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Interviewing 7 competency-based interview questions for managers

7 competency-based interview questions for

managers
Written by Indeed Editorial Team
Updated 27 June 2024

When applying for a manager role, it's common for an interview panel to ask
questions about the candidate's competencies. Questions about your expertise and
capabilities help the employer gain insight into how you might perform in the role. If
you're applying for a managerial position, spending some time preparing your
answers to questions the interviewer may ask can help you successfully describe
your skills. This article lists seven competency-based interview questions for
managers and also gives sample answers.

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What are competency-based interview questions for

managers?

Competency-based interview questions for managers are the questions an

interviewer asks to help them understand more about your skills, knowledge and
aptitude. They usually start with a range of general questions designed to Dnd out
more about you before moving on to questions that help determine your suitability
for the role. These latter questions help the interviewer gauge a candidate's critical
thinking skills, decision-making abilities and other competencies. For example, your
answer may show how you operate under stress and your talents as a leader.

Related: Common senior manager interview questions (with examples)

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Example interview questions for managers

Here are seven competency-based interview questions with sample answers to help
you prepare for your interview:

1. How would you describe your leadership style?

This question helps the interviewer determine what type of leader you are and
whether you're likely to Dt in with the other employees working at the company.
Good managers inspire their teams and encourage employees to do their best. The
:
 Good managers inspire their teams and encourage employees to do their best. The
interviewer wants to know what you believe to be good management and then to
hear about your experience using your leadership skills .

Example answer: 'I believe a good leader provides consistent direction and clear
guidelines of what they expect from their team. They're always willing to listen and
o<er advice and support while providing employees the opportunity to develop to
their full potential. That's what I strive for. I hold regular meetings with members of
my team and let them know that I am always available for them to come and talk to
me. The package of incentives that I developed in my last role as a store manager
helped the shop win the highest sales >gures in the last three years.'

Related: Managerial leadership style: de>nition and principles

2. Can you tell us about a time when you had to handle a di:cult
employee?

How you manage an uncooperative employee is an indication of your leadership

style. This question is a good opportunity to demonstrate useful skills and to show
that you can learn from experience. Try to explain the situation you faced, give an
example of how you managed the employee and describe the insight it has given you
to handle similar situations that may arise in the future.

Example answer: 'In my experience di?cult behaviour is often the result of a

misunderstanding. For example, in my last role, an employee who worked in the sales
o?ce was very ambitious. They continually met their monthly sales targets, but they
upset other team members because they took leads from their colleagues and
presented them as their own. I called a meeting with the employee and pointed out
that the aim was to work with others, not against them. The employee listened and
acted on my advice. Following this, the team started to work together again and the
issue was resolved.'

Related: Senior manager cover letter samples (plus how to write)

3. How do you motivate a team? What strategies do you think

work best?
:
 work best?

DiJerent people work in diJerent ways, and the interviewer is keen to Dnd out about
the diJerent strategies you use to motivate a team. To communicate your
understanding of the need for more than one strategy, highlight the importance of
getting to know team members and understanding what motivates each of them.
Use examples of past achievements to explain your strategies and to prove they
work.

Example answer: 'I >nd the best way to motivate a team is to give consistent
feedback. I always keep them informed of developments and targets and make sure
they understand what we expect from them. Depending on the individual, I adapt my
strategy to suit them. For example, goal-orientated employees may >nd motivation in
understanding how their work >ts the company's targets, whereas employees who
underperform usually respond better when I give them a list of duties and tell them
the outcome I'm looking for.'

Related: The role of senior managers: duties, bene>ts and skills

4. Can you tell me about a time when a member of your team was
struggling? What did you do to support them?

The interviewer may want to Dnd out how you attend to the speciDc needs of team
members while maintaining the company's objectives. To answer this, provide a story
about how you supported an employee, which resulted in the organisation beneDting
too. This shows you can balance empathy with business goals.

Example answer: 'In my last role, I led a team of eight people. One of the projects
involved a team presentation to a prospective new company we wanted to work with.
One of the team members had fallen behind in his assigned research work, which
meant the team couldn't move forward with the presentation.
Career Guide

I met with the team member and took him out for a co<ee. He said he knew he had
fallen behind with the work, but he had just become a father and was feeling very
sleep-deprived. I allowed the team member to work more Gexibly, and the other
members of the team reorganised their schedules. I revised the work duties and
:
 ensured that everyone was satis>ed. The presentation was a success, and we won
the new business prospect.'

Related: 12 ways to improve your manager communication skills

5. Can you describe a time when you led by example?

Leading by example shows integrity. Aligning your behaviour and routines with your
core values can build trust and respect. Employees notice a manager's
inconsistencies and contradictions, so the interviewer is asking this question to Dnd
out about your experience of leading a team and your competency as a leader.

Example answer: 'In my last job we were working on a marketing plan to promote a
new drinks range, but we had fallen behind schedule. It was just before the Easter
holidays, and a few of the team members had booked days o<. I decided to cancel the
two days I had booked o< to work on the project from home.

A couple of the other team members said they could also work from home on the
project if they could take time o< after the Easter holidays. We all worked together on
the project, and the head o?ce was very impressed with the marketing plan. We
went on to launch the new range successfully.'

Related: What are leadership vision statements? (Including examples)

6. What do you consider to be your biggest achievement as a

manager?

The interviewer is giving you the opportunity to boast about your career success. By
spending time thinking about your proudest moments as a manager, you can talk
about your greatest success to impress the interview panel. Try to include some
concrete results such as sales Dgures or operational transformations.

Example answer: 'I believe my biggest achievement so far was managing the Good
risk improvement plan last year. The plan brought together a multidisciplinary team
and produced a step change in the organisation's performance. I project managed
:
 and produced a step change in the organisation's performance. I project managed
the 10 di<erent initiatives involved in the plan and worked with stakeholders across
the region. This project turned one of the worst-performing companies in the area
into an industry leader in this type of Good risk management. I also earned an award
for this work.'

Related: How to address and strengthen leadership weaknesses

7. If we oGered you the job, what improvements would you make?

This question is tricky because although the interviewer is keen to Dnd someone who
is innovative, criticising the current methodologies may oJend the employer. Use
your answer to highlight how you listen to other people's opinions. Structure your
answer to show that you've thought about the highest priorities.

Example answer: 'After getting to know my team, I think my priority would be to

focus on improving workGow e?ciency in the manufacturing process. I would look at
using a new type of automation software to replace some of the manual procedures
the company uses now. Secondly, I would analyse your marketing strategy and help
the business grow by using some of the contacts from my previous role to introduce
more promotions across social media platforms.'

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