Ask Vicki: What are some interview questions that check a candidate’s management skills?

In this answer on Quora, Monster career expert Vicki Salemi explains how storytelling can be used to promote your people skills.

Ask Vicki: What are some interview questions that check a candidate’s management skills?

Vicki Salemi

Each week, Monster’s career expert Vicki Salemi—a former recruiter who utilizes 15-plus years of experience in recruiting and human resources to empower job seekers—answers user questions on Quora. We’ll be republishing the answers here. If you have a question for Vicki, send it to socialmedia@monster.com.

Vicki Salemi

Q. What are some interview questions that check a candidate’s management skills?

A. Some of the interview questions that check a candidate’s management skills are centered around behavioral-based interviewing. In these interviews, hiring managers ask open-ended questions pegged to specific situations that occurred in your past in order to predict how you’d behave in the future (when you work for them!). One example of a behavioral interview question is, “Describe a time when you managed a difficult employee: What was the situation, and what was the outcome?”

Your best response is to show, don’t tell. It’s easier for you to be convincing that you possess solid management skills if you prepare for the interview by mentally lining up stories to describe your accomplishments.

Perhaps one of your direct reports was a disorganized handful and you mentored them. The two of you were able to figure out ways the employee could better manage their time. As a result, this employee improved so much that they received a promotion.

Even if you don’t get asked behavioral interview questions, think of moments in your career where your managerial skills really shone through, and look for opportunities to work those moments into your answers. 

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Read Vicki Salemi's answer to "What are some interview questions that check a candidate's management skills?" on Quora.