Operations manager first-round interview questions

Operations managers keep work running, fix what's broken, and get the best from a team. These questions ask for real problems and real changes the candidate made.

The questions

1Tell me about a process you improved. What was going wrong, what did you change, and how did you know it worked?Scores: Improving processes
2Describe a time you introduced a change people resisted. How did you bring them along?Scores: Improving processes
3Tell me about a time something went badly wrong in your operation. What did you do first, and what did you do to stop it happening again?Scores: Solving problems under pressure
4Describe a time you had to make a decision quickly without all the information. How did you decide?Scores: Solving problems under pressure
5Tell me about a time someone on your team wasn't meeting expectations. What did you do, and how did it end?Scores: Leading a team

The rubric

Improving processes: Finds where work breaks down, changes it, and checks that the change helped.; Listen for: A measured before and after, and a change the team actually kept using.
Solving problems under pressure: Stays clear-headed when things go wrong and deals with the cause as well as the symptom.; Listen for: A calm order of actions, clear communication during the problem, and a lasting fix afterwards.
Leading a team: Sets clear expectations, supports people, and deals with performance problems directly.; Listen for: An early, direct conversation, clear expectations, and support, with a fair outcome either way.

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