The hiring manager interview
Hiring manager interview questions
The hiring manager interview often comes after the recruiter screen, with the person you'd likely report to. Expect questions about the work in the posting: times you've done it, what you'd do first in a situation from the job, and follow-ups on what you leave out. It usually ends with your questions for them.
What hiring managers look for in an interview
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Whether you can do the job
Indeed's career guide says hiring managers need to know you can do the tasks of the job, so they ask questions to see whether your background fits.
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What you've actually done
Behavioral questions ask about real past events. According to the interview guide from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), past behavior in similar circumstances is the best predictor of future behavior on the job.
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How you'd handle something new
Situational questions give you a realistic problem from the job. GitLab's interviewer handbook says they show your approach even if you haven't had the chance to do that work before.
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How you'd work together
Every manager leads differently, and Indeed's career guide says the hiring manager checks whether the way you like to be managed fits how they lead.
The questions they ask, and what to say
Hiring managers typically write the job overview for the listing, Indeed's career guide says, and you'll likely get questions about the posting. Prepare one real story for each duty it lists. An Amazon recruiting manager gives candidates similar advice.
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“Walk me through your background.”
SayAbout a minute on the parts of your career that fit this job, ending on why you applied.
Don't sayYour résumé, job by job, starting with your first one.
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“Why this role?”
Say“You need [a duty from the posting]. I've done that at [type of company], and it's the part of my work I want more of.”
Don't sayA reason that would fit any job at any company.
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“Tell me about a time you [a duty from the posting].”
SayThe situation in a sentence, what you did, and how it turned out, with a number.
Don't say“I usually…” and a general answer. They asked about one time.
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“[A situation from the job]. What would you do first?”
SayYour first step and why, then the next one. Say what you'd check before you act.
Don't say“It depends,” and nothing after it. Say what it depends on, then pick.
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“What would you say to [a customer or coworker] who [a problem]?”
SayThe words you'd actually use, said to them as if they were in the room.
Don't sayA summary, like “I'd explain the situation calmly.”
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“How do you like to be managed?”
Say“I do my best work with clear goals, a weekly check-in and room to work in between.”
Don't say“I don't need much managing,” or a guess at what they want to hear.
The follow-ups, and what to say
Follow-ups ask for what your first answer skipped. OPM's guide calls them probes and says they clarify an answer or make sure you've given enough information. Its tip sheet for hiring managers says to ask about your specific role in past jobs. Have an answer ready for each of these.
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“What did you do yourself, and what did the team do?”
Say“The team built [thing]. My part was [task], and I made the call to [decision].”
Don't sayClaiming the whole result, or hiding your part behind “we.”
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“That's table stakes. What was different about yours?”
SayThe one choice you made that most people wouldn't have, and what it changed.
Don't sayThe same answer again, with bigger adjectives.
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“How did you know it worked?”
SayThe number before and after, and where you got it.
Don't say“Everyone was happy with it.”
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“What did you put in place so it doesn't happen again?”
SayThe lasting fix, like a checklist, an alert or a new handoff step, and how long it has held.
Don't say“We were more careful after that.”
What a hiring manager holds against you
The red flags a scorecard for this round lists, with the quote that raised each one.
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Badmouthing a past boss or team
48% of hiring managers in a CareerBuilder survey called it an instant deal breaker.
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Blaming others for how it turned out
52% in the same survey called seeming to lack accountability a deal breaker.
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A story with no result
They hear your effort and get no proof. Say how it turned out, with a number if you have one.
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The team's result told as yours
The next question is what you did yourself. Name your part before they ask.
Questions to ask the hiring manager
When they ask “What questions do you have for me?”, ask about the work and the team you'd join. OPM's tip sheet reminds hiring managers that candidates are evaluating them too. Keep pay questions for the recruiter. GitLab's handbook, for one, tells its interviewers to redirect them there.
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“How do you like to work with your team day to day?”
What you learn: How often you'd meet, how you'd get feedback, and whether that suits you.
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“What do the people who do well on your team have in common?”
What you learn: What they value, in their own words.
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“How has the team changed in the past year?”
What you learn: Growth, turnover or a new direction, and what you'd be walking into.
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“Is there anything in my background you'd like me to say more about?”
What you learn: A doubt you can still answer before the interview ends.
Practice the follow-ups out loud
Paste the posting or a link to it. An AI hiring manager asks the kind of questions real hiring managers ask about that job, follows up on what you skip, and ends by asking “What questions do you have for me?” Your scorecard rates five skills, from structure to communication.
Practice the hiring manager interviewMore to practice: Phone screen questions · Tell me about yourself · Reasons for leaving a job · Why do you want to work here? · Why are you interested in this position? · Where do you see yourself in 5 years? · Salary expectations · Questions to ask the interviewer · Internal interview questions · Explaining an employment gap · Behavioral interview questions · Situational interview questions · How do you handle conflict? · What is your greatest accomplishment? · What are your weaknesses? · What are your strengths? · What not to say in an interview · How to answer interview questions · Why should we hire you? · Second interview questions