How to ace change management questions in an interview
What is change management? Change management refers to the steps taken to prepare and support individuals or teams during organizational transformations or transitions. Essentially, it's about gracefully managing the changes that any organization goes through.
When asking about your experience in change management, interviewers may want you to use the checklist of 7 Rs to explain the situation:
- Who Raised the change?
- What’s the Reason for the change?
- What Return is required from the change?
- What are the Risks involved in the change?
- What Resources are required to deliver the change?
- Who is Responsible for building, testing, and implementing the change?
- What is the Relationship between this change and other changes?
In preparation for your interview, look at our change management interview questions and answers.
Common change management interview questions
During the interview, the hiring manager wants to see the following:
- Can you recognize when change needs to take place?
- Are you able to create plans with realistic tasks and appropriate metrics?
- Do you know how to handle those opposed to change?
- If needed, how do you manage corrective actions?
Make sure your real-life examples answer these questions to provide a well-rounded picture of how you handle change. Get insight into what employers are looking for with our change management interview guide.
Q: How would you communicate the need for an immediate change of a process to your team?
This question speaks to your great communication skills and ability to lead a team. If you are methodical and logical in such situations, you will reduce the negative impact of the change.
Sample answer: “I would first explain the current situation to my team to show them why the change is necessary. I’d use open and honest communication with them to outline how the change would affect them and what the process would be to implement the change. I’d assign individual tasks to get the ball rolling and then open the floor to questions and concerns.”
Q: Tell us about a time when you identified that a change needed to take place and how you went about implementing it.
Are you able to spot inefficiencies and streamline processes? Employers want employees who can proactively improve operations and mitigate future risks.
Sample answer: “I was a supervisor in a manufacturing plant when I realized that we could increase our profit margin by 13% if we eliminated two process steps, with only a slight change in the final product. I presented the data to the management team on the reduction in expenses, the cost to remove the extra steps, and the differences in the output. The change was successful and even reduced errors by 4%.”
Q: When assessing risks, what metrics do you employ?
Metrics are a crucial part of change management because the results show areas for improvement and the difference in performance due to the change. Demonstrate that you are measuring results regularly and comprehensively.
Sample answer: “In evaluating risks, I first identify the risks I expect to occur and then consider those that actually do occur. I measure the impact of the risks on the business and the costs involved. Finally, I note the frequency of the risks and how effective the solutions in place are.”
Final thoughts
Change is inevitable, and employers are looking for candidates who can maintain a positive attitude while implementing what’s best for the company. At the end of your interview, ask questions to express your interest in the position. Along with our change management interview questions, take a look at our adaptability questions and answers to prepare for your interview.
