How to Answer: Tell me about a time you took the lead on a project.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Microsoft job interview.
14. Tell me about a time you took the lead on a project.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is asking this question to evaluate your leadership competencies and experiences. They are interested in finding out how skilled you are in managing projects and situations - in other words, how do you react to complexities, challenges, and new or unexpected tasks. The interviewer is not only interested in hearing that you've been in a leadership position; they're more interested in hearing that you have evidence of being an effective leader.
Written by Sue Oberliesen on June 22nd, 2022
How to Answer
It's important to demonstrate to an interviewer that you understand project leadership. This means that you should give the interviewer examples of times you managed a project and how you communicated goals, responsibilities, performance, expectations, and feedback. If you have not actually managed people or projects, substitute the word 'led' for managed. In most cases, even individual contributors have led people and/or projects. Or at least taken a lead role among peers. Select an example where you delivered a project on time and within budget results. Talk about how you utilized both the people and non-people resources available to you to deliver the expected results. Make sure to use the STAR framework and provide enough background information and detail for your answer to have the most impact.
Written by Sue Oberliesen on June 22nd, 2022
Answer Example
"Last month, I led a marketing project to design, write, edit and deliver 50 blog articles as part of a product launch. I was responsible for selecting four talented writers and ensuring the articles were turned in with an acceptable quality within the timeline. We set up guidelines and shared a style guide and writer's checklist for helping writers understand the expectations. The tight deadline posed a challenge, but the writers, editing team and I worked together to ensure we delivered 100%. Our management team was pleased with the quality content delivered on time and we saw sales increase by 200% that month."
Written by Sue Oberliesen on June 22nd, 2022