Interview Questions used for Managerial Positions

on 8:15 PM

Opening
 Provide job description
 Ask for application if one not submitted initially
 Introduction and outline format of interview(s)
 Overview of unit and campus

Specific Questions: 
1. Experience
 What one or two things from your prior experience and/or education do you see as being the most relevant and valuable to succeed in this position
 What about his particular position and/or unit most interests you?




2. Skills - Planning, Analysis and Organization
 Describe your experience with both short and long-range academic planning. Include your role, approach and the challenges you faced.
 Describe your experience with facilities and space planning or coordination.
 Describe your experience managing multiple long-term projects while meeting immediate demands. What strategies do you use when faced with more tasks than time to do them?

3. Skills - Liaison, Communication, Negotiation, Problem Solving, Decision Making
 How will you determine what issues to bring to your supervisor, which to delegate to staff and which to resolve yourself?
 Please describe a situation where you resolved complex issues among groups of individual s (perhaps faculty) in which opposing alternatives were proposed by equally strong supporters.
 This position requires communication with many different campus units and individuals, inside and outside of the unit. Give examples of strategies you have used to communicate effectively with different levels in an organization.
 Can you give us an example of a difficult interaction or conflict you have had with a supervisor or subordinate and how you might handle a similar situation differently (or the same) in the future?
 Please give us an example of when you have thought outside the box and any challenges it may have presented.

4. Ladership/Management
 What has been your experience in effecting organizational change and how is organizational change most successfully managed?
 (Follow up question depending on answer above.) Describe what your strategy has been (or would be as an incoming manager for getting to know individuals, their styles, the various working relationships, the Departments, the work, etc., and how and when you might begin introducing change.
 What has been your approach for bringing individuals on board who may be resistant to change?
 How do you ensure your staff is clear about which issues warrant your attention, the information you need, and delineation of authority?
 Please tell us the number and types of staff you have supervised and what differences, if any would you foresee in managing administrative vs. technical staff?
 Because of budgetary constraints, staff workloads are increasing more dramatically than resources, causing morale issues among the staff who do not feel they have enough time to provide the level of support expected, and is also an issue for the faculty who have varying expectations of assistance from staff. What have you done or would you do to improve the situation?
 How would you prioritize competing responsibilities, if they came in conflict?

5. Technical Competencies
 Describe your own technical computing competency in terms of which applications you use and also ways in which you've introduced new technology or software applications to make your work or the work of others more efficient.
 Please describe your financial management experience.
 What do you see as the role of a manager in ensuring that appropriate fiscal management (stewardship) is occurring within the unit?
 With respect to your writing skills, please describe the types of writing you have done (business correspondence, reports, proposals, etc.), who your audience has been and if you've written primarily under your own signature or others. (Did you bring samples you can leave with us?)

6. Position Specific Questions
 It may be that you've already provided sufficient information in these next areas by your earlier responses or on your application; however we wanted to give you an opportunity, if you'd like to expand on your experience in either overseeing or personally providing support in the following areas: (List position specific areas of responsibility, e.g. advising, curriculum and leave planning, academic personnel, development and outreach activities, etc.) 

7. Essential Functions
 The essential functions of this position include the ability to work extended hours to attend functions or meet deadlines, to travel occasionally, to attend meetings in various locations on and off campus, and to work on a computer for extended periods of time. Can you perform these tasks, either with or without accommodation? 

Closing: 
 Questions or additional comments from the candidate
 Follow up questions from the Selection Committee
 Timeline to conclude interviews and reference checks and make a hiring decision
 Explain who they may be meeting with next