It’s time; for the past few years, you’ve worked hard, paid your dues, worked efficiently as part of a team, and maybe even became a team leader, and now you’re prepared for more responsibility. You’re ready to move up the corporate ladder into management. Good for you! So you find openings that interest you, perfect your CV, meticulously fill out your applications, and as you wait for that call for an interview, you decide to start preparing. This is when it hits you; you realize you’ve never interviewed for a position like this before and wonder “How do I prepare for an interview in a leadership or management role?”
Well, you’re in luck, because our career experts know exactly what you need to nail your interview, and are here to give you some tips on how to impress the interviewer and answer the tough questions perfectly.
To begin with, you need to be very well informed about the company you are interviewing at. Do your research ahead of time, and take notes. You can learn a lot about a company from their website or their social pages. In fact 80% of professionals check out a company’s social profile before applying for a job. Checking their Bayt.com company profile would be a great start. Once you’ve gathered enough information about their goals, mission and corporate culture, make a list of keywords that were used frequently, on their different profiles. You can take this a step further, and connect with an existing employee at the company on a professional network such as Bayt.com People or Bayt.com Specialties. Talking to existing employees will give you an insider view on the company, and may even give you a better idea of what will be expected of you.
To excel in a leadership position, one of the most important attributes to have is communication. With a team counting on you, you have to be able to efficiently communicate to them what is expected of them, explain things when they need help, and give them the proper recognition deserved for a job well done. Prove to the interviewer that you have strong communication skills by having a conversation, rather than just giving answers to the questions. Asking questions is also important, and it is best to prepare these ahead of time, from your research of the company.
Managers are the glue that hold companies together making sure there is a seamless and efficient flow of work, as well as productive, engaged and satisfied employees, so hiring a manager means relying on someone else to run a part of your business for you. This is why the interview questions get a little trickier, and there is less room for mistakes.
Here are a few tough questions you can expect, and a guideline on how to answer them.
What is your management style?
For this question, focus on your team. Set parameters such as: communicates effectively with the team, delegates efficiently, is ready to help when needed, gives continuous feedback, gives recognition. Another good attribute to mention here is adaptability and flexibility. Every situation is different at work, and good managers must have the ability to adapt depending on what they are being faced with.
How do you delegate tasks?
Discuss the things you will do to better understand your employees, and their skills, such as weekly briefs or monthly one-on-one monthly meetings, in order to understand which tasks suit which employees best. You can also show off your organization skills by suggesting a sheet, or board, of team members tasks, with details, goals, and deadlines.
How do you manage a problematic employee?
This question reflects on your ability to communicate with your employees, to train them, as well as to take responsibility. Be sure to mention that you will adopt a hands-on style of management with these employees, to help improve their performance and understanding of the tasks assigned, and that you take responsibility for the shortcomings of your team, and will work diligently to correct this.
How do you evaluate success?
For this question, emphasize the importance of ensuring that your team works efficiently and productively as a whole, meeting deadlines, and achieving set goals. Also reinforce the importance of a content, happy team, that is motivated and excited to play their part, and put in the effort, towards the success of the department, and the company.