How to Answer: What qualities are you seeking in a manager at ADP?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an ADP job interview.
35. What qualities are you seeking in a manager at ADP?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is trying to understand your preferred style of management better and in some cases, the person interviewing you could be your potential manager, so this will help them understand if you would align well with them. Be sure you research ADP's cultures and if possible, try to do some research on the background and education of the person you're interviewing with.
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
How to Answer
Consider past employers and the best leader you had. Think about what traits or habits they demonstrated that made them someone you enjoyed working with. In your response, explain some of the qualities you're looking for in a leader but also demonstrate that you're flexible and work under different types of management styles.
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
1st Entry Level Example
"I prefer a manager who gives me the training, tools, and resources to be successful and then trusts me to do the job. I appreciate being given autonomy while also knowing I have the support of my manager and team if needed. I also value a manager who keeps lines of communication open, and I feel comfortable approaching if I have a concern or need assistance."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
1st Answer Example
"My ideal manager is someone who genuinely cares about their employees and their success. I once had a manager who, in our one on ones, always started by asking how my family was, and that meant a lot. She would also ask what was going well and what wasn't and took a true interest in wanting to help me succeed. I also value a manager with good communication skills. I appreciate when updates and changes are communicated, and my manager follows up when they say they will."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
2nd Answer Example
"I love a manager that pushes me. I appreciate one on ones for accountability and to really help push me to exceed my goals. A manager that can motivate a team and keep everyone engaged is ideal!"
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
About the Author
When I started my career in business management, branding, and marketing, I mistakenly assumed hard work and integrity alone would get me noticed. Back then, I assumed the harder I worked, the faster I’d rise through the ranks. Yet, even in a meritocracy, this is rarely the case.
The goals of my peers competed with mine, and too often, they were better at getting noticed for their accomplishments. And, some of them were all too happy to watch me working harder, as they worked smarter, rising through the ranks faster than me. At one point, a boss of mine labeled me a stealth worker. They said they had no idea I was the one performing all that great work. If only I’d drawn more attention to what I was doing, maybe I would have gotten rewarded for it. So I learned most of my leadership skills the hard way, and the journey was long.
As a leader, my favorite part of the job came to be coaching others. I took pride in sharing the secrets to my eventual success, and offering my outside-of-the-box view of the role. Where other leaders were only in it for themselves, I was genuinely in it for the company and the team. So I taught those I mentored not only what they needed to do, and how to do the job right, but why each step was important. I spelled out how everything fit into the big picture and shared every trick of the trade that no one shared with me. Every single individual I mentored advanced far ahead of their peers, surpassing those who were only in it for themselves.
Another favorite part of the job was recruiting and building the perfect teams. For me, conducting an interview was an art form. I later volunteered my services at career fairs and trade schools, offering advice, from crafting the perfect CV and resume, to delivering a perfect interview, to negotiating a decent raise. Now I am a full-time writer, and left my management career behind me. Yet, I still love coaching others to succeed, and I love writing for mockquestions.com for this very reason.
Here’s what I said to a friend of mine whom I mentored a long time ago: “Every single thing you do, at every stage, can alter the perception others have of your professional worth. My goal is to make you look like an asset worth fighting for.”
Learn more about Kevin Downey