How To Prepare For A Program Manager Interview

Program Manager Key Duties And Responsibilities

A program manager is responsible for managing and delivering a number of projects that are all specifically aligned to one commercial definitive objective or outcome. A Program Manager is required to coordinate a large number of teams to ensure the program is delivered on time, to specification and to budget. Whilst it is true a Program Manager needs to have strong project management capabilities, they do not manage projects per se.

DUTIES OF A PROGRAM MANAGER

• Responsible for implementing and managing the program management lifecycle.
• Utilize effective communication and interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with project managers, senior management team members and stakeholders.
• Ascertain program controls, policies and procedures to ensure the final program is delivered.
• Responsible for stakeholders and interested parties by using strong communication skills.
• Plan and organize program management to ensure all processes are adhered to in-line with the strategic objectives of the organization.
• Responsible for the management of a program budget and also the allocation of resources.
• Management of risk all the way through the program actions.

What Project Management Methods Do You Use

There are several project management styles, like Scrum and Waterfall, that companies use based on the project. Your style will determine how you will best fit the company’s current methods. You should talk about the style you use or if you use a variety depending on the project.

Example:Since I have worked primarily in the software industry, I have found the Agile method works best for my projects. With Agile, I can create shorter delivery cycles so the client can see my team’s work and give us constructive feedback. It creates a more collaborative environment where I can work to create goals with my team based on their feedback.

I have also studied the Lean method in my own time and tried to incorporate some of it into my style. I try to eliminate waste in time and budget in all of my projects and always find ways to improve the process.

How Do You Handle Stakeholders

Your ability to win the support of stakeholders is tested using this question.

Tip #1: State how you manage stakeholders

Tip #2: Prove your ability to handle stakeholders effectively

Sample Answer

I make sure to keep all stakeholders informed about all matters they should know regarding a program. Doing so eliminates unnecessary doubts and wrong conclusions regarding on-going work. Effective communication also helps to win their support at every stage of a program. I also respect all stakeholders, regardless of their status.

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Top 21 Best Project Manager Interview Questions

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Before you can plan, execute and successfully complete a project, you must hire a project manager to manage it. A project manager is a difficult position to fill. They need a wide swath of skills, knowledge of methodologies and mastery of communication.

Youll need behavioral- and scenario-based questions and interview techniques such as the star method to gather information about the candidates leadership skills, management style, soft and hard skills.

Its hard to find a person who is both comfortable with the project management processes and adept at motivating team members to do their best. It feels as if you might have to employ a squad of workers to handle every aspect of project management, such as planning, scheduling, monitoring, tracking and more.

But, there are individuals who have the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary using project management methods to successfully lead projects. Theyre experts in many things, such as using project management tools but not arrogantly so, in that they know the power of collaboration and can have the communication skills to delegate work to focus on where their attention is needed most.

What Do You Think Is An Important Skill For A Project Manager To Have In Order To Succeed

This is, in fact, a personal question, so your answer will differ based on your job experience. Think back to your own career and past projects and reflect on why your best projects were so successful. Once you do dial in on a skill lets say, communication be sure as you answer this question to not only explain why its an important quality for any PM to have, but also illustrate why its an area you excel. Even if an interview doesnt include this specific question, its a wise exercise for any job candidate to think about his or her top skills and how they bring value to companies.

• Whats your ideal project?
• Tell me about yourself.
• What do you think is an important skill for a Project Manager to have in order to succeed?
• What kinds of projects interest you the most? Why?
• What part of the project management process do you enjoy most?
• Why do you want to work with this company?
• What are the three words that describe you best?
• Why should we hire you?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?

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Can You Walk Me Through A Specific Project You Worked On What Your Role Was Who The Stakeholders Were And What Problem You Were Solving

While you may have already given an overview of the kinds of projects youve worked on, an interviewer might also call on you to talk through one example in detail.

By asking this, were hoping to get a better sense of how a candidate approaches managing a project and how clearly they can communicate an idea, Jensen says.

Amazon Program Manager Behavioral Questions

Behavioral questions test your responses to workplace situations and your ability to handle tough environments at work.

• Tell us about a time when a project failed despite towering efforts from your and your team.
• Tell us about a time when you had to collaborate with multiple teams to drive a client project.
• Tell us about a time when a project affected your work-life balance.
• Tell us about a time when a colleague didnât respond appropriately to work-related requests.
• Tell us about a time when you resolved a conflict between two team members.
• Tell us about a time when you had to impart crucial learnings from a project to your entire team.
• Tell us about a time you missed a project deadline with reasons and how you managed it.

To see more behavioral questions and get tips on how to answer them, read this article on commonly asked.

For questions specific to Amazonâs Leadership Principles, a crucial aspect that features in Program Manager interviews, check out these . Youâll also find useful tips to answer these questions effectively.

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What Was Your Most Successful Project

This question is a way to demonstrate that you know the steps you can take to be successful. Think about your most successful project and why you had a positive outcome. Use the STAR method to give a brief outline of the project from start to finish.

Example:My most successful project was to create an advisor portal our client could use to manage customers’ assets. I had an internal kickoff where I worked with my team to develop a reasonable timeline, budget and detailed steps we would take to complete the portal. Afterward, we had a meeting with the client.

This is where we had a minor issue. The client was not happy with our original timeline. They wanted the portal three weeks earlier than what we proposed. I explained that in order to complete it earlier, we would have to increase the budget so we could use more resources. They were hesitant at first but ended up agreeing to a slight increase in budget.

After that, I had a daily standup with my team and weekly status calls with the client to give them updates and ensure the deliverable looked and worked as expected. We delivered the portal on time and within the budget. The client was so pleased with the user-friendly interface and functionality that they had us create phone and tablet applications, too. They key to success was constant communication and managing expectations throughout the project.”

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How Do You Deal With Difficult Or Aggressive Managers/clients

The interviewer wants to hear whether you can maintain composure even when clients or managers become aggressive.

Tip #1: State how you handle hostile clients

Tip #2: Show that you can maintain composure when others respond aggressively

Sample Answer

Whenever a client or manager becomes aggressive, I make sure to remain calm and practice active listening. Once they finish talking, I respond by explaining the steps undertaken towards solving a current problem or thank them for bringing matters to my attention. Besides, I am always sincere with them and make them understand why things didnt work how they expected.

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Pm Job Interview Question #1: Why Should We Hire You

This question is not special for a project manager interview. Most of the human resources personnel ask this question to evaluate a candidate during job interviews.

There can be hundreds of other applicants that you have to surpass to get a project manager job. Your background, skills, and resume should be impressive and matching the requirements of the job description. This is obvious. However, you have to be unique when providing an answer to this question. The interviewer must say, âWow, he knows what we exactly look forâ.

For the best answer to this project manager interview question, you can search for the recent news of the company before the interview. A recent financial report, investment, research, and development project news that the company is launching can be good information to place in your answer to this question.

The following can be a good answer to this interview question.

The project manager candidate highlights how he saw the position vacancy and why he applied. Then, he clarifies why he matches the position requirements. He also adds that while he will be providing benefits to the company, he will learn a lot from Apple as well.

Hint: Do not risk your next PM Job Interview! Attend in Project Manager Mock Interview sessions, see how you perform, and improve your PM interview skills.

What Sort Of Project Management Software And Tools Do You Use

Unless the information is included in the job posting and its certainly worth looking you wont know exactly which project management tools are used at different companies. So you should aim in your answer to illustrate a breadth of different tools and programs that you have experience using. You would like to include industry-standard communication and PM tools like Microsoft Project, Trello, or Basecamp since theres a good chance their organization will at least use one of them. This will also show your overall technical skills and proficiency.

• What project management software do you prefer?
• Whats your preferred project management methodology?
• Do you have budget management experience?
• Have you managed remote team members and outsourced resources?
• What are the different kinds of project management tools you have worked with?
• What is your strategy for prioritizing tasks?
• What experience do you have with process development?
• Whats your proficiency level with ?
• What are the steps you take to assess the risks of a project? How do you work to manage them over the projects lifetime?
• Describe how you schedule projects and establish timelines.
• What is the first thing you do when assigned a new project?

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Why Do You Want To Be A Program Analyst

Being asked this question during an interview allows you to discuss your commitment to being a program analyst. Each candidate will have their motivations for entering this field, so it’s essential to give your perspective in your answer. Show your excitement for the position and organization and any experiences you’ve had in the profession.

Example:”I decided to become a program analyst because I love math. I enjoy researching problems and finding solutions for them. I had a high school math teacher who was an inspiration with helping me realize that there is always a resolution all you have to do is find it.”

Why Should I Do Pmp Training With Simplilearn

Simplilearn is an authorized training provider through our PMP Certification training course, and is aligned with the syllabus covered in the actual PMP Certification exam. Our applied learning approach helps learners understand the concepts better and our instructors are PMP-certified themselves. The pmp course includes access to digital materials from PMI, case studies, industry projects, interactive quizzes, and simulation exams to help you prepare for the PMP Certification exam and clear it in the first attempt.

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Project Manager Interview Questions #1: How Do You Deal With Underperforming Project Team Members

If you are an experienced professional, you might have worked with a demotivated or underperforming colleague. The critical point for the project manager is, he or she has to motivate all project resources to produce the most out of their capacity. The project manager must motivate underperforming resources in a project.

This project manager interview question assesses your people management skills. This question will show how you motivate your underperforming resources.

The following is a sample answer for this question.

The project manager candidate describes how he approaches a demotivated project team member step-by-step. Then, he gives an example from his project, which makes his experience stronger in this project manager interview question.

How Do You Motivate Your Subordinates

Any leader should inspire employees to remain productive. This question tests how you go about motivating your subordinates.

Tip #1: Describe how you motivate your team

Tip #2: Prove that you can enhance productivity through motivation

Sample Answer

First, I use recognition as a motivation tool. Other than recognizing great performers, I also acknowledge other employees whenever I am supervising them. Second, I ensure to be available to offer solutions to the challenges they might experience. Third, I train and coach them on how to perform new tasks and tackle challenging situations. Lastly, I offer financial incentives to those who are consistent in exceeding their targets over a period of time.

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Tell Us About A Time Something Went Wrong In A Project You Were Managing

Setbacks are normal in managing projects. Hiring managers will want to know how youâve dealt with them in the past to understand what you do when things donât go according to plan.

How to answer: Since dealing with unforeseen challenges is a core part of project management, youâll want to have a few examples to point to for your interview. You can also mention how you would implement change processes in your project.

Consider using the STAR method when asked for specific examples from your past. Hereâs how to put the method into action:

What Actions Would You Follow In Assessing Different Software For Our Department

Knowing your field is important and you’ll want to appear to have the skillset and knowledge where your prospective employer sees that you continue to follow the latest software trends. It’s important to show your experience with reviewing and evaluating software.

Example:”I would remain aware of the age and need of any software updates by testing the software and measure it corresponding with the department’s requirements. I would look at the budget and determine based on need and funds if it is appropriate to invest.”

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Q 6 Name The Points A Program Manager Needs To Consider While Monitoring The Project Process

Answer: As the program manager interview question aims to bring out your inept knowledge and experience of the field, you need to offer a well-articulated answer like:

Regardless of a project’s scope and nature, it can only be fulfilled by setting some priorities. Program managers must prioritize activities to ensure the timely delivery of every proceeding. Even a well-planned strategy can succumb to a sudden market shift, which is why a program manager needs to be witty and intuitive.

You cannot rely on software to get you out of such scenarios, so in my opinion, these are the six steps a program manager must prioritize.

Gathering the tasks’ list

Setting up activities as per the estimations

Maintaining adaptability and flexibility

Knowing when to stop

Naming these six activities should work as an apt answer for the program management interview question.

Common Project Manager Interview Questions And Answers

This article has been approved by an Indeed Career Coach.

Related video: Top Interview Tips: Common Questions, Body Language and MoreIn this video, we dissect an entire job interview from start to finish. We analyze everything from common interview questions to etiquette and how to follow up.

In an interview for a project management position, the hiring manager will seek to determine whether your management style and experience are a good fit for the position. Your answers to interview questions should outline your leadership skills and relevant experience. In this article, we’ll address questions you may hear during a project management interview and explain how to answer them.

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Have You Ever Worked With Individuals Who Had Varied Ideas From Yours Briefly Explain How You Handled The Situation

The interviewer seeks to know how you deal with people with different ideas or values from yours.

Tip #1: Mention a time you worked with people who had a different viewpoint

Tip #2: State how you handled the situation

Sample Answer

During my previous role, I was implementing a program with individuals from different backgrounds. They had different viewpoints based on previous programs they had worked on. So they would disagree on certain program elements and that used to cause delays. I handled the situation by letting them know what our program entailed and the expected outcome. With that in mind, I directed everyone to focus on our program and overlook their individual perspectives. In the end, we implemented the program successfully on time.