10 Project Manager Interview Questions (+Tested Answers You Need to Know)

[@ITProjectManagers]

🔥 There’s one skill that separates great IT Project Managers from everyone else-project tailoring. Most project managers get stuck trying to learn every new tool and process out there. They dive deep into theories but still struggle to deliver projects on time and within budget. It’s frustrating. The truth is, great project managers don’t try to do it all-they focus on tailoring simple processes and tools that work best for their team and projects. That’s what creates transparency, predictability, and results. But here’s the thing-tailoring isn’t just guessing what might work. It’s about knowing three critical components: 1) Understanding project management on a deeper level. 2) Knowing exactly what to tailor. 3) Applying it effectively in real companies with real people. That’s why I created the Professional Development Plan for IT Project Managers-to help you master project tailoring and finally become the project manager who delivers every time, no matter the challenge. ✅ Click the link below to get your development plan now and take the next step toward mastering project management. itpmschool.com/get-plan?

[@ndawapekahauuanga7542]

phhu hUUu+

[@riledmouse4677]

Very smart content. I’ve powered through dozens of useless HR and interview-prep videos over the past few days. This one had me taking notes, stopping and rewinding, and thinking in new ways. 🙏

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad it was helpful.

[@yumtum6011]

Omg Dimitry, you will be happy to know that I only watched your video before the interview and my interview went well. I got into the 2nd round. I must mention that this was my first interview ever. Thanks so much for this video! 😎

[@ITProjectManagers]

Well done! Thanks for sharing your achievements. It made my day. I wish you get a PM job soon.

[@yumtum6011]

@@ITProjectManagers thanks dimitry for the well wishes. I appreciate it

[@Reda-Be]

so eh, how did it go? :x

[@waqqashanafi]

Wow, that was a LOT of wisdom in one video. Thank you Dmitriy!

[@ITProjectManagers]

You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful, Wakas.

[@honganh9394]

the most practical channel I found so far on youtube. Thanks so much for your sharing.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad you think so! Thanks for your feedback.

[@angiegeyer5408]

Thank you for your insight! This video and your content helped me to land a job as a Junior project manager which is my first project management job. Thank you again! Praying for you and your country 🙏

[@ITProjectManagers]

Fantastic, Angie! I wish you luck.

[@angiegeyer5408]

@@ITProjectManagers Thank you!

[@AnastacioHernandez]

Broad enough to help you prepare but straight to the point to come up with specific answers. Thank you!

[@ITProjectManagers]

You are welcome! I hope it’ll help you get the job.

[@kevankarstunen8262]

Thank you for all the fantastic information Dmitriy! I'm just beginning my project management career and am so glad to have seen this video before any interviews! :) BTW, the casual f-bomb drop at 11:09 made me laugh lol

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks, Kevan! Glad you found it useful. Check out other videos with interview questions we well here: kzbin.info/aero/PLjbXjDdSp7vdoOusKG7Wzi8aD6E-qbejb

[@Irina-ph3nd]

You are awesome, thanks!!!!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad it helped, Iryna!

[@mohammedabrarabrar278]

Dimitry I am very amazed by your teaching .....thank you so much....I have compared some other videos but your thee best

[@ITProjectManagers]

You're very welcome!

[@Onlinepmcourses]

A useful resource. Thank you.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad it was helpful.

[@dmitryoksen]

great vid, thanks

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad you enjoyed it, Dmitry

[@yumtum6011]

You might be a life changer my brother, amazing contents! Keep it up

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thank you so much for your feedback. It means a lot to me!

[@clairemacfarlane7904]

Awesome videos! Your advice is refreshingly tangible.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad you think so, Claire. Thanks for feedback.

[@albertdube7328]

Thats a powerfull video. I watched once and failed my last interview and i watch again and see my mistakes! Every detail is important recomend watch again practice on own and watch before going there

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks for your kind feedback.

[@mohammedabrarabrar278]

Dimitry u r simply osm.....u r saying very practically

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad you liked it!

[@Дмитрий-н2и9я]

Great content, and focusing on "in reality" rather than on "in theory" gives an unique value to it. I liked a tip about referensing back to the question or subject that wasn't well answered by you. And generally many tips can be used not only in PM interview. Thanks!

[@ITProjectManagers]

You welcome. And thanks for your feedback!

[@some_one_2_3]

This guys is amazing. Thank you for the advice! Liked and subscribed!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Awesome, thank you! Glad you found it valuable.

[@jenshadylane]

Thanks Dmitriy! Great content for anyone entering into the PM field.

[@ITProjectManagers]

I’m glad it helps. Thanks for you feedback!

[@jamesdeano8093]

Really interesting

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad you think so, James!

[@SuperJormungand]

WOW, I watched this a couple of times and took notes. I'm very blessed and thankful for your insightful advice. I had a telephone interview and it went great. Thank you very much!

[@ITProjectManagers]

You are welcome! I'm so glad to know you applied the tips right away. I wish you get that job offer soon!

[@creativeperspectives2712]

Great presentation.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad you liked it, Prasad!

[@phimaxconsulting]

very goods hints, Spasibo!

[@ITProjectManagers]

My pleasure!

[@rosmaryalgarin9292]

excelent i agree with everything you said in this video thanks for the advice

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad it was helpful, Rosemary!

[@NesAndres]

Thanks a lot Dmitriy! now i´m taking notes and preparing myself in a much smarter way than before!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Excellent, Nes! Do also check other videos on PM interviews here: kzbin.info/aero/PLjbXjDdSp7vdoOusKG7Wzi8aD6E-qbejb

[@claudiobisinger71]

Very good your tips! Thank you!

[@ITProjectManagers]

You are welcome!

[@shawnknox1582]

Love this video man, I plan on changing my career path and found this very helpful.

[@ITProjectManagers]

I'm glad it helps. Good luck with the job search!

[@noamanrasul]

what a great description for an interview. Thank you for your help.

[@ITProjectManagers]

You are welcome. What's the biggest takeaway for you?

[@christianugwuanyi1582]

Thank you very much ! I am charting from Nigeria. It's my wish to be in this profession so that I become a sound professional

[@ITProjectManagers]

You can do it, Christian!

[@taggerung890]

This is great advice, thank you!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MrWiggiJ]

Great Video! Really helped me prepare for the interview. Thanks from Australia!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thank you so much for your feedback! And good luck with your interview.

[@marinapolkovnikova1066]

Thank you, it was interesting)

[@ITProjectManagers]

You are welcome.

[@moniquebass4455]

Wow this was awesome!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks for your kind feedback.

[@chrisgreekman1]

Great video! What are your tips for screening phone interviews as well as video interviews due to the pandemic?

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks! And an excellent idea for a separate video too;) A few things to know about pre-screening interviews: 1. You talk with a recruiter. This recruiter needs to ask you a few questions from a checklist to assess you quickly. They may ask you typical questions on project management and leadership. But the catch is they don't have in-depth knowledge. They can't assess your real experience. They want to hear common and very specific answers. So, don't be too smart, don't use slang. And reply with full certainty. 2. Recruiters do assess your character and communication skills. And they do know how to do it. Here are just a few things you should be doing: - Be ready for the phone call. It means you need to find a quiet spot with a good connection. - Talk loud and clear. - Don't be afraid to ask questions and ask for clarification. - Don't lie. As for online interviews, personally, I don't see any difference. Dress up, but don't overdo it with a suit-just presentable wear. Don't use the virtual background. Find a place where you have a natural background. A bookshelf is a great starting point. But keep it neat. Most importantly, never make them feel like you are googling the answers or reading from the screen. Maintain eye contact. Also, don't lockdown. Use hands and gestures like you would on an offline interview.

[@chrisgreekman1]

Sounds like great advice! Thank you!

[@ITProjectManagers]

You are welcome.

[@GeorgeKorobkov]

[Sorry for Russian, but I'm sure Dmitriy knows it] Дима, большое спасибо! Отличное видео. Я думаю что если Вы немного поработаете над произношением, то популярность канала вырстет в разы, а значит и прибыль тоже вырастет. Еще раз спасибо за материал!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Пожалуйста:) И да, над произношением я работаю;)

[@yuriyhlushchenko8653]

@@ITProjectManagers Да вообще пофиг на произношение! Главное, что Вы разговариваете членораздельно и понятно. В основе должны быть- качественный контент + харизма докладчика. А с этим у Вас полный порядок. Удачи!

[@prasadpsp]

Very informative and useful video. Thank you, Dmitriy. One question - What are the tools you used for Project Management? What should be the answer? Are there any specific tools or apps a PM should be aware of?

[@ITProjectManagers]

Hi Prasad, So, ideally you need to get familiar with some most popular tools. Most of them have a trial or even free version for one user. Project Management Life Cycle Apps: MS Project or MS Project Plan or similar tools. Agile Boards: JIRA, VSTS, Trello, Asana, etc. Communication Tools: Zoom, Skype for Business, MS Teams. Collaboration tools: Confluence, MS Office 365, Google Docs. There’s no way that you can have experience using all of them. But if you can state that you tried it out, got some training (even a free introduction) will be a good start. Just review 10-20 job requirements in your industry and make a list of tools they mention. Then, sign up for trials and free accounts. Check out my list of favorite tools here: pmbasics101.com/project-management-tools-books-resources/

[@aaavss]

Hi Dmitriy. This is really useful video and the details are covered in absolute fantastic way. I came across one question over and over. "What are your strengths and weaknesses" . I always get confused on this question. Can you please answer this question?

[@ITProjectManagers]

Hi Vishal, good question. This kind of question is not really about your strengths and weaknesses. It all about your self-awareness, self-analysis, and honesty. So, in general, there’s no correct set of weaknesses you should name. But for sure don’t try to make your weaknesses as obfuscated strengths. For example, do say you are a workaholic as a weakness. On the other hand, I would avoid calling out weaknesses related to your job. For example, don’t say you are inattentive to details or don’t like keeping documentation. I would talk about some personal things. For example, I have a weakness, that I play video games in the evening, or I drink too much coffee AND can’t get rid of the habit. Likewise, I think it’s OK to say that you have a lack of practical experience in some areas (e.g. budget or using some tools). You can’t know everything, so it’s OK. As for the strengths, for a project manager, I would name anything related to leadership and motivation. Empathy is a good one, Communication skills, building strong teams, improving processes, etc. By the way, if you did watch this video it may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJPLm6OkjZedr6s It covers similar behavioral questions.

[@Kamogelomolawa]

Dmitry thank you so much for the tips bro... watched you tips before the interview and the exact questions were asks. Thank you thank you for your work.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Glad it was helpful! I hope you’ll get a job soon.

[@nelyadanilich4962]

Hi, Dmitriy Concerning the part about questions I should ask an interviewer, is it better to give them to an hr specialist or in the technical interview with the pm? Or it doesn't matter? Btw, have you got a video about technical interview for pm's?) Thanks!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Hi Nelya, You need to ask HR specialist the HR questions. Learn more about the culture, show that you did your research of the company and ask specific questions. Then, you ask technical interviewer the questions that relate to your responsibilities more. So, you should ask everyone the questions they can answer but you do need to ask questions at every stage of an interview. I often cross-check information. I ask an HR about work-life balance. Then, ask the same question to a technical manager. I’m going to release a video tomorrow on interview questions for software PMs. And the "how to pass a technical interview" is planned for a later date.

[@nelyadanilich4962]

@@ITProjectManagers thank you so MUCH, can’t wait for tomorrow 🤩

[@gjmh2011]

Hi, I find this video very useful to prepare for a successful job interview. I would like to know your opinion about how to answer a very frequent question: What is your most important weakness? Thanks in advance!

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks, Gabriel! And it's a good question. First of all, here's what I don't recommend to do. Don't be a smart ass. Don't try to put your weakness as a strength. Like, "I'm a workaholic. I cannot stop working until I finish a task." It sounds cheesy. So, you want to talk about a real and apparent weakness. The one that an interviewer will accept as a given. You're an entry-level project manager. Your main weakness is that you don't have practical experience in leading formal projects. However, you can use it to your advantage and continue with a story where you apply leadership without authority. Likewise, you can choose a knowledge domain specific for an industry or the company. For example, you may say that you know little about cost management. (It's really company-specific.) If it's about "personal" weakness, well, you have to be truthful here. Interviewer sees well through the lies. For example, my personal weakness is that I have high standards for professional development. So, I put too much emphasis and pressure on people. I have to remind myself that not everyone whats to develop a career and take the highest and most responsible position in the company or the project. Moreover, I have to be self-aware to treat such people equally well.

[@ДенисКириллов-у1т]

Cool video, thanks. What are the challenges in managing remote teams?

[@ITProjectManagers]

That's a great interview question. Very practical. So, the key challenge with a virtual team is communication. You'll have one or two touch points with a voice or video call. The rest goes through emails, task trackers, IMs, etc. So, your assignments should be crystal clear. As well as your expectations. Moreover, there should be solid processes to control the work, to report the progress and to escalate problems. It makes it all more complex if you work in different time zones. So, you need to think and plan the work one or two steps ahead. There should be agreements on what to do if a person is stuck. On the ofter hand, there a problem of trust. You as a project manager, do not see the person working. Like it happens in an office. So, you need to motivate people, you need to build mutually beneficial and trustworthy relationships. It takes time as you need to do it one on one with each person.

[@olenafedosieieva6191]

What's the best way to answer the what was your biggest professional failure?

[@ITProjectManagers]

This question is not actually about the failure. It's about the way you approached it. So, select any case that you're comfortable to share. Here're a few things that you should NOT do: 1. Don't lay blame. It doesn't matter if there was a person who was the root cause or who share the responsibility with you. Don't do it. 2. Don't focus on the details of the failure. It's more important to talk about the lessons learned from the case. Additionally, you may talk about how you worked with others during this crisis. 3. Don't tell a story about a failure that you miraculously turned into a win. Interviewers are testing other things. In general, don't talk about failures as drawbacks. It's experience and learning opportunities.

[@gonzalomartinez9016]

@@ITProjectManagers Thank you for clarifying.

[@ITProjectManagers]

@@gonzalomartinez9016, you are welcome! I'm glad it helps.

[@dawnjohnson1965]

Wonderful content although I would never ever pull out my phone. So write or type your questions out.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks for your kind feedback! I really don't see a problem with a phone if you have notes there. I'm in the software development industry, so I would give an extra point to a candidate who has a system to store information on a device rather than in his head.

[@chrisgreekman1]

It’s all about how you read the questions.. if it looks like you haven’t read them before then that’s the problem.

[@philip7184]

LOL! Excellent video! Could you spend some time to talk about next time? With a 40% market share in Task management tools, Zentao is the most popular tool in China. It has powerful functions and fast iteration.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Doesn't look like a great way to promote a PM tool.

[@philip7184]

sorry for disturbing. But the ZenTao is really deserved to try.

[@ITProjectManagers]

@@philip7184 for sure you are not sorry...

[@philip7184]

@@ITProjectManagers Welcome to add to the ZenTao next time, we can also promote it on our portal. We have many fans in China.

[@sidharth3103]

in india no one asks such questions, it totally depends on if your are dumber then the interviewer then you are selected if you are smarter then you are not... Thats my experience with Spinny

[@ITProjectManagers]

Sorry to hear that. If that an all around case, maybe it's time to find opportunities elsewhere.

[@krishnamane6903]

Get More info about What the Covid-19 crisis teach us about Project Management? visit us: member.hpmaglobal.org/what-the-covid-19-crisis-can-teach-us-about-project-management/

[@ITProjectManagers]

For some reason, I've missed your comment and it was buried under other comments. Sorry. To avoid this in future. I'm leaving this comment here for tracking purpose.

[@sweetspicy92]

The way you explain confuses more

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks for writing. What confuses you the most? Maybe I can provide some additional materials that would bring clarity on why you should take these interview questions the way I explain.

[@Molzik]

It's was a very detailed and straightforward video though...

[@ITProjectManagers]

Thanks

[@sweetspicy92]

Project Management Basics oh !

[@PMPEducator]

Seems Putin is talking ;))))

[@ITProjectManagers]

LOL. Don't listen to that guy much... or better at all. Trust a guy from Ukraine;)

[@bgdmarianna]

Объективно хотелось бы более конструктивного подхода к видео, потому как много воды и нет ощущения плана, которым можно было бы воспользоваться. Быстрые смены картинок, быстро и не очень чисто говорите на английском и акцент сам по себе раздражает немного

[@ITProjectManagers]

For some reason, I've missed your comment and it was buried under other comments. Sorry. To avoid this in future. I'm leaving this comment here for tracking purpose.

[@yarynazakharko1865]

A lot of recomendations are valid and useful. At the end of the video when author starting talking about tricks to prepare before interview and mantioned 'firm handshake with each participant of this interview, EVEN WOMEN'. It's so sexist and inappropriate. I guess guy is from Eastern Europe, as no one whould allow to build sentence like that. This word 'even' ruines all advices and I found the guy really unprofessional.

[@ITProjectManagers]

Sorry to hear you understand it this way. On the contrary, the note was a reminder AGAINST sexism. Because men do forget to shake hands with women no matter what part of the world I’m in.

[@martasarafin8992]

@@ITProjectManagers exactly, also in some cultures women handshake is not allowed. I think it;s good you point it out that women must not be left behind :)

[@ITProjectManagers]

Marta, thanks for feedback. I feel the same.

[@Molzik]

At first that was my thought as well but there's another side to it: there might be people watching from different cultures were it might not be so appropriate. Many men I meet are a little hesitant to shake hands - some for their religious beliefs, some just not sure if I'd want a man touching them. So from this point of view the statement is actually very useful.