4 common interview questions for a manager position & how to answer them like a pro 💼

You've applied for an exciting manager position and landed an interview.

You pull up the job description to prepare for the interview, and it's LONG.

While manager roles encompass a wide range of responsibilities depending on the specific job (e.g., manager at a coffee shop vs. manager at a marketing firm), the general tasks for managers do have some overlap.

By organizing the job description into categories, you can streamline your approach to practicing and rehearsing your interview answers for these types of roles.

Managers are responsible for supervising teams and maximizing team performance.

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

In an interview, you'll want to demonstrate that you can:

• Articulate your management style

• Give feedback to individual team members

• Motivate a team to do their best work

• Help a team understand their role in the organization

Example interview question:

What is an example of a time when you had to lead a group to accomplish a goal? How did your management style come into play?

Sample answer:

"When I was a supervisor in my last role at a coffee shop, I was responsible for guiding my team in driving customers to try our new beverage. My management style is very relational, and I lead by forming relationships with all my team members and encouraging them to set work goals based on their individual strengths."

Managers play a crucial role in training and onboarding new employees, as well as providing ongoing skill-building and development.

In an interview, you'll want to demonstrate that you can:

• Determine what skills your team would need to be successful

• Identify areas for growth for team members

• Guide an employee who is experiencing job challenges

• Train employees on key job responsibilities

Example interview question:

Can you give an example of a time when a team member was struggling to meet expectations? How did you guide them to make changes?

Sample answer:

"I recently had a staff member who was sometimes struggling to meet deadlines. I opened a low-stakes discussion with them, inviting them to discuss their approach to work. We uncovered some bottlenecks together, devised an adjustment plan, and I followed up with them at a determined time to see how the new plan was going."

The best managers use a well-thought-out communication style within their organization and employ effective organizational skills to meet the goals of their unit.

In an interview, you'll want to demonstrate that you can:

• Articulate your communication style and your modes of communication

• Manage employee schedules and forecast the work needed from your team

• Employ time management and productivity skills, and tools to support your team

• Manage paperwork and processes, as well as budgets and expenses

Example interview question:

How do your organizational skills contribute to your success as a manager and the success of your team?

Sample answer:

"As a manager in the past, I have relied heavily on digital collaboration tools to keep my work and schedule organized, and to ensure my team is on the same page on our shared work. During onboarding, I make sure new employees learn about our norms for using digital tools, and regularly check in with my team for feedback on how our tools are helping or hindering our work."

The most memorable managers are those who are a respected leader on their team and someone team members trust to advocate on their behalf.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

In an interview, you'll want to demonstrate that you can:

• Be accountable and acknowledge your mistakes

• Understand the needs of your team and advocate for them within the organization

• Be innovative and foster creative solutions from within your team

• Help your team adapt to changes within the organization

Example interview question:

If we were to ask your prior team members to describe something they appreciated about your leadership style, what might they say?

Sample answer:

"I think prior team members would say that I foster a team environment where it's ok to try things and make mistakes. One way I did this was by acknowledging my missteps during team meetings or one-on-one meetings. Additionally, I impressed upon staff that I don't have all the best ideas just because I'm a manager. I regularly solicited creative ideas from the team, and we looked at mistakes as learning opportunities."

You're interviewing for a first-time manager position for a medium-sized team. During the interview, you are asked:

How many years of managerial experience do you have in a role similar to this one?

You've never been a manager before. How should you best answer the question?

"This management role would be my first time being a manager professionally. In my current role, I have regularly requested opportunities to lead departmental committees and projects from my manager. These experiences have developed my skills in motivating people, helping them to meet goals, and providing feedback. These are important skills I would use to learn and grow as a new manager."

"This management role would be my first time being a manager professionally. I've learned a lot watching my current manager and how they lead our team. What I most respect is their approach to helping us each use our strengths in our work every day, and how they help us to learn from our mistakes on the job. I know I could bring those skills to bear in this role."

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

It's interview prep time! Use these action steps below to practice for your next manager interview.