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Project Manager Mock Interview

Question 39 of 50 for our Project Manager Mock Interview

Project Manager was updated by on May 9th, 2023. Learn more here.

Question 39 of 50

Tell me about yourself.

I grew up in South Carolina and graduated from Clemson with a management degree. My first job out of college was working with a property management company in Virginia that owned over 200 properties. I facilitated contract negotiations, move-in, move-out, and turnover activities. I also managed repair projects and handled tenant emergencies. I worked there for five years and learned how to manage client expectations, resolve conflicts, partner effectively with vendors, and prioritize a heavy workload.

I now manage projects for a residential construction firm. I work with designers, estimators, the leads of our various construction crews. I also partner with project managers and general contractors from the various vendors we use depending on the type of project. I have been in this role for two years, and I enjoy my work. I have focused on the development of my project planning, budgeting, and leadership skills.

I am very excited about the project manager position with the XYZ team at ABC company. I feel I am ready to expand, and working in a commercial construction setting will allow me to leverage my current skills on a larger scale.

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How to Answer: Tell me about yourself.

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Project Manager job interview.

  • 39. Tell me about yourself.

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      This is a basic question likely to be asked in any interview. The motivation behind this question is simple. Your interviewer wants to know more about your education and the professional roles you've held.

      While preparing a response before your interview may seem unnecessary, it is always best to have a list of self-introduction talking points at the ready. The details you offer will help your interviewer steer the conversation. Therefore, it is important to include details that are not represented on your resume but may be important to the work you will be doing if hired for the open position.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 1st, 2023

      How to Answer

      There are three main topics to cover every time you answer this question as well as several optional topics you can include to boost your response depending on the interviewer and the time allowed. At a minimum, you should discuss:

      - Your education
      - The companies you worked for and the roles you held
      - Your experience and skills relevant to the project manager role and/or company you're interviewing for

      If time permits, it can be helpful to include:

      - Why you're excited about the open position
      - Travel you've done relevant to any international communities you may work with
      - Projects, customers, technologies, or vendors you have experience with that are relevant to the open position
      - Certifications applicable to project management
      - How you know the person who recommended you (if applicable)
      - Your short-term career goals

      Keep in mind that this question typically comes at the beginning of your interview. It is your first impression and it is important to let your personality shine while demonstrating your presentation skills. You may find it helpful to practice your response to this question a few times before your interview if you are typically nervous at the start of an interview. Nailing this question will help boost your confidence and set the stage for a successful interview.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 1st, 2023

      1st Answer Example

      I grew up in South Carolina and graduated from Clemson with a management degree. My first job out of college was working with a property management company in Virginia that owned over 200 properties. I facilitated contract negotiations, move-in, move-out, and turnover activities. I also managed repair projects and handled tenant emergencies. I worked there for five years and learned how to manage client expectations, resolve conflicts, partner effectively with vendors, and prioritize a heavy workload.

      I now manage projects for a residential construction firm. I work with designers, estimators, the leads of our various construction crews. I also partner with project managers and general contractors from the various vendors we use depending on the type of project. I have been in this role for two years, and I enjoy my work. I have focused on the development of my project planning, budgeting, and leadership skills.

      I am very excited about the project manager position with the XYZ team at ABC company. I feel I am ready to expand, and working in a commercial construction setting will allow me to leverage my current skills on a larger scale.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 1st, 2023

      2nd Answer Example

      I grew up in India and moved to the US when I was 14. I graduated from Cal Tech with a degree in computer science. I have worked as an engineer at XYZ eCommerce startup company for six years. Our company has roughly 50 employees and I regularly take on tasks outside of the role of a traditional engineer. For example, I have performed duties typically assigned to analysts, product owners, and project managers at larger companies.

      I am currently a senior engineer and I lead the teams I work with. I am responsible for budgeting, planning, task delegation, and technical strategy. I enjoy the project management and leadership aspects of my role the most. I would like to one day work as a senior IT leader, and I feel that moving into a more traditional project management position here at XYZ company will offer me an opportunity to hone my management and leadership skills in alignment with my long-term goals.

      Jim Smith recommended me for this position and speaks very highly of your company and you as a manager. I am excited about the prospect of working with larger cross-functional teams and on projects with a greater level of impact. I would also like to pursue my PMP certification and I have heard that is an opportunity offered to senior project managers.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 1st, 2023

      3rd Answer Example

      I have a degree in marketing and worked for my family's event-planning business in high school and for the last seven years. I currently oversee all of our large-scale events such as weddings and corporate events with over two hundred attendees. I lead teams of three to five depending on the size of the event. We provide end-to-end services and handle everything from budget planning, vendor selection, and day-of-service coordination.

      I am excited to interview here today because I would like to work for a marketing agency. I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of my education and I want to work directly with creative teams. I feel my event planning project management experience is applicable in many ways. For example, I regularly facilitate the creation, approval, and distribution of event marketing materials such as invitations, and email campaigns on behalf of my clients. I also have experience working directly with the marketing departments of my corporate clients. I would love the opportunity to apply what I have learned while working for an official marketing firm.

      Written by Karrie Day on May 1st, 2023

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    About the Author

    Karrie Day

    I began my professional career as an IT Business Systems Analyst. I enjoyed the role, but I knew early on that I wanted to explore project management after moving through the analyst ranks. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to partner with several talented project managers while I was working to grow my own skill set. I learned a lot from them about how to approach strategic planning, communication, conflict resolution, and how to motivate various personality types to perform their best under pressure. I learned even more from their failures.

    It was clear that project management was as much an art as a science, and I eventually got my shot at taking everything I had observed over the years and blending it into my own style for steering projects and programs successfully. While project management was not my ultimate career goal, I greatly value my time managing projects. I have utilized the skills I worked to refine in project management in every position I have held since. For example, I use the communication, strategic thinking, and tactical planning skills I regularly leaned on as a project manager each time I work with one of my coaching clients.

    Whether working as a project manager is a career goal of yours, or you fell into it through circumstance, you’re in good company. Over 16 million professionals claim the title of project manager, and project management isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the number of project managers is expected to grow by 7% over the next 8 years according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics. According to the Project Management Institute, the global outlook is even more impressive boasting up to 33% growth through 2027. Regardless of the specific location, there will likely b a strong demand for project management skill sets in the years to come.

    As a coach and writer for MockQuestions, I want to help you successfully navigate your upcoming interview for a project manager position. While some project manager skills are specific to the industry, location, and types of projects involved, many skills and behavioral traits are universally applicable to project management roles. This article will help any project manager prepare for a successful interview, and I encourage you to check out all of our sets dedicated to project management listed below.

    Learn more about Karrie Day