Commonly Asked Interview Questions & Answers for IT Project Managers

 

Hiring a project manager is a must for successfully planning, carrying out, and finishing a project. The job of a project manager is challenging to fill. They require a broad range of abilities, familiarity with project management techniques, and communication expertise.

 

It is challenging to find someone proficient in project management procedures and skilled in inspiring team members to perform at their highest level. To handle every part of project management, such as planning, scheduling, monitoring, tracking, and more, it seems as though you might need to hire a team of workers rather than just one project manager. 

 

So, how can you locate a project manager who satisfies the job requirements and the organisational culture? We'll cover typical software project manager interview questions and responses in this article to assist you in the project manager hiring process.

 

Best IT Project Manager Interview Questions to Ask Candidates 

 

These top project manager interview questions will help you get a job or hire the right fit for your project. In the next section, certain icebreakers, behavioural and scenario-based project manager interview questions and answers.

 

1. Have you ever held a job in this field?

 

Answer: 

That's crucial since they might be experts in your business's project management techniques or have the necessary risk management abilities to oversee your initiatives.

Project management is largely the same across industries. Even if you lack direct experience, you may possess excellent project management abilities relevant to the sector, such as knowledge of project management software. The interviewers enquire how those pertinent projects turned out and if they have experience in your sector. The company wants someone who is at ease in the role and is genuine.

 

2. Did you ever lead remote teams?

 

Answer: Remote teams are prevalent, and not all projects are carried out under one roof. Many project managers may never meet their team members due to the availability of a worldwide workforce and more dynamic project management tools. However, they will still be able to collaborate through project management software. 

Then there are the essential resources that will be contracted out, requiring a different approach to resource management than when working with workers. Understanding how the interviewee has handled people and resources can provide the organization with an overview of the leadership abilities.

 

3. What was the most difficult project you overcame?

 

Answer: The conversation shifts from theory to practical involvement coupled with this behavioural query. Usually, the recruiters learn how the project manager uses his hard and soft abilities when pushed to their absolute limits and beyond by asking them about a difficult project. The company may judge how the project managers would handle projects on the board by looking at how they dealt with actual challenges. This question also gives the panel a feel of the person's project management background, including their team-leading and conflict-resolution techniques.

 

Here are some senior project manager interview questions to test the behavioural traits of an individual under a critical situation:

 

4. How can the project be back on track if it does not proceed according to plan?

 

Answer: Being able to put a project back on track is just as crucial as being aware that it is not progressing according to plan. A project manager must take action, such as project crashing or fast-tracking, as soon as they become aware of the gap between the project's actual schedule and the baseline timetable estimate in the project plan. Any project manager who is worth employing will be able to respond to this with precise, useful information. Using the STAR approach when responding to these kinds of inquiries is preferable.

 

5. What was your hardest project-related error?

 

Answer: Everyone makes mistakes, but how you respond to them shows your character. Using this project management interview question, the panel can determine the candidate's sincerity. 

 

One can be certain that they are lying if they claim to have never made a mistake, and their resume should be placed in the circular file. However, when they confess their error readily, the recruiter notices whether they accept responsibility for it (this will show how mature they are) and how they deal with it.

 

 

6. How do you collaborate with stakeholders, sponsors, and clients?

 

Answer: Even project managers are subject to accountability. A different strategy is needed to respond to executives, project sponsors, and stakeholders than to teams and vendors. 

Managing stakeholders who have authority over the project manager is one of their responsibilities. That requires a deft touch.

 

Now, let us briefly discuss a few technical project manager interview questions and answers you will likely face in an upcoming interview.

 

7. What method do you employ to rank the tasks in a project?

Answer: The management of tasks is crucial. There will be more work than can be completed in a day. Therefore a skilled project manager must prioritise what must be done and what may be postponed if necessary. Observing the candidate's time and task management decisions will be intriguing and educational for the hirers.

 

8. How do you assign chores to team members?

Answer: First, talk about the assignment you want to assign. Then you choose the team member with the necessary skill set to finish the job.

Clarify the instructions and your desired result before giving them to the reader. Tell the team member their role in the project from the business perspective, and explain your decision to give them the assignment.

Finally, tell them when you want them to finish the task and when you'll check in with them while they're working.

 

9. Describe how you would utilise outside help for a project.

 

Answer: There is no fixed format for answering this query. Try to incorporate the intricate technical hurdles you faced in your previous job, which forced you to ask for outside help. Then briefly discuss how you collaborated to complete the task within the deadline.

 

10. Describe what it's like to manage client or customer expectations.

 

Answer: Talk about being upfront and sincere. Managing customer expectations requires being honest from the outset.

You always need to talk about advanced planning but never presume. Although you can't guarantee it, you can plan for it.

Be honest and constant in your communication.

Set expectations, boundaries, and goals.

Skill-Lync offers a project management course to make you an expert in managing people and adding value to the organisation. The best manager would always push their team members to achieve the goal and improve their performance.