Interview Question Samples to Assess Planning Skills

Interview Questions to Help You Assess a Candidate's Planning Ability

Smiling woman demonstrates her skill in planning during an interview.
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These sample interview questions about planning enable you to assess the planning skills of the candidate you are interviewing. Your candidate's responses to your interview questions about planning will help you to determine whether planning skills are a part of their job skill set.

Planning prowess is necessary for all jobs, but it is exceptionally important in positions such as manager, project planner and manager, administrative assistant, and quality management and control.

You can use these sample interview questions in your own interviews. Find out more during the interview about your applicant's job skills in planning.

You don't need to ask all of these questions, but if planning is an important part of the job for which you are hiring, pick several planning questions to ask each person that you interview. Make sure that you ask the same planning skill questions of each person you interview so that you can compare and contrast their responses.

Planning Job Interview Questions

  • Assigned to lead a new project, outline the steps that you have taken in the past, or would take in the future, to get the project on track and moving?
  • What would you develop to ensure that you and the team are measuring the effectiveness of their planning and execution of the plan?
  • Describe the work environment or culture in which you are most productive and happy.
  • Have you ever participated in a team that required you to cooperate in the planning of a project? How would you describe the role that you played?
  • Describe the components of your past jobs that had to do with planning. How effective was your performance in this planning role?
  • During your most recent team project, how did you participate in the planning of the project? Describe your role in accomplishing the action steps needed to complete the project. How did you measure the success of the project?
  • What career goals have you set for your life? What is your plan to accomplish them?
  • What is your plan for your career? How would you define “success” for your career?
  • At the end of your work life, what must have been present for you to feel as if you had a successful career?
  • How would team members describe the role you played and the effectiveness of your contribution to a recent team project, department planning effort, or project?
  • What are three tips you'd offer anyone who takes on a role that involves planning, making projections, and accountability for decisions?
  • Describe any responsibilities that you have had in the past for manpower planning, materials and supply planning, shipping schedules, or vendor interaction?
  • Describe the actions and behaviors of your manager or supervisor that you respond to most positively when you are participating in a project team activity.
  • What is the personal style and contributions of the team member who will report to you most successfully? How have you managed such a colleague in the past?
  • If you've had no hands-on experience in business planning in the past, what makes you believe that you would successfully handle this role in our job?
  • Describe the process that you used to develop a strategic plan for your department, section, or overall organization.
  • When you look ahead to the upcoming year, what accomplishments will enable you to feel that your job performance and contribution were successful?
  • When you look ahead to the upcoming year, what would make you believe that you had failed in your job?

Planning Job Interview Question Answers

These tips about how to assess your candidate’s answers to interview questions about planning will assist you to select the best, most motivated employees for your organization.

You seek an employee who can confidently and effectively lead a project team. Or, you want to hire an employee who can demonstrate a track record of success in personal planning, team planning, and/or departmental planning.

Assuming the role for which you are hiring an employee involves planning, listen for past actions that demonstrate that the applicant can facilitate planning, make goal-setting happen, and provide the project management skills you need.

Past successes speak more loudly in the interview setting than the applicant's projections about what he or she "thinks" that he or she would do in a planning situation in the future.

You want an employee who has demonstrated the skills needed in the past or an employee who is interested and capable of learning the planning skills.

Sample Job Interview Questions for Employers

Use these sample job interview questions when you interview potential employees.