asked during the interview. One common question is, "Tell us about a time when you had to resolve a disagreement between your staff members." Effective answers might sound something like this:

• I sat down with both staff members involved in the dispute to get more background information about the argument. From there, I brought in a human resources staff member and met with the two involved parties to allow them to discuss the disagreement in a calm and safe atmosphere. We finished the meeting by emphasizing the need for demonstrating professionalism with and consideration of customers and fellow employees in all situations.
• I meet regularly with each of my staff members to look for potential problems and nip them in the bud if possible. When a minor problem festers, it can easily escalate into a bigger one, so it is best to discuss issues and resolve them before staff members become too emotional or upset.

Another possible question you could face is, "Describe an event in which you had to let one of your employees go." In this case, employers want to know that you will handle the situation professionally while minimizing the risk of legal action. Your response might go as follows:

• I met with this individual on five separate occasions to discuss her habitual tardiness in showing up late to her shift. I documented the outcomes of each of these meetings and outlined the company policy that, on the sixth offense, employees are terminated. Because the behaviour didn't change, I informed her in the final meeting that I would have to adhere to the company policy and let her go. I kept our human resources representative involved throughout the termination process and provided the employee with all required copies of the related paperwork.

Although manager interview questions and answers are different from those provided in other interviews, you can develop strong answers based on your past experiences and obtain your dream job.