Construction Manager Interview Questions & Answers
Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.
Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:
- Time-management skills
- Leadership skills
- Customer service skills
- Decision-making skills
- Business skills
- Taking initiative
- Technical skills
- Analytical skills
- Speaking skills
- Writing skills
In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for Construction Manager positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!
Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.
Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates
Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.
Analytical skills.
Why interviewers are interested in your analytical skills:
Construction managers plan project strategies, handle unexpected issues and delays and solve problems that arise over the course of the project. In addition, many managers use cost-estimating and planning software to determine costs and the materials and time required to complete projects.
Business skills
Why interviewers are interested in your business skills:
Construction managers address budget matters and coordinate and supervise workers. Choosing competent staff and establishing good working relationships with them is critical.
Related: What Does a Construction Consultant Do?
Customer service skills
Why interviewers are interested in your customer service skills:
Construction managers are in constant contact with owners, inspectors, and the public. They must form good working relationships with these people and ensure their needs are met.
Learn more about customer service interview questions and how to answer them!
Decision-making skills
Why interviewers are interested in your decision-making skills:
Construction managers choose personnel and subcontractors for specific tasks and jobs. Often, these choices must be made quickly to meet deadlines and budgets.
Related: What Does a Commercial Roofer Do?
Taking initiative
Why interviewers are interested in your initiative skills:
Self-employed construction managers generate their own business opportunities and must be proactive in finding new clients. They often market their services and bid on jobs, and they must also learn to perform special home improvement projects, such as installing mosaic glass tiles, sanding wood floors, and insulating homes.
Leadership skills
Why interviewers are interested in your leadership skills:
Construction managers must effectively delegate tasks to construction workers, subcontractors, and other lower-level managers.
Learn more about leadership interview questions and how to answer them!
Speaking skills
Why interviewers are interested in your speaking skills:
Construction managers must give clear orders, explain complex information to construction workers and clients, and discuss technical details with other building specialists, such as architects. Self-employed construction managers must get their own projects, so the need to sell their services to potential clients is critical.
Technical skills
Why interviewers are interested in your technical skills:
Construction managers must know construction methods and technologies and must be able to interpret contracts and technical drawings.
Time-management skills
Why interviewers are interested in your time-management skills:
Construction managers must meet deadlines. They ensure that construction phases are completed on time so that the next phase can begin as scheduled. For instance, a building’s foundation cannot be constructed until the land is completely excavated.
Learn more about time-management interview questions and how to answer them!
Writing skills
Why interviewers are interested in your writing skills:
Construction managers must write proposals, plans, and budgets, as well as document the progress of the work for clients and others involved in the building process.
(source: bls.gov)
Construction Manager Job Interview Questions & Answers
During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:
- Employment history
- Skills and abilities
- Accomplishments
- Job qualifications
- Educational background
- Career goals
- Personality
Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.
Examples Of General Construction Manager Interview Questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- How would you describe yourself?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What interests you about this position?
- Walk me through your resume.
- What motivates you?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- Describe your work ethic.
- What is your greatest strength?
- How does your experience qualify you for this job?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
- What are your expectations for this position?
- What are your career goals?
- Why should we hire you?
- What did you like most about your last position?
- What did you like least about your last position?
- How do you handle stress?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!
Examples Of Specific Construction Manager Behavioral Interview Questions
Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.
- Tell me about the biggest or most challenging project you have managed. What made it a challenge?
- What is your strategy to keep workers motivated to perform with time constraints, changing requests, etc.?
- How do you structure your team for a project? What aspects do you consider?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What happened? What did you learn from it?
- Give me an example of how you have dealt with difficult team members.
- Tell me about the factors you consider before you negotiate a contract or rate.
- How would you deal with a situation where extreme weather causes delays in your project?
- Give me an example of a time you needed to take action because a project fell behind or exceeded budget. What did you do?
- How do you deal with stressful situations? Tell me about a time you were under pressure while working on a project.
- Tell me about a time you thought outside of the box to solve a problem.
- Give me an example of the project management tools you prefer to work with. Why?
- Describe a time a worker disregarded your instructions for their part of the project. What actions did you take?
Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.