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Program Manager Interviews

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Program Manager Interview Questions

Program managers are responsible for overseeing several company projects that are connected by a common goal. Employers are looking for candidates who excel at people management and conflict resolution. Interviewers will want to know about your leadership and multitasking skills, so come ready to discuss a time you were able to successfully motivate a group to meet an imminent deadline or any experience diffusing issues between coworkers.

Top Program Manager Interview Questions & How to Answer

Question 1

Question #1: What are the warning signs a program might be at risk?

How to answer
How to answer: Interviewers want to know you can identify and solve problems. When answering this question, explain potential risks to a program, as well as how to eliminate these risks with problem-solving skills.
Question 2

Question #2: What is the difference between a program manager and a project manager?

How to answer
How to answer: You want employers to know you have a strong understanding of the job description. If asked this question, explain the key differences between program managers and project managers, including the fact that program managers take a more strategic approach to their position. Go on to explain the strategies you would use if you were hired for the position.
Question 3

Question #3: How do you keep a program on track?

How to answer
How to answer: The duties of a program manager include pacing the team, keeping up with deadlines, and solving problems. An interviewer may be interested in how you resolve conflict in the workplace to keep things on track. They may also want to know your planning process, how you stay organized, and how you communicate with team members.

20,591 program manager interview questions shared by candidates

Type will provide you with a case that you must solve. It will normally be an issue or problem they had in the past or a currently working on. They will want to see your thought process. They will be looking to see how analytical and creative you are.
avatar

Senior Marketing Programs Manager

Interviewed at Microsoft

4★
Sep 2, 2013

Type will provide you with a case that you must solve. It will normally be an issue or problem they had in the past or a currently working on. They will want to see your thought process. They will be looking to see how analytical and creative you are.

Pretty easy question but it's one that you can over think by asking a lot of questions! You are going to have a showing next week for a new search program your making for enterprise businesses. Unfortunately, you have two large problems- 1) scalability 2) inputted data is getting lost in translation (u don't know where it is, but you can't view it in the end). You only can fix one before the showing, which one and why?
avatar

Program Manager

Interviewed at Microsoft

4★
Dec 9, 2013

Pretty easy question but it's one that you can over think by asking a lot of questions! You are going to have a showing next week for a new search program your making for enterprise businesses. Unfortunately, you have two large problems- 1) scalability 2) inputted data is getting lost in translation (u don't know where it is, but you can't view it in the end). You only can fix one before the showing, which one and why?

None of the questions were all that difficult and they mostly pertained to what I spoke to them about. With a program manager interview if you are confident and have strong interests in something specific, then steer the interview to a that interest. For example, I have a lot of interest with collaboration in China and whenever I brought that up, they used scenarios that had to do with doing business with China. It was great. The last interviewer asked me to design a calculator, which is a question someone else received in the glassdoor reviews so I would prepare for that one.
avatar

Senior Program Manager

Interviewed at Microsoft

4★
Nov 14, 2013

None of the questions were all that difficult and they mostly pertained to what I spoke to them about. With a program manager interview if you are confident and have strong interests in something specific, then steer the interview to a that interest. For example, I have a lot of interest with collaboration in China and whenever I brought that up, they used scenarios that had to do with doing business with China. It was great. The last interviewer asked me to design a calculator, which is a question someone else received in the glassdoor reviews so I would prepare for that one.

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