Tough Managerial Interview Questions
Go Back1. Tell us about your proudest moment as a manager.
2. What questions do you have for me about the team you would be leading?
3. How do you react when a team member presents an innovative idea to you?
4. How do you show your direct reports the importance of communicating clearly with you and their fellow team members?
5. If we hire you for this Manager role, what do you believe will be your biggest initial challenge?
6. Do you think a chain of command is essential in the workplace?
7. Tell us about the last time you implemented change. Describe the issue, what you did, and the impact you made.
8. Walk us through your decision-making process when facing a challenging management decision.
9. How do you measure the success of your team members?
10. When hiring, what qualities do you look for in a candidate, and what do you consider red flags?
11. What is the #1 attribute a manager should possess? Discuss how you emulate this characteristic.
12. What is your biggest weakness as a manager?
13. Choose any leader you admire. What do you admire about their platform, and how have you implemented their work into your leadership style?
14. How do you approach diversity and inclusion issues within your team?
15. Have you ever mistakenly said something offensive to a direct report? If so, how did you mend the relationship? What did you learn?
16. Why do you want to leave your current management position, and how will moving to our organization be a better fit for your needs?
17. If we hire you as our next manager, what do you need from us in order to succeed?
18. Discuss the last professional development opportunity you provided to your team members. Why did you choose this approach to development, and what were the results?
19. We are looking for a manager who brings empathy to their team but also knows when to draw a professional line. How do you know when to be firm with a team member?
20. How do you come up with new leadership approaches?
21. Walk us through a time when you provided honest feedback to a direct report.
22. We believe that a great manager has more than the ability to lead; they also have the passion. Why do you want to lead others?
23. What is the kindest thing a direct report has said about you? How did the compliment make you feel, and did you agree with the praise?
24. What is the biggest challenge you face as a manager today? How do you overcome this challenge?
25. Is compensation the most important factor for you when taking a new job?
26. Talk about the last disagreement you had with a team member.
27. One of your team members asks for a compensation raise. What do you do?
28. As a skilled manager, how do you deal with conflict on your team?
29. Why are you the best manager for us?
30. Talk about the last person you terminated. What was the situation and how did you approach the conversation?