Prepping for the most common interview questions for managers and supervisors can make a huge difference in how you deliver your answers.
What’s changed over the years?
Well, supervisors and managers can expect the stock questions they’ve likely seen for years — but also need to prep for behavioral and situational interview questions for that next supervisory job. How you handled a certain challenge (e.g. staffing issue, cash flow problems) based on your past behaviors, for example.
With the integration of strategic systems into businesses, a candidate can also expect interview questions that involve business and system advancements, such as automation systems, Six Sigma compliance, ISO certification involvement, and so on.
Here we go…
List of Most Common Interview Questions for Managers & Supervisors
1. How many people have you supervised in the past?
2. Have you personally hired, trained, and coached staff?
3. How do you handle difficult employees?
4. Have you ever fired someone due to erratic behavior? If so, explain what process or steps you used to conduct the dismissal?
5. Describe your management philosophy.
7. What aspects of your previous management roles have you excelled within?
8. Why should we choose you over other applicants? What’s unique about you?
9. How do you decide important decisions when it comes to staffing, accounting, operations, warehousing, sales, and so on?
10. With your past (or most recent) employer, what have you done to cut costs? Provide a couple of examples.
11. How do you motivate your staff to produce optimal performance?
12. What have been your most notable achievements from the last 2-3 years?
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13. What programs or systems have you introduced to streamline internal operations?
14. Have you been involved in renegotiating contracts with small to large vendors? What have been your successes?
15. What has been your experience working with union and non-union personnel?
16. Have you received any awards or recognition that you’re particularly proud of?
17. How would you describe your personality?
18. When a problem arises, do you pause and think of a solution, or have you conditioned yourself to act immediately with what seems right?
19. How many hours per week are you capable of committing to this job?
20. Are you someone who will stay until the job is done, or do you typically leave when your shift is through?
21. What techniques do you use to rally your team?
22. What has been your involvement with self-evaluation and 360-degree programs?
23. What are your thoughts on organizational restructuring?
24. Have you had any experience with mergers and acquisition?
25. Have you been involved with securing or assisting with the maintenance of ISO certifications?
26. Any involvement with certain methodologies or strategies; i.e. Kanban, Agile, Lean Management?
27. What is your expected salary?
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