Hiring a project manager ? Here is a list of questions that you may want to ask !

If you are part of an interview (either as a hiring manager  or as a candidate) for the position of a project manager: here are the list of commonly discussed points. The following list of questions should give a fair idea of the candidates’ project management experience.

There are no “single” answers for these questions, so the answers are left open for the reader to ponder. It would be a great to discuss the possible answers in the comments section, and get other project manager’s perspective on your answers.

Q1. As a project manager : which one would you compromise - the scope, schedule or the quality ?

Q2. In handling a project involving global (virtual) teams, what do you think is most challenging for the project manager ?

Q3. As project manager, what are all the people problems you have faced ?

Q4. What has been the success rate of your projects so far ?

Q5. What are all the KPIs your project is measured against ?

Q6. Have you had an upset customer / client ? How did you deal with them ?

Q7. What are the common project management tools, that a project manager uses on his day to day work life ?

Q8. What do you do to manage the stakeholders ? How do you secure the information flow ?

Q9. Has Cash-flow curves been used in your project ? Do you deal with Financials in your project ?

Q10. As a project manager, do you get into technical things ? Will you be able to represent the project - both on technical and commercial terms in front of the customer ?