Project Coordinator Interview Questions
Project Coordinators are found in companies of all types. Their primary role is to monitor and track the progress of a project and to troubleshoot any issues that arise. They’re also the point of contact for the project and in charge of communicating regular updates to the team. Typical requirements for this role include a working knowledge of MS Office and a BS/BA in a related field. PMP/PRINCE II certification is a plus.
Project Coordinators are organized, detail-oriented and resourceful. They have good quantitative analysis skills and can translate numerical reports into to-do items on the project plan and insights for client or management updates. They also possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
Evaluate these skills using the open-ended and situational interview questions below. Your goal is to start a conversation that will help you learn about their knowledge of project management as a discipline, including related tools, reports, and processes. In many cases, the questions they ask will be more important than the questions you ask. Outstanding candidates for this position will ask smart, specific questions of their own.
Operational and Situational questions
- In as much detail as possible, describe one of the more complex projects you worked on. Who was involved? What was the goal? What was your role in pulling it all together?
- What books or ideas help you in your work on a daily basis?
- What’s your approach to providing regular project updates to the rest of the team?
- What tools you use to track labor and expenses for a project?
- What kinds of reports have you prepared for clients and management teams?
- At previous jobs, how have you helped to reduce costs, save time, or increase revenue?
- If you report to more than one person, how do you prioritize your work?
- What would you do if you worked hard on a project, and your manager told you to abandon it and start from scratch in a different way?
- How do you keep your teammates motivated in the face of tight deadlines?
- What’s your approach to conducting productive meetings?
- Describe a time your teammates disagreed with the way a project was being executed. How did you handle it?
- Describe a time you had to give a client bad news about a project.
- How often do you liaise with clients on behalf of the company/your boss?
- How would you explain your role in this project to another team in this company?