What qualities are required to be an effective project manager?
This question is different from the one in which you are asked to name only one skill. Apart from technical skills, mention leadership skills, time management skills, decision-making skills, prioritization skills, risk management skills etc. The follow-up question can be about how a certain skill helps. So, do prepare a justification for each of the skills you talked about.
How do you estimate in the three point estimating method?
There are 2 formulas to calculate 3 point estimation.
1) Triangular Distribution E = (P+M+O)/3 ;
2) Beta or PERT Distribution E = (P+4M+O)/6 ;
where P stands for pessimist, O for Optimist and M = most likely and
PERT = Program Evaluation and Review Techniques
What is your delegation style?
This is a question that is designed to ask about leadership skills. Explain what has been best for you and use examples of how your delegation style has worked well in the past. Even if you’ve never technically led a team before, it’s important to find an example of how you might’ve delegated in the past.
Do you prefer working on a single project or multiple projects at the same time?
You must always show your enthusiasm to the interviewer, but also be honest. If you feel that you can handle more projects than one, then say that you prefer multiple projects.
How would you handle a difficult stakeholder involved in your project?
Since stakeholders hold a high authority and are an integral part of a project having their consent is very important. But sometimes they can be little difficult to handle, in such cases should:
- Accept their authority without fighting
- Remove all the negative emotions
- Understand their issue
- Ask for advice and listen to them
- Be tactful and honest with your decisions
- Praise them and try to establish the connection
- Improve your communication
What’s your leadership style?
Talking about managing a project will inevitably lead to a discussion of leadership style. There are many ways to lead, and all have their pluses and minuses. Depending on the project, a project manager might have to pick and choose how they lead, ranging from a top-down approach to servant leadership. See how well-versed they are on leadership techniques.
Which of the methodologies have you used in your projects? Why do you prefer it over others?
There are various methodologies — Agile, Waterfall, etc. — which are used in project management. Be well-prepared about the various pros and cons of each methodology that you have used. Never mention the ones that you haven’t used.
Explain the concept of RAID in project management.
As you know, RAID is a critical tool for any project manager. It stands for Risks, Actions, Issues, and Decisions. To define it, RAID is a tool used by project managers to track risks, actions, issues, and decisions in an organized way. While answering the project management interview question, you should include the definitions of these four concepts as well.
How do you prioritize tasks on a project?
Prioritization is important. There’s going to be more work in a day than can be accomplished, so any good project manager is going to have to determine what is crucial and what could be left undone if necessary. It will prove interesting and informative to see how the candidate makes these decisions.
What tools do you use as a manager to plan your activities as well as that of your team?
From meetings to project management programs and everything in between, there’s an endless list of tools and processes that project managers use to stay organized. Be sure to list as many tools as you can think of that you’re familiar with to demonstrate your knowledge of project management software and other tools.
Proactive Decision Making
A project manager needs to be able to identify and prevent issues from impacting the project adversely. It is important that the candidate demonstrates the ability to take proactive steps, avoid procrastination, and not shy away from making tough decisions. Thus, candidates are often asked to share examples and real-life scenarios from their projects and life where they made proactive decisions. Here are a few such questions: