IBM Project Manager Mock Interview

Practice 25 IBM Project Manager interview questions covering Agile methodology, stakeholder management, and IBM's enterprise culture.

Question 1 of 25

How do you handle objections from stakeholders?

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M Cheryl Harkins

Maria Cheryl Harkins is a Talent Development Consultant with over a decade of experience in sourcing, qualifying, interviewing, testing, onboarding, and training.

Objections are an inevitable part of project management. The interviewer would like to learn that you are able to facilitate meaningful communication, especially when you are required to confront others. A successful answer will describe how you would discover the reasons behind the objection and address those reasons directly. Further, the interviewer will also want to find out that you can be objective in handling the situation.

M Cheryl Harkins

Maria Cheryl Harkins is a Talent Development Consultant with over a decade of experience in sourcing, qualifying, interviewing, testing, onboarding, and training.

"As a project manager, I'm not a stranger to objections. They can be daunting, but I think the key is to understand where the stakeholder is coming from and empathize with them. Whatever their reason for objecting, whether they don't think we're solving a problem the right way, or they don't understand something and are just not willing to admit it, or maybe it's because they don't want to be accountable for a certain responsibility, I have to acknowledge that reason and hear them out. After they state their case, I can present my side. Then, we can come to an agreement on how to move forward. It's easy to lose your cool in this scenario, but matching an objection with resistance will prove to be unproductive for the project. So, I have to keep in mind that this is part of work, nothing is personal."

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25IBM Interview Questions & Answers

Behavioral

1.How do you handle objections from stakeholders?

Competency

2.Describe a time when you were able to remove a serious roadblock preventing your team from making progress.

Leadership

3.Describe a time when you had to persuade a co-worker to change their opinion or do something differently.

Behavioral

4.What role does feedback play in your everyday life as a project manager?

Behavioral

5.What are you looking forward to learning at IBM?

Leadership

6.How would you describe your communication skills as a project manager?

Competency

7.What is your experience in utilizing Agile frameworks? What do you like and dislike about them?

Behavioral

8.How do you handle negative feedback from clients?

Behavioral

9.Describe a time in which you had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How quickly were you able to adapt?

Behavioral

10.In your previous position, what specific skills or competencies did you seek out to better yourself and to help others better themselves?

Scenario Based Project Manager

11.Tell me about the most notable risk you have identified in a project.

Scenario Based Project Manager

12.A client is unhappy with the initial outcome of the project. How will you move forward and keep their confidence in you as the project manager?

Scenario Based Project Manager

13.At the beginning of a project, you missed a major stakeholder in the project plan. Now, the project is well underway and you have to catch them up. What do you do to engage them?

Competency

14.What is your experience in process documentation? What role does it play in project management?

Scenario Based Project Manager

15.You're currently handling two top-priority projects that are likely to be extended. Another one has just been assigned, and it will definitely require a lot of time and attention. How do you approach the situation?

Competency

16.What kind of experience do you have managing budgets?

Leadership

17.What is your experience interacting with and presenting to C-Level executives or senior leaders?

Competency

18.A project manager has left a client's project in your hands abruptly. How do you handle this transition?

Leadership

19.You're bombarded with heated emails between your client and one of your colleagues. It looks like the client is expecting a deliverable thatâ€™s outside of the contract. How would you proceed?

Technical Project Manager

20.Describe a time when you worked cross functionally on a project. Were you successful as the project manager?

Technical Project Manager

21.Talk about your most recent experience in learning new software or technical tool. What was the tool and how much time did it take for you to understand its functions?

Technical Project Manager

22.How would you handle client feedback that comes in after a milestone has been delivered, or, one that is possibly out of scope?

Technical Project Manager

23.What do you like and dislike about working with technical-minded colleagues?

Technical Project Manager

24.The project you're assigned to has undefined target metrics. Talk about how you might move this project along.

Scenario Based Project Manager

IBM Project Manager Mock Interview

How do you handle objections from stakeholders?

25IBM Interview Questions & Answers

1.How do you handle objections from stakeholders?

2.Describe a time when you were able to remove a serious roadblock preventing your team from making progress.

3.Describe a time when you had to persuade a co-worker to change their opinion or do something differently.

4.What role does feedback play in your everyday life as a project manager?

5.What are you looking forward to learning at IBM?

6.How would you describe your communication skills as a project manager?

7.What is your experience in utilizing Agile frameworks? What do you like and dislike about them?

8.How do you handle negative feedback from clients?

9.Describe a time in which you had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How quickly were you able to adapt?

10.In your previous position, what specific skills or competencies did you seek out to better yourself and to help others better themselves?

11.Tell me about the most notable risk you have identified in a project.

12.A client is unhappy with the initial outcome of the project. How will you move forward and keep their confidence in you as the project manager?

13.At the beginning of a project, you missed a major stakeholder in the project plan. Now, the project is well underway and you have to catch them up. What do you do to engage them?

14.What is your experience in process documentation? What role does it play in project management?

15.You're currently handling two top-priority projects that are likely to be extended. Another one has just been assigned, and it will definitely require a lot of time and attention. How do you approach the situation?

16.What kind of experience do you have managing budgets?

17.What is your experience interacting with and presenting to C-Level executives or senior leaders?

18.A project manager has left a client's project in your hands abruptly. How do you handle this transition?

19.You're bombarded with heated emails between your client and one of your colleagues. It looks like the client is expecting a deliverable thatâ€™s outside of the contract. How would you proceed?

20.Describe a time when you worked cross functionally on a project. Were you successful as the project manager?

21.Talk about your most recent experience in learning new software or technical tool. What was the tool and how much time did it take for you to understand its functions?

22.How would you handle client feedback that comes in after a milestone has been delivered, or, one that is possibly out of scope?

23.What do you like and dislike about working with technical-minded colleagues?

24.The project you're assigned to has undefined target metrics. Talk about how you might move this project along.

25.You are managing a project that's part of a larger program. How will you influence the program's overall success?