Management

Discover Top Project Managers By Asking These Questions When Hiring

Finding the right project managers does not have to be an overwhelming task. You can improve your chances of finding the perfect fit for the role by asking the following questions when hiring for the position.

Ask Project Managers “What Is Your Communication Style?”

Asking a project manager about their communication style is a question that they will likely expect, but that doesn’t make it less important. You want to gauge how the candidate communicates with a range of people in various situations. Asking this question helps you ensure that they can properly communicate with the team they lead as well as to vendors and other stakeholders.

Ask “How Would You Delegate a Task?”

While you don’t have to use this exact question, it is smart to include at least one about delegating tasks. Your goal is to find a project manager who can trust others enough to delegate tasks and will not micromanage. You can also use it to gauge how successful the project manager is at delegating the appropriate tasks to the right people.

Ask Potential Project Managers “How Do You Manage Time and Deadlines?”

There are several variations of this question, but the bottom line is that you want to confirm that your chosen project manager will meet deadlines. You want them to reply with an answer about their organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks. You could also specifically ask how they prioritize tasks within a project.

This also offers project managers an opportunity to highlight their experience using various project management tools. You also want to look for indications that they are comfortable using new programs.

Ask “What Challenges Are Facing Our Industry Right Now?”

Project managers likely expect questions about their skills and leadership, but this question takes a different approach. It helps you ensure that the candidate keeps up to date with news that can be relevant to the IT industry. That, in turn, indicates that they will be aware of advancements and opportunities they can leverage.

Asking this question also confirms that the candidate acknowledges potential challenges. More importantly, if they are aware of the challenges facing the industry, they should also be aware of potential solutions to overcome those issues in their projects.

Ask “Which Is Your Preferred Project Management Methodology?”

You want your chosen project manager to be familiar with various project management methodologies. Asking this question lets you confirm that they know various methodologies, such as Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall. The “why” behind the question gives them the chance to provide specific examples that highlight their previous work. While there is no wrong answer to this question, the best answer would be from a candidate who uses one of several methodologies depending on what works best for the project.

Ask “How Do You Handle Scope Creep?”

Scope creep is unfortunately common in project management, as sponsors decide they want more deliverables without the appropriate budget increase. Whether it is intentional, project managers must know how to keep it in line to prevent delays or going over budget. You want the candidate to share a situation when they successfully renegotiated a project affected by scope creep.

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