It’s not easy to interview a project manager. You will not know what to inquire about. Making the candidates open up in a very limited time is a tiresome task. But it’s easy for the candidates to
answer the formal questions because they have rehearsed the answers by going through many books about interviewing and recruiting. So, the entire aspect looks complicated.

Below are some exclusive questions which you must ask when you hire a project manager.

  1. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being the least and 10 being the highest, how would you rate project management if you take it as a career?
    Good approach: It will reveal how much importance they give to their career and how they are advancing as a project manager.
    Bad approach: They are doing it just to utilise their time until they get the job they are enthusiastic about.
  2. What are the jobs you don’t like to work on?
    Good approach: We may not like certain jobs, but generally project managers are supposed to operate on the projects they are allotted. It’s good to have choices, but you want a manager who is capable of responding to the requirements of the business.
    Bad approach: They choose the project before attempting and they are okay with it.
  3. How do you spend most of the time every day?
    Good approach: This conveys to you a clear picture of how they are doing their task. You may be searching for a manager who uses up all his time in front of a PC, or a manager who is ready to go out to visit his clients regularly. Some of them might be prepared to bring a change to their regular activity. Analyze this before concluding anything.
    Bad approach: They might be using up their time simply scrolling through Instagram and other social networks.
  4. What’s the important role of a project manager?
    Good approach: This highlights their preferences and gives you an insight into whether they fit your team culturally. This makes you understand their realization of the function of a project manager.
    Bad approach: This reflects their authoritative personality.
  5. Was there any time when you didn’t delegate your authority and what was the reason behind it?
    Good approach: If they are ready to accept it, then it shows how honest they are. It also helps you to understand their potential to learn from errors and how to deal when the information is filled too full. Delegating the authority is the key to work within a project and employ a person who can understand that better.
    Bad approach: This shows their unwillingness to delegate as they do it themselves.
  6. How do you manage to work with sponsors?
    Good approach: Managing up is nothing but working politely with more senior people. It’s always good to know how they retain such alliances.
    Bad approach: This indicates that they don’t like their sponsor to be involved and they consider sponsors as a figurehead.
  7. Which norms do you try when you seek another job?
    Good approach: It shows you whether they give importance to career progression, green credentials, big brand, or work/life balance. It also makes you understand whether they are actively looking for a job or they just saw your ad on social media. Either of these answers is fine.
    Bad approach: This reflects their interest in expense policy, salary, and the opportunity to tour abroad.
  8. Which was the toughest ethical judgment you made on a project?
    Good approach: It demonstrates whether they are aware of the PMI code related to ethics. You can even evaluate their general approach to begin an exquisite conversation enabling you to judge whether they suit your company culture.
    Bad approach: This shows that they are least bothered about the code of ethics.
  9. What productive problem-solving strategy do you use?
    Good approach: Find out how they resolved the issue with their previous project using creative thought. This highlights their technical abilities.
    Bad approach: They resolve cases themselves without including the other members of the team.
  10. What are the ways by which you enhanced the process of project management at your current organization?
    Good approach: Everyone may not have the opportunity to assist with business-critical things but they always have the chance to give some ideas to develop the project. Find someone capable of putting forward some opinions without being afraid.
    Bad approach: This shows that they think it is a rubbish activity.

Organisations want to set the goals, track them and gauge across the whole firm. They don’t want to provide it just to the top-level faculty. Hire a project manager who is capable of pursuing all the above qualities.