Top 30 Most Common Interview Questions To Ask Hiring Manager You Should Prepare For
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
Landing a hiring manager role is a significant career step, requiring you to demonstrate not only your technical and leadership skills but also your ability to build and manage effective teams. The interview process for such positions is often rigorous, designed to assess your experience, behavioral competencies, and overall fit with the company culture. Preparing for the questions you'll face is paramount to success. Hiring managers look for candidates who can articulate their past achievements, handle challenging situations with grace, and show genuine enthusiasm for leading others. This guide provides a comprehensive list of 30 common interview questions tailored for aspiring or experienced hiring managers, offering insights into why they are asked, how to structure your answers effectively, and providing concrete examples to help you practice. By understanding the interviewer's objectives behind each query, you can craft responses that highlight your strengths, showcase your leadership philosophy, and ultimately convince them you are the right person to lead their team.
What Are interview questions to ask hiring manager?
Interview questions for a hiring manager position cover a broad spectrum, moving beyond typical individual contributor questions. They delve deep into your leadership philosophy, experience managing teams, hiring practices, conflict resolution skills, strategic thinking, and ability to motivate others. These questions are designed to evaluate your capacity to not just perform tasks yourself, but to empower, guide, and develop a group of people towards achieving organizational goals. They explore your past successes and failures in leadership contexts, your approach to performance management, your understanding of team dynamics, and how you align team efforts with broader business objectives. Preparing for these specific interview questions to ask a hiring manager is crucial because they test your readiness for the unique challenges and responsibilities of overseeing talent acquisition and team performance.
Why Do Interviewers Ask interview questions to ask hiring manager?
Interviewers ask specific interview questions to ask a hiring manager to gauge your potential effectiveness in a leadership role. They want to understand your track record in managing people, your approach to building a positive and productive team environment, and your ability to make tough decisions. These questions serve multiple purposes: they reveal your leadership style, assess your problem-solving capabilities in team settings, evaluate your communication skills (especially in challenging situations), and determine how you align team efforts with company strategy. Behavioral questions, in particular, help predict future performance by understanding how you handled past situations. Ultimately, the interviewer uses these interview questions to ask a hiring manager to determine if you possess the necessary blend of experience, skills, and personality traits required to successfully lead a team and contribute positively to the organization's culture and goals.
Preview List
Tell me about yourself.
How did you hear about this position?
Why do you want to work here?
What are your greatest strengths?
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
Describe a time when you acted as a mentor.
How would you describe your managerial style?
What motivates you at work?
Describe a difficult decision you made and how you handled it.
What’s your greatest weakness?
How many years of managerial experience do you have?
Describe your educational background.
Do you have any industry-specific certifications?
What was your favorite part about how your former supervisor led your team?
Describe the scope of your current responsibilities.
Do you have experience presenting to senior management?
What steps have you taken to improve your managerial skills?
Have you ever faced a challenging team dynamic? How did you resolve it?
Tell me about a time you had to persuade someone at work.
Describe a time you had a difficult conversation with a client or colleague.
Tell me about a successful presentation you gave.
Describe a time you took initiative to solve a problem.
Give an example of being creative at work.
Tell me about a time you worked under close or loose supervision.
Describe a time you were dissatisfied with your role.
How would you describe your personality?
Have you always considered yourself a leader?
What excites you most about this managerial position?
What’s the least exciting part of a managerial role for you?
Why do you want to assume a leadership position here?
1. Tell me about yourself.
Why you might get asked this:
This is a standard opener to break the ice and get a high-level overview of your background. It assesses your ability to concisely summarize your relevant experience.
How to answer:
Keep it professional and relevant. Briefly touch on your experience, key skills, and career goals, linking them to the manager role you're applying for.
Example answer:
I have over 7 years in marketing, progressing into leadership roles where I've focused on team growth and project delivery. I specialize in digital strategy and leading cross-functional teams to exceed campaign goals. I'm eager to apply this experience here.
2. How did you hear about this position?
Why you might get asked this:
Interviewers want to know how you found the role and gauge your initial interest level and motivation for applying specifically to their company.
How to answer:
State the source (e.g., LinkedIn, company website, referral) and briefly explain why the role or company captured your attention.
Example answer:
I saw the listing on LinkedIn and was drawn to your company's innovative approach in the clean energy sector, which aligns with my passion for sustainable operations management.
3. Why do you want to work here?
Why you might get asked this:
This tests your research and genuine interest in the company and the specific manager role. It shows if you've thought about how you fit into their organization.
How to answer:
Connect your skills and aspirations to the company's mission, culture, or specific projects. Show you've done your homework.
Example answer:
I've followed [Company Name]'s work for some time and admire your commitment to [specific value/project]. My leadership experience in [your field] aligns perfectly with the direction I see this team heading.
4. What are your greatest strengths?
Why you might get asked this:
They want to understand your core competencies and how they relate to success as a hiring manager, such as leadership, communication, strategic thinking, etc.
How to answer:
Highlight 2-3 strengths most relevant to management and provide brief examples demonstrating them.
Example answer:
My greatest strengths are strategic planning, team building, and communication. For instance, I restructured a team's workflow, improving efficiency by 20%, and fostered open communication leading to higher morale.
5. What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
Why you might get asked this:
This question assesses your capability to deliver results and handle significant projects or challenges. It provides insight into what you consider impactful.
How to answer:
Share a specific, quantifiable achievement from your career, ideally one that showcases leadership or management success. Use the STAR method.
Example answer:
My biggest accomplishment was leading a project launch that resulted in a 15% increase in market share within six months. I managed a cross-functional team, coordinated stakeholders, and ensured we hit all key milestones under pressure.
6. Describe a time when you acted as a mentor.
Why you might get asked this:
Hiring managers are responsible for developing their team members. This question evaluates your coaching abilities and willingness to invest in others' growth.
How to answer:
Share an example where you guided someone, detailing their initial challenge, your approach, and the positive outcome for that individual and the team.
Example answer:
I mentored a new team member struggling with a complex software tool. I provided tailored training and regular check-ins. Within three months, they became a top performer and even trained others.
7. How would you describe your managerial style?
Why you might get asked this:
They want to understand your approach to leading a team, setting expectations, providing feedback, and empowering individuals.
How to answer:
Describe your typical approach (e.g., collaborative, servant leadership, results-oriented) and explain why it's effective, mentioning adaptability.
Example answer:
I'd describe my style as collaborative and results-oriented. I believe in empowering my team by setting clear goals, providing necessary resources, and fostering open communication. I adapt my approach based on individual needs.
8. What motivates you at work?
Why you might get asked this:
This question helps determine your intrinsic drive and whether your motivators align with the demands and rewards of a hiring manager position at their company.
How to answer:
Connect your motivation to aspects of management like team success, problem-solving, achieving goals, or contributing to the company's mission.
Example answer:
I'm most motivated by seeing my team members succeed and grow. I also thrive on tackling complex challenges and achieving significant project milestones that contribute directly to the company's strategic objectives.
9. Describe a difficult decision you made and how you handled it.
Why you might get asked this:
Leadership often requires making tough choices. This assesses your decision-making process, courage, and ability to navigate challenging situations as a manager.
How to answer:
Use the STAR method to describe the situation, the difficult decision you faced, your thought process, the action you took, and the outcome.
Example answer:
I had to decide to remove a team member who wasn't meeting expectations despite coaching. It was difficult, but I followed company policy, documented everything, and communicated professionally, ensuring the team understood the need for performance standards.
10. What’s your greatest weakness?
Why you might get asked this:
This question assesses your self-awareness and honesty. They want to see that you can identify areas for improvement and are actively working on them, a key trait for a leader.
How to answer:
Choose a genuine weakness that isn't critical to the job, frame it constructively, and explain the steps you are taking to mitigate or improve it.
Example answer:
I sometimes find it challenging to delegate tasks because I enjoy being involved in the details. To improve, I've been focusing on trusting my team, providing clear instructions, and checking in periodically rather than micromanaging.
11. How many years of managerial experience do you have?
Why you might get asked this:
A direct question to verify your experience level stated on your resume and understand the depth and breadth of your management background.
How to answer:
State the total number of years you've been in a formal management role, and briefly mention the types or sizes of teams you've led.
Example answer:
I have accumulated 8 years of formal managerial experience, leading teams varying in size from 6 to 15 individuals across diverse projects and operational functions.
12. Describe your educational background.
Why you might get asked this:
To understand your formal education and how it may have prepared you for a management role, or if you have relevant academic foundations.
How to answer:
Mention your degrees, relevant coursework, or any academic achievements that are pertinent to the position or showcase valuable skills.
Example answer:
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, which provided a strong analytical foundation. I also pursued electives in organizational behavior, which sparked my interest in leadership and team dynamics.
13. Do you have any industry-specific certifications?
Why you might get asked this:
Certifications indicate specialized knowledge and commitment to professional development within a specific industry or functional area relevant to the role.
How to answer:
List any certifications you hold that are relevant to the industry, the role's responsibilities, or general project/team management.
Example answer:
Yes, I possess a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which has been invaluable in structuring team projects and ensuring efficient resource allocation and delivery.
14. What was your favorite part about how your former supervisor led your team?
Why you might get asked this:
This question reveals what you value in a leader and can hint at the type of leader you aspire to be or respond well to.
How to answer:
Highlight a positive leadership quality or practice you admired in a previous boss and explain why it was effective or impactful on you or the team.
Example answer:
I particularly appreciated my former supervisor's transparency. They kept the team informed about company changes and decisions, which built trust and helped us understand the bigger picture behind our tasks.
15. Describe the scope of your current responsibilities.
Why you might get asked this:
To understand the scale, complexity, and type of work you currently manage, helping them assess if it aligns with the demands of the hiring manager position.
How to answer:
Summarize your key duties, the size of your team, the types of projects you oversee, and the overall impact of your role on your department or company.
Example answer:
Currently, I oversee a team of 10 software engineers, managing the full development lifecycle for our flagship product. My responsibilities include project planning, resource management, performance reviews, and cross-functional coordination with product and QA teams.
16. Do you have experience presenting to senior management?
Why you might get asked this:
Managers often need to communicate team performance, project updates, or strategic proposals to higher-level executives. This assesses your ability to do so effectively.
How to answer:
Confirm your experience and briefly mention the context or type of presentations you've given to senior leadership.
Example answer:
Yes, I have extensive experience presenting to senior management. In my previous role, I regularly delivered quarterly business reviews and presented strategic proposals, successfully gaining buy-in for key initiatives.
17. What steps have you taken to improve your managerial skills?
Why you might get asked this:
Shows your commitment to growth and self-improvement as a leader. It indicates you are proactive about developing your capabilities.
How to answer:
Discuss any relevant training, workshops, certifications, reading, mentorships, or deliberate practices you use to enhance your leadership skills.
Example answer:
I actively work on improving my skills. I've taken workshops on conflict resolution and effective coaching, read numerous books on leadership, and sought feedback from both my team and my own managers.
18. Have you ever faced a challenging team dynamic? How did you resolve it?
Why you might get asked this:
Team dynamics can be complex. This question evaluates your ability to navigate interpersonal issues, resolve conflicts, and maintain a healthy team environment.
How to answer:
Describe a specific situation involving a difficult team dynamic, your approach to understanding the root cause, the actions you took, and the resulting improvement. Use STAR.
Example answer:
We had tension between two team members impacting collaboration. I met with each individually to understand their perspectives, then facilitated a mediated discussion focused on finding common ground and redefining shared team goals. This significantly improved their working relationship.
19. Tell me about a time you had to persuade someone at work.
Why you might get asked this:
Influence and persuasion are key skills for managers, whether advocating for resources, proposing new ideas, or aligning stakeholders.
How to answer:
Describe a situation where you needed to convince a colleague, superior, or external party. Explain your strategy, how you presented your case, and the outcome. Use STAR.
Example answer:
I needed to persuade a reluctant department head to allocate resources to a cross-functional project. I built my case using data demonstrating the potential ROI and highlighted how their participation was critical to shared success, ultimately gaining their support.
20. Describe a time you had a difficult conversation with a client or colleague.
Why you might get asked this:
Managing people and relationships inevitably involves difficult conversations. This assesses your communication skills, empathy, and ability to handle sensitive situations professionally.
How to answer:
Describe the situation, the nature of the difficult conversation, your approach to having it (e.g., preparation, tone), and the resolution or outcome.
Example answer:
I had to inform a client their project deadline needed to be extended due to unforeseen technical issues. I prepared thoroughly, explained the situation transparently, offered alternative solutions to mitigate impact, and maintained a calm, empathetic demeanor, which helped maintain their trust.
21. Tell me about a successful presentation you gave.
Why you might get asked this:
Managers often need to present information clearly and compellingly to teams, stakeholders, or leadership. This assesses your communication and presentation skills.
How to answer:
Describe the context, the audience, the content of the presentation, how you prepared, how you delivered it effectively, and the positive result.
Example answer:
I gave a presentation to our sales team introducing a new product feature. I focused on explaining its benefits from a customer perspective, included a live demo, and answered questions directly. It led to a 25% uptake in feature adoption by their clients.
22. Describe a time you took initiative to solve a problem.
Why you might get asked this:
Proactivity is a valuable trait in a manager. This question assesses your ability to identify issues independently and take action without being directed.
How to answer:
Share an example where you spotted a problem (or potential problem), decided to address it, and took steps to implement a solution, detailing the positive impact.
Example answer:
I noticed our team's reporting process was inefficient, taking several hours weekly. I researched and proposed automating parts of it using a new tool. I took the initiative to pilot it, train the team, and ultimately saved the department significant time.
23. Give an example of being creative at work.
Why you might get asked this:
Creativity in management can involve finding innovative solutions to challenges, improving processes, or developing unique approaches to motivating teams.
How to answer:
Share a time you thought outside the box to solve a problem, improve a process, or approach a situation in a novel way, and explain the positive result.
Example answer:
To boost team morale during a demanding project phase, I organized short, themed "brainstorm breaks" each afternoon. It wasn't directly work-related but provided needed mental resets, fostered camaraderie, and unexpectedly sparked some creative problem-solving discussions.
24. Tell me about a time you worked under close or loose supervision.
Why you might get asked this:
To understand your adaptability and performance under different management structures. Managers need to function effectively whether they have significant autonomy or are part of a structured hierarchy.
How to answer:
Describe a situation under either close or loose supervision, explaining how you thrived in that environment and the skills you employed to be successful (e.g., self-management, clear communication).
Example answer:
In my first management role, supervision was quite close, which helped me learn foundational processes. Later, in a remote role, supervision was looser. I excelled by setting clear personal goals, maintaining proactive communication with my manager, and using project management tools rigorously.
25. Describe a time you were dissatisfied with your role.
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your perspective on challenges and dissatisfaction. They want to see maturity, self-reflection, and a constructive approach, not just complaining.
How to answer:
Choose a past situation, focus on objective reasons for dissatisfaction (e.g., lack of growth, misalignment of skills), and explain what you learned or how you proactively addressed it. Avoid negativity.
Example answer:
In a previous role, I felt limited in my ability to implement process improvements I'd identified. Instead of becoming disengaged, I took the initiative to document my findings and present potential solutions, which ultimately led to my taking on more impactful projects.
26. How would you describe your personality?
Why you might get asked this:
To understand your interpersonal style and assess your potential cultural fit within the team and company. Leadership effectiveness is often linked to personality traits.
How to answer:
Share 2-3 positive traits that are relevant to the work environment and leading people (e.g., collaborative, decisive, empathetic, proactive).
Example answer:
I would describe my personality as proactive, empathetic, and results-driven. I enjoy connecting with team members, understanding their needs, and channeling our collective energy towards achieving shared objectives efficiently.
27. Have you always considered yourself a leader?
Why you might get asked this:
This explores your journey into leadership and whether you see it as an inherent trait or a developed skill. It provides insight into your self-perception as a leader.
How to answer:
Reflect on your past. You can say yes and give early examples, or describe how you grew into leadership, showing self-awareness and development.
Example answer:
Even in school projects, I often naturally took on coordinating roles. As my career progressed, I realized I enjoyed guiding teams and found satisfaction in helping others succeed, so I actively pursued opportunities to develop formal leadership skills.
28. What excites you most about this managerial position?
Why you might get asked this:
This gauges your enthusiasm for the specific role and company. It shows whether you understand the position's challenges and opportunities and are genuinely motivated by them.
How to answer:
Highlight specific aspects of the role, the team, the company's mission, or the challenges that genuinely excite you and align with your career goals.
Example answer:
I'm most excited about the opportunity to lead a talented team in a dynamic industry. The chance to drive strategic projects and contribute directly to the company's growth at this pivotal time is incredibly motivating for me.
29. What’s the least exciting part of a managerial role for you?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses your realistic understanding of the role's less glamorous aspects. It shows maturity if you can acknowledge these while still being motivated by the overall responsibilities.
How to answer:
Choose a less preferred but unavoidable task (e.g., administrative work, performance issues) and frame it professionally, showing you understand its necessity.
Example answer:
While necessary, navigating performance improvement plans can be the least exciting part. However, I see it as a critical responsibility of leadership to support team members and maintain high standards, so I approach it with diligence and fairness.
30. Why do you want to assume a leadership position here?
Why you might get asked this:
A direct question combining your motivation for leadership with your interest in this specific company. It's a chance to summarize your pitch.
How to answer:
Reiterate your passion for leadership, connect your experience and skills to the company's needs, and express how you can contribute to their success in a leadership capacity.
Example answer:
I am passionate about fostering team success and driving results through collaborative leadership. Given [Company Name]'s exciting vision and the opportunities within this team, I am eager to leverage my experience to help guide your talented individuals towards achieving significant impact.
Other Tips to Prepare for a Hiring Manager Interview
Preparing for an interview for a hiring manager position requires more than just practicing answers to common interview questions to ask a hiring manager. It involves thorough research about the company, understanding the team you might lead, and reflecting on your own leadership experiences. Tailor your responses to the specific requirements of the job description, using the STAR method to structure your behavioral answers with clear examples of your actions and results. "Practice articulating your leadership philosophy," advises career coach Jane Doe, "and be ready to discuss how you handle difficult situations with empathy and decisiveness." Consider using tools like the Verve AI Interview Copilot https://vervecopilot.com to simulate interview scenarios and get personalized feedback on your delivery and content. This can help you refine your answers to common interview questions to ask a hiring manager. Remember to prepare insightful questions to ask the interviewer as well, demonstrating your engagement and forward-thinking approach. Utilizing resources like Verve AI Interview Copilot can significantly boost your confidence and polish your responses to make a strong impression. Another tip is to practice mock interviews, perhaps with a mentor or using a platform like Verve AI Interview Copilot, to get comfortable delivering your answers naturally. John Smith, an experienced hiring manager, notes, "Candidates who can share specific examples of challenges they've overcome and lessons they've learned stand out."
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How should I research the company before an interview for a manager role?
A1: Research their mission, values, recent news, leadership team, and understand the team/department you're interviewing for.
Q2: Is it okay to ask questions about the team culture?
A2: Absolutely. Asking about team culture shows you care about fit and the environment you'll be leading.
Q3: How should I handle questions about failures or mistakes?
A3: Be honest, briefly explain the situation, focus on what you learned, and how you applied that lesson moving forward.
Q4: How long should my answers be for common interview questions to ask a hiring manager?
A4: Aim for concise answers, typically 1-2 minutes for general questions and 2-3 minutes for behavioral questions using the STAR method.
Q5: What types of questions should I ask the interviewer?
A5: Ask about team priorities, challenges, performance expectations, opportunities for growth, and the interviewer's experience.
Q6: How can I practice effectively for these specific interview questions to ask a hiring manager?
A6: Review the questions, outline your STAR examples, practice speaking your answers aloud, and use mock interviews or AI tools.
