Project management interview questions

Here are a few common interview questions you’ll encounter as a project manager.
You can use this list as a starting off point to prepare stories about your past
experiences.

1. Tell me about yourself.

A common question to open any type of interview, this statement is a chance for you
to describe yourself and your story in your own words.
How to answer: There are several ways you can approach this question. One
effective way is to start with the present, then go into your past, and finish with your
future. Describe what your role is, and what you do. Then describe past experiences
relevant to the role you’re applying to. Finally, talk about what kind of work you’re
hoping to do next, and why you’re interested in the role you’ve applied to.

2. Can you tell us about the last project you worked on?
An interview might ask you about your last project to get a sense of what types of
projects you’re used to, what project management approaches you’ve used, the
number of people on your team, and other details.
How to answer: Describe the important information about the project, like the
overall goal, team size, and how you approached it. Speak candidly about what went
well, and be sure to mention something you might have improved or that you
learned. Having some metrics on hand to show the results of the project can be
useful here.

3. 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
you’ve dealt with them in the past to understand what you do when things don’t go
according to plan.
How to answer: Since dealing with unforeseen challenges is a core part of project
management, you’ll 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.
Here’s how to put the method into action:
 1. Situation: Start by describing the facts of the situation and why it happened—
in this case, what had gone wrong.
2. Task: Go on to describe what task you were expected to do to solve the
situation.
3. Action: Next, explain what you did, and how you did it.
4. Result: Finish by sharing the outcome. Also describe what you learned from
the experience.

4. How do you prioritize tasks in a project?

Knowing what to prioritize is key to a project. There’s a chance you’ll receive a
question asking what you decide to prioritize, and why. You might also be asked how
you would juggle working on multiple projects at once.
How to answer: Tie your answer back to the interest of the project. Your answer
might include some combination of deadlines, stakeholder needs, or determining
tasks that make up a critical path. You can pull from some examples in the past, or
work your way through some hypothetical situations.

5. What was your most successful project?

This question can demonstrate to recruiters what you consider a success. Projects
can be successful for meeting goals, deadlines, and budgets, but successes can also
mean being able to incorporate change.
How to answer: Take this opportunity to demonstrate your strengths. Modesty is a
great asset, but don’t undersell yourself. If your team pulled out a success, what did
you do to keep the project on track or be more efficient? Think about the key
elements you and the team took that led to success.

6. What’s your experience with budget management?

Hiring managers might ask questions specifically about various skills like budget
management. It’s probably not a deal breaker if you have no experience in most
cases—they may just be trying to get a better sense of where you stand.
How to answer: Managing a budget includes cost estimation, deciding how to
allocate funds, keeping a record of how money was spent, and planning for
unexpected expenses. It’s great if you can point to some examples in the past. If you
don’t have much experience, you can share what you know about budget planning,
or talk about budgeting experience you have in your personal life, if it’s relevant. It’s
also good to show that you’re able to pick up new skills.

7. How would you describe a project plan?

An interviewer can try to gauge your technical knowledge of basic project
management concepts.
How to answer: Start by answering the question—describe what elements you know
to be an important part of a project plan (like tasks, milestones, and team members).
You can then go into an example of how you’ve typically implemented them in the
past.

8. How would you create an environment of collaboration on

your team?
Knowing how to motivate team members and make them feel like they can surface
any questions and concerns is often central to a project’s success.
How to answer: In this situation, it can be helpful to point to an example of when
you were able to foster good communication in your team. Think about any
processes or methods you rely on to get people feeling like they are working toward
a common goal. This might include simple methods like incorporating ice breakers in
kickoff meetings, or building in communication structures within a project.

9. What tools do you use to plan a project?

Interviewers might want to get a sense of how familiar you are with different project
management tools.
How to answer: In preparing for your interview, make a list of all the project
management tools you’ve used before. These can include common project
management tools like RACI charts, or collaboration software like Asana or Trello.
Mention what you like about them, and how they might be improved.
Do some research to see if you can find what kind of tools you’ll be expected to use.
You can try to familiarize yourself with the tool, or see if you’ve used any similar
tools.

10. Describe your experience in this industry.

Familiarize yourself as much as you can with the company’s industry before the
interview. Learn what the top issues are by reading news articles and listening to
podcasts, or reaching out to project managers in similar roles and asking about their
experiences.
How to answer: Come prepared to talk about any experience you’ve had in the
industry. Academic or professional background is great. If you don’t have these, you
can talk about what you’ve learned about the industry, and why you want to work in
it. Mention any skills or knowledge that are transferable as well.

What if I don’t have any formal project management experience?

Project management is a field where people skills can make or break a
candidate. If you’re less familiar with the technical side of project
management, emphasize people skills you have like leadership,
communication, and organization. Even if you’re not a formal project
manager yet, chances are good that you’ve done some elements of project
management in the past. Go through your experiences and find moments
when you’ve helped to improve, plan, or execute new processes.
And don’t worry—if you’ve landed an interview, your interviewer probably
already knows that you don’t have formal experience but sees potential in
you. Convey your enthusiasm for the job and willingness to learn.

11. One of your team members is asking for more time to

complete a task. How would you handle this situation?
Situational questions like these are common in project management interviews. This
is a chance for hiring managers to see your thought process and gauge how you think
on your feet.
How to answer: As a project manager, you’ll be expected to help team members
that haven’t been able to complete tasks on schedule in the interest of the project.
You’ll want to know why the issue arose in the first place, and apply an appropriate
fix. You might talk about adding another member if the team is feeling overloaded,
implementing time buffers in the planning phase for certain tasks, or negotiating
with a stakeholder for more time or resources.

12. How would you deal with a difficult stakeholder?

This situational question aims to get clarity into your people skills, a crucial part of
being a successful project manager.
How to answer: Communication and negotiation are likely to be an important part of
your answer here. Knowing your team’s needs, capacity, and the project’s available
resources might also influence your answer.

Keep these tips in mind as you prepare for your project manager interview.
 Be prepared to think on your feet: Project management sometimes requires
making sound judgement calls in limited time. Practice responding under
pressure by having somebody you trust ask you different situational questions.
 Ask questions at the end: Though this is a common tip for all interviews, it’s
especially important for project management interviews. In projects, your
ability to ask the right questions can be the difference between success and
missing key goals. Come prepared with a list of questions you want to ask. You
can also take notes during the interview on points you want to clarify.
 Read case studies: If you’re feeling stuck, try finding some case studies about
projects that went well, and didn’t. This can help you learn from other
people’s experiences, and jog your inspiration to know what to talk about in
your own interview.
 Interviewing remotely: Remote interviews have their own challenges. Watch
the video below for tips.
 Research the company: Learning about the company you're interviewing with
can help build confidence prior to the meeting. Show an understanding of the
company's goals and vision and how your background aligns with the position.