Near to be interviewed for a project managing director position? While it's important to ready answers for the questions the employer might ask you, it's also key to set up some questions of your own.

The quality of questions that a projection manager asks during an interview is oft the tipping point of offering them the chore, said Rema Deo, managing director of 24By7 Security, Inc.

"I believe that a project manager candidate must ask at least one or two questions during the interview, specially if asked 'Do you lot have any questions for me?'" Deo said. "Questions should be ideally open-concluded so that they prompt further discussion. The interviewee must likewise be cognizant of the overall fourth dimension of the interview and so as to not take too much time from the interviewers."

Good questions will evidence an increased interest in the position, the visitor, and the technology yous would be using, said Kris Hughes, a marketing manager for ProjectManager.com.

Meet: IT Hiring Kit: Projection Director (Tech Pro Inquiry)

"When interviewing, information technology'due south important to ask questions that volition make you await intelligent, curious and results focused," said Fiona Adler, founder of Actioned.com. "Request questions is as well a great way to further build rapport and forge a connection with your interviewer."

Here are 10 questions that project managers should consider request on a future job interview.

i. What is your company's approach for managing projects? Do y'all follow a specific methodology, or use specific tools?

This question can aid you learn if the company uses standard PMP, Scrum, Kanban, Agile, or Hermes, or tools like Microsoft Project, Trello, Basecamp, Asana, said Laura Handrick, an AR analyst at FitSmallBusiness.com.

"A PM job candidate should ask questions that demonstrate her/his inclination towards taking up the new role," said Praveen Malik, a project management practitioner, consultant, and trainer. "She/he should inquire questions related to the job, company, blazon of work, and expectations from the new hire."

Run into: How to become a project director: A cheat sheet (TechRepublic)

2. What kind of stakeholder support do y'all have on this project?

This question could also exist framed every bit, "Are the senior executives bought in to the project'southward goals?" said Handrick.

Strategic questions like this tin can help show that yous're able to call back at a higher strategy level, in addition to managing tasks, timelines, and dependencies, Handrick said. Other examples of strategic questions might include "What is the concern case for change for this project?" and "How does this projection support the overall company objectives?"

Some other follow up to this question would exist, "How do you measure stakeholder and client success?" said Kris Hughes, a marketing manager for ProjectManager.com. "All companies measure success for their clients and stakeholders dissimilar in terms of their operational goals, and it'south a good thought to have an idea how this is measured going into a new part to ensure that the end result matches your work style and how you deliver as a projection manager," Hughes said.

SEE: Task description: IT project manager (Tech Pro Research)

3. How many clients practice you typically assign to each project manager?

Other questions along these lines include "What tin a PM expect on a daily basis in terms of communication time vs. organization fourth dimension?" and "Will others from my team be in steady advice with the client, or will I be in charge of delivering a majority of the messaging?" said Micah Wilson, a projection manager at coolblueweb. This can help determine the telescopic of your duties and the day-to-24-hour interval job responsibilities.

four. Which KPIs do yous track in your teams, and why?

This question can offer insight into a visitor'southward civilization, said Dmitry Garbar, a senior project manager and partner at Belitsoft. "Firms that runway a set of useful metrics consummate more projects within time and budget. Which, in turn, leads to greater client satisfaction, more than work, and ameliorate job security," Garbar said. "For a hiring managing director, this question shows that a prospective PM cares about their work and wants to see whether the same could exist said about the company interviewing him."

A follow up question to this might exist, "What does success look like in the first 90 days? Or the first twelvemonth?" said Nick Cromydas, co-founder and CEO of Hunt Club. This can show that the candidate is thinking correct away nigh how they tin can provide value, Espy added.

five. Does the team collaborate or tend to work independently? What are the squad dynamics like?

Asking this offers insight into the candidate'south sensation that all teams are different, and can impact the work environment, said Leigh Espy, and project and process advisor at FedEx. It besides helps determine if the workplace is a cultural fit.

6. Is in that location room for growth or advancement?

"Request well-nigh growth shows an employer that yous are motivated and desire to move up the ladder or develop new skills," said Ian McClarty, CEO and president of PhoenixNap Global IT Solutions. "The last thing I want to do is hire someone, train them, and they are gone in half-dozen months. By asking this, it allows the candidate to display intent to grow with the company long term."

Project director candidates who don't accept a PMP certification or an MBA may also want to enquire if the visitor supports employees who want to pursue advanced degrees, and if it offers any assist, said Todd Weneck, vice president of search at Modis.

Request nigh opportunities and comeback for growth for the team can also give the interviewee a adventure to talk about needs in a positive way, too as talk about why you may exist able to fill those needs, Espy said.

7. What is the career path for project managers in the visitor?

Like to asking about growth and advancement, this question can go to whether project managers are promoted into more senior PM roles, or are promoted out of project management into some other subsection of the business, Hughes said. This will assistance the candidate determine if the PM path at this visitor aligns with their own career goals.

8. What's the company'due south biggest challenge?

"A PM candidate should enquire what my biggest challenge is," said Heather Eason, CEO of Select Power Systems. "And so, they tin respond with how they would help me solve it."

When in an interview, candidates should make sure to ask questions that will uncover some of the visitor's weaker areas, said Cindy Visendaz, a recruiting director at Addison Group. Other related questions might be, "What keeps you lot upward at night? What issues volition cause the about pain if not handled properly?"

"Knowing the answers to these questions will give candidates a amend sense of the challenges they might be faced with on a day-to-day basis, and then from there, can assistance them determine whether or not these are problems they feel comfortable tackling as a new employee," Visendaz said.

9. What challenges do y'all anticipate I will see in this role?

This question shows a hiring manager that the candidate is looking ahead, and is hopefully prepared to take on these challenges, Espy said. It also offers the gamble for the candidate to identify whatever special skills or experiences they can bring to the tabular array, she added.

ten. How does this project support the overall company objectives?

Determining if your projects will be major initiatives of the business organization or one-off projects led past a department can help a candidate determine if the role is correct for them, Handrick said. Other related questions might be "What kind of change direction support will this projection have?" to see if in that location are staff from other areas of the business organization who will exist on the projection team to drive employee and customer purchase-in, she added.