Chief Operating Officer (COO) interview questions and answers

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Chief Operating Officer (COO) Interview Questions

Chief Operating Officers (COO) oversee all company procedures and day-to-day activities. They’re responsible for keeping company operations under control and executing long-term and short-term organizational plans.

Your COO will have various duties, so it’s important that they have solid experience in business environment and are able to multitask. Usually, a big part of their job is behind the scenes, so you should keep an eye out for candidates who like to organize and coordinate. A background relevant to your industry is also nice to have, as they’ll have a deeper understanding of your organizational functions and needs. For better results, tailor these questions to meet your specific job requirements.

This is a senior management position, so you should focus on professionals with excellent interpersonal skills and business acumen. Your ideal candidate will act as your company’s second-in-command. They should have strong leadership skills and be able to interpret your corporate vision into growth strategies and profitable operations.

Operational and Situational questions

• What are the most important aspects of a company’s culture?
• How do you deal with disagreements with the company CEO?
• What’s your decision making style? Give an example of a situation where you had to make a quick decision.
• Describe your typical daily tasks. How do you prioritize?
• What analysis software tools have you previously used?
• How do you prepare forecasting reports for quarterly office costs?
• Which are the most effective performance appraisal systems?
• How can you contribute to fundraising ventures?
• What company policies would you suggest we implement?
• We’ve found a new vendor for hardware supplies, who’ll decrease costs but their shipping is less reliable. What would you do?
• How do you keep track of a company’s progress? Are there specific metrics you’ve found useful?
• What’s the most effective way to give and receive feedback?

Behavioral questions

• Describe a time when the management board was struggling to reach a decision. What did you do?
• Have you ever implemented any correction moves to improve company procedures?
• Give me an example of a time-saving solution you suggested and implemented.
• Describe a situation where your team accomplished a specific goal. How did you motivate them?
• What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? How did you handle it?