How many team members do you have experience managing? Include their job titles and the extent of your leadership involvement.
"As a recent graduate ready to kick-off my career, my management experience comes from leading group projects in school. The largest group project I have led was in Environmental Science for Sustainability. Our group consisted of twelve students, and the final project was worth 40% of our grade. The stakes were high, and I managed a variety of personalities with varying levels of interest when it came to cooperation. The project was a big success in the end, and I believe it's because it was well tracked and organized from the start. With that said, I am eager to gain more knowledge in team leadership within a workplace environment. Could you share with me the team size in this particular role?"
The interviewer would like to know more about the level of responsibility you are accustomed to having. Start with the largest group you have managed, even if it is not from your most recent position. If you are unsure of the responsibility level in this new role, ask the interviewer how many people you would be handling. If there is a significant uptick in this role, from what you are used to, then you should be prepared to overcome the potential objection of not having enough leadership experience.
"In previous roles, I have managed up to 40 direct reports. In my current role, I have a team of 29, which includes a couple of junior project managers, many laborers, a small accounting team, and one administrative assistant. The job description mentions that this project management role includes up to 40 direct reports, 20 temporary associates, and a variety of subcontractors. I am more than capable of managing that volume successfully."
