Interview Questions For Director Level Positions

Q: What Is Your Process For Evaluating Current Operations And Proposing Strategic Projects

An essential part of your success will come down to where technology can improve the overall business. Therefore, your answer to this question should show off your analytical and critical-thinking skills.

How to answer:

• Show an ability to work with stakeholders. Reference situations when you worked with different team leaders, VPs, and executives to understand their issues. Interviewers want to see that you have good communication skills and can balance the technical needs of individual teams and the overall organization.
• Describe your experience drafting proposals. IT directors need to be comfortable with project management. Explain how you put together a project proposal and what your experience is like getting it approved.

Differences Between It Managers And It Directors

Before you prepare for an interview, make sure the job posting meets your expectations. Heres a quick way to see if the role is an IT manager or director position after reviewing the job description:

• IT Managers tend to focus on implementation. An IT manager job description will focus more on getting dirty, and technical troubleshooting, with a little bit of people management and leadership sprinkled in.
• IT Directors tend to make more business decisions. These job descriptions will focus significantly more on management and leadership. Rather than being hands-on, IT directors plan, delegate, and monitor IT solutions. When evaluating new technology solutions, they orchestrate the procurement process and advocate for other business needs.

Related: Check out the career paths for becoming a Technology VP, CIO, and IT Manager.

General Executive Director Interview Questions

Interviews typically involve responding to both general and role-specific questions. Here is a list of general questions you may hear during the interview:

• What interests you about this company?

• Why did you leave your previous job?

• Have you worked in a role like this before?

• Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your resume.

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

• Why should we hire you?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• Do you prefer to work independently or as part of a team?

• Do you work well under pressure?

• How do you react when someone criticizes your work?

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Q1: How Would You Explain The Most Complicated Aspect Of It To A Non

The one skill that separates IT directors from the rest of their team is simplifying IT terms for non-technical people. For example, an interviewer might ask you to describe a VPN or VoIP to a new employee.

How to answer:

• Be patient. An interviewer wants to see that you deeply understand the concept and dont get frustrated answering simple questions.
• Relate to business needs. Rather than dumb down your answer, explain it from a different teams perspective. For example, show how a sales CRM can help sales teams close the highest-value prospects.

Where Can I Find Free Samples Of Management Behavioral Interview Questions And Answers

If you are looking for free sample behavioral interview questions and answers for management positions, below are some sources to consider.

Be Prepared For These Common Questions

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What Is Your Management Style/philosophy

At the end of the day, results matter the most for the executives. Long term results over short term, to be more precise. Regardless of whether you prefer to lead the team by an iron fist, or let your people do whatever they want , as long as it works for you, and you achieve the goals you set, and people do not leave the company under your leadership, you are good to go.

And if you arent sure about the right management style, or about your style, you can always emphasize individual approach. You can either say that you will alter your management style according to the project or team you lead, or even the atmosphere in the workplace, or you can talk about individual approach to each employee, considering their motivation, goals, and personality. Show the interviewers that you can adjust your management style to the situation in the company.

What Will Happen In An Executive

You will likely meet a panel of high executives from the company. Or, in some other cases, you will shake your hand with the head of the HR department, or with the CEO. One way or another, you cannot expect to meet some HR Generalists or external recruiters at this point.

Before you get a chance to talk to these people, however, you will have to pass several rounds of interviews. Typically a screening interview , a face to face interview . If you havent passed them yet, refer to respective articles on our website. If you have passed them already, lets have a look at 15 questions you may face in your interview with the decision makers.

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General Interview Tips For Managerial Positions

a) Interviewing tips

• When interviewing candidates for managerial positions ask them to describe their previous work experience and provide specific examples. This will allow you, the recruiter, to understand their management style and determine if theyre the ideal candidate for your company.
• Ensure that the candidate you select shares the same goals with regards to your companys plans, Its best to consider managers as long-term partners of the company.
• Keep a lookout on candidates who illustrate creativity and innovativeness. The new hire can provide practical and new perspectives to help improve the companys performance.
• Refrain from rejecting candidates who lack relevant experience in the field. Instead provide further tests to gauge their understanding of basic terms, concept and their willingness to learn.

b) Interview tips for candidates

Prepare in advanceEnsure that you have adequate time to prepare for the interview by reviewing common interview questions. Remember, recruiters, want to determine whether you have encountered challenges or problems in the past and how you handled them, your long-term goals for your career and if youll be the ideal fit for the role. Also be ready for some curveball questions. Managers are expected to be able to think on their feet and remain calm even in difficult situations.

What to Avoid: Mistakes candidates make during interviews

Tell Me About A Time When It Was Hard For You To Do Your Job What Did You Do To Resolve The Problem

Even the most skilled manager will find it hard to do their job once in a while. Maybe they had a problem with their superior. Maybe they had a conflict with a direct-report.

Asking this question can help you get a better idea of how the candidate will react when their job doesnt live up to their expectations.

Did they exercise their problem-solving skills and figure out a way through the issue? Did they make excuses and push the blame off on someone else? Or did they prioritize their responsibility and resolve the problem as quickly as possible?

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What Are The Qualities That A Director Of Operations Should Possess To Be Effective

Several fundamental qualities are needed to become an effective director of operations. Be aware of the qualities sought by the company as well.

Tip #1: Share why are the qualities important

Tip #2: Avoid contemplating the answers

Sample Answer:

A great director of operations should possess excellent interpersonal skills. They have to communicate with various people, and negotiation skill is another skill that is important to be effective. Leadership skill is also highly needed aside from organizational skills.

Q: What Sort Of Certifications Do You Have Why Did You Choose To Pursue Those Specific Ones

Ideally, companies want to hire people with relevant education, stay up-to-date with industry trends, and identify opportunities to edge out the competition. If you have self-taught experience from a side project or completed an online course, be sure to mention it.

How to answer:

• Highlight your relevant education. Start with the basics, but then spend extra time on any certifications or education related to the companys industry. For example, network security or business communication.
• Connect your interests to the companys goals. Your education can be a strategic advantage. Try to shift your answer from talking about what certifications you have to why they make you a better candidate.

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Questions About Background And Experience

Questions about your background and experience help the interviewer see if you’ve got the knowledge and training that the employer requires for this role. Consider preparing for these common questions:

• What’s your biggest professional accomplishment so far?

• Do you have experience preparing annual company budgets?

• How do you prioritise your work?

• What’s the best way to motivate employees?

• What’s one skill you’d like to improve while working here?

• What do you do to support and help an underperforming employee catch up?

• How has your education prepared you for this role?

• Do you prefer multi- or single-tasking at work?

• How do you plan your long-term goals?

• Describe a time when you had to dismiss an employee that you liked working with.

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What Does Being A Manager Mean To You

This manager interview question helps you understand how the candidate views their role as a manager.

If they see it mainly as a give-orders-and-demand-results position, they may not fully understand what your business needs from a manager.

Being part of a successful team means leading and following as necessary. It goes without saying that being able to step up to work in any capacity in order to better the business is a big part of a managers duties.

An answer that reflects this team ideal can help you determine if the managerial candidate is right for your company.

If necessary, take the time to delve deep into this question so you get a full sense of how well the candidate understands what it means to be a manager.

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How Is The Feedback Process Structured

Asking this question in an interview has been critical for me as a candidate. Performance feedback is important and is how humans get better. Excellence and mastery have always been important to me, and I am aware that they are impossible without knowing how and when to ask for regular feedback. Does this company limit its feedback cycle to the annual reviews? Does the hiring manager make it a priority to deliver just-in-time acknowledgment and suggestions for improvement?

Questions About Your Motivation

Here, the interviewer will try to find the intangible traits in candidates like drive, commitment, and leadership that can lead to a great hire.

• Give me an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or challenging about it?
• Tell me about a time you were dissatisfied with your work. What could have been done to make it better?
• Tell me about your proudest professional accomplishment.
• Describe when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.
• Tell me about a time when you worked under close or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that?

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What Are Your Values As A Company Leader How Do You Ensure These Values Are Upheld By Employees

Company values lie at the core of a well-functioning business, but attitudes to core values vary massively from company to company. Especially in customer or client facing businesses, many leaders like to build their business around such values, often highlighting them on their website, publications, around the offices etc. Ask the interviewee what, if any, values they have outlined either for themselves, or for their business, and what measures they take to uphold them.

You can start to piece together your interviewees priorities as a leader by inquiring into why their specific values are important over any others, and how this benefits their company. You can then find out more about their leadership skills and priorities by asking what actions they take to uphold these values with their employees across the business. If you want to go one step further, try and lead into a discussion about the values of your own company and how they would adjust to these, or what influence they would like to have.

Q1: How Would You Describe Your Management Style

Each company culture has a unique management style. This question is an easy way to assess if your skills, experience, and outlook match the organizations expectations.

How to answer:

• Define what good management means to you. Interviewees expect a thought-out response with clearly stated values. For example, be firm. If you believe the best managers always consult their team on difficult decisions, then say that.
• Tell a story. The best way to describe your management style is by showing what it looks like in practice. Instead of just listing off vague qualities, set the scene for a situation that required exceptional leadership. Then, show how you rose to the occasion.

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When A Management Position Opens Up

Before you start polishing your resume and applying to management roles, lets take a step back. The leadership ranks are different from what youve done so far, so its wise to make sure youre really ready. That means its time for some serious self-evaluation.

To make that easier, weve compiled some questions into a quick self-assessment quiz:

• Do you consistently achieve positive results?
• Are you completing tasks quickly and efficiently?
• Do you have a history of positive interactions with your fellow employees?
• Are you effective at handling conflict professionally?
• Are you a problem solver?
• Do you take on leadership roles?
• Are you considered a mentor?
• Do others see you as a leader?

Now lets pretend that each of these questions is a checkboxes, and every yes gets you a green check, and every no gets you a red x.

Do you have more green checks than red xs?

If the answer is no, Stick with where you are and continue honing your skills, working your way toward more green checks.

If you answered yes, congratulations! Its time to move on to the next step

What Is Your Approach When Interacting With The Various Departments Of A Company

What you want to hear: A strong Director of Operations will realize the importance of interaction and support across all departments in the company. Look for a candidate who is interested in growing the business as a whole, and not only in one or another area. Strong candidates will welcome insight and feedback from department heads and staff members.

Red flag: If the candidate does not show they take a holistic approach to managing the operations of the business, thats a major red flag. Bring in a Director of Operations who is prepared to move the entire organization forward with the highest levels of efficiency and productivity.

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How Would Your Colleagues Describe You

Don’t be overly modest, but be cautious of sounding arrogant. Speak about your strengths. If you’re a good listener, use an example to back this up. If you’re supportive, tell the interviewer about a time when you helped a colleague. If you have positive quotes to use or compliments given to you from others, don’t be afraid to use them.

If this is your first job straight out of university, use examples from your work experience, volunteering activities or weekend or summer jobs.

Give An Example Of A Tough Decision You Had To Make

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

When making professional decisions, I like to keep in mind the good of the company before I consider personal feelings. A few years ago, I was in a situation where I was responsible for hiring a new team member for a large project we were working on. I had managed to narrow the selection down to two candidates a new hire who was perfect for the job and an established employee who was not quite the right fit for the position but whom I considered a personal friend. While I would have loved to hire my friend, it wouldnt have been the right choice for the company, so I hired the new employee. When my friend asked me why I had made that decision, I explained it to him. At the time, it wasnt an easy decision, but it was the right one and one I would make again.

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