Tell me about a time when your team had a challenging deadline to meet.
Overview
Project Managers often have to balance multiple tasks and tight timelines, so interviewers want to know that you can work well under pressure. This question will help them understand whether deadlines motivate you to plan things out and get work done, or simply stress you out.
Answer framework
Use the STAR-L approach
This approach helps you to give a detailed and thorough answer by checking off each important component of your story.
Situation: Give important and relevant details about the circumstances.
Task: Describe the main duties that you needed to complete.
Action: Outline the steps you took to meet your goals.
Learning: Detail what you’d repeat or do differently in the future.
Sample answers
I was on a four-person team in school, and we had to work together to study a problem and deliver a report with recommendations. The four of us did not know each other well, and we only had a month to finish the project. In order to get things started, I gathered everyone’s contact information and got everyone to agree on a time and a place to meet to kick off the project. When we met face to face, we discussed what it would take to complete the project, and assigned roles and deadlines to the team members. It was a lot of work, especially pulling all of the information together at the end. But we got it done, and we got an A on the project. That experience taught me about how important it is to get everyone onboard from the beginning of the project to create a plan, and then to make sure that the work is getting done on time. Why this answer worked well:The story was relatable and authentic, which helped the interviewer get to know the candidate.The candidate showed that they are a self-starter with the confidence to step up as a leader.The answer ended on a positive note, demonstrating personal experience with the value of managing a project well.
Tips
- Make a list of five interesting stories that highlight your best qualities and relevant experience.
- Practice using these stories to answer different questions.
- It’s okay to talk about challenges and failures, but emphasize the positive lessons that you and your team members learned.