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Many qualities contribute to a business’s success, but a deciding factor is the organization and supervision of its employees. Even with an exceptionally professional team, there needs to be someone around to consistently maintain order and uphold company policies. That person is the assistant manager.
If you're interested in becoming an assistant manager, we've got some tips to help you interview better, some common assistant manager job interview questions, and advice that can help you land your new career.
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The interview process is meant to uncover the substance behind an applicant’s initial resume submission. Targeted, and sometimes tricky, questions are proposed in an attempt to better understand if a candidate has the necessary qualities to tackle an assistant manager’s job.
Below are the top 20 interview questions for assistant managers, and how you should go about answering them:
Why do you want to work as an assistant manager?
Everyone has their reasons for pursuing a particular career. Some feel drawn to their work for the positive impact it leaves on society, the money they earn, or the benefits they receive from the profession.
In a role with authority, like assistant manager, a recruiter needs to assess these motivations early on.
How to Answer:
Be forthcoming in your reasons for wanting to work as an assistant manager, without giving any motivations that could be perceived as negative.
There is no wrong answer, but if you’re interested in an assistant manager position because you want to boss people around, it’s probably best to describe this more professionally. Such as, you find it motivating to lead a team.
Example Answer:
I’ve been working in supervisory roles for a little over five years now because I enjoy the challenge of the job. I’m motivated by the responsibility that’s placed on me as an assistant manager. It’s fulfilling to be an integral part of the company and depended upon.
Have you managed a team before?
Expect a hefty sum of your assistant manager interview to be about your previous experience in similar roles. Since hiring an assistant manager involves placing an enormous amount of trust in a person’s abilities, they want to make sure they have adequate experience.
How to Answer:
A key to a successful job interview is honesty. Your resume should have already given the recruiter a taste of your experience level, and they still wanted to bring you in for an interview. Remain confident in that fact and give a quick overview of your team management experience.
Example Answer:
I have managed a few teams in the past. I was promoted to my first team supervisor position in 2015, in which I oversaw five employees. Since then, I’ve managed teams with as many as 25 employees at a time.
How would your former co-workers describe you?
There’s nobody who knows your management style, personality, and work performance more intimately than your former co-workers.
While they might not be sitting in on an interview to fact-check every response you give, how you answer this question tells a hiring manager just as much about you as they would.
How to Answer:
The best way to answer this question is by being realistic about your work behaviors and how co-workers might describe you as a supervisor. This includes mentioning positive qualities, and those that aren’t as favorable if they apply. Don’t glamorize your former co-worker’s descriptions to the point of exaggeration.
Example Answer:
I’ve managed a lot of different people, who have probably seen me in varying lights. Overall though, I believe that they’d describe me as a no-nonsense type of boss who genuinely cares about his team. While I’m never going to allow poor performance to slide through the cracks, I also am understanding with my staff and want them to feel comfortable communicating with me.
What qualities do you look for when hiring employees?
One of the biggest duties an assistant manager has is hiring new employees. Since they’ll often be in the interviewer’s seat to engage with potential candidates during this task, they need to have a sharp radar for positive and employable qualities.
How to Answer:
Even if you’ve never been in charge of hiring in your previous jobs, you should still be familiar with what characteristics make for a strong employee. Bring up some of these qualities and why you consider them to be crucial.
Example Answer:
When I’m hiring new employees to bring on the team, there are a few qualities that I look for to determine if they’re a good fit. One of these is strong communication because being able to interact effectively in a team environment is crucial in this line of work. Additionally, candidates who display a generally positive personality and strong customer service skills also catch my attention when hiring.
Describe your management style.
Each assistant manager’s style of handling their team differs a little bit. Some management styles are exactly what a company is looking to integrate into its team. Others don’t exactly go with their company culture.
How to Answer:
Until doing a little research on what the varying management styles are, you might be at a loss for how to answer this question. There are many different names and definitions for management styles. You should find one that describes your tendencies as a supervisor perfectly.
Some examples of common management styles to look into include:
Authoritative
Democratic
Persuasive
Laissez-Faire
Example Answer:
I see my management as adhering most closely to a persuasive style. I think the best manner of leading a team is to form a trusting and communicative environment. This foundation of honesty allows for me to get my job done well as an assistant manager, and my team to also accomplish their work without any lingering issues.
How do you effectively delegate tasks on your team?
Oftentimes, an assistant manager is responsible for handing out tasks to employees directly under the guidance of a general supervisor.
They must decide who is the best-suited to take on each duty and have a system for monitoring progress. An interviewer asks about delegation skills to see their experience in this area.
How to Answer:
Describe the process you use for delegation to the best of your ability. Think back to how you’ve made decisions for handing out tasks in the past.
Example Answer:
I delegate tasks effectively by getting to know my team members well and building a strong professional connection. This is the best way to evaluate the responsibilities of each particular task and then make the educated choice of giving it to the right employee. Additionally, I pay attention to how employees handle duties that they’ve been given as an indication of what they can take on in the future.
Tell me about yourself.
While this is a basic question, you should always come prepared to answer it. Hiring managers want to see how you would explain yourself, your skills, and your experience.
How to Answer:
In the context of being an assistant manager, you should focus on your professional ability to be a leader and follow tasks effectively, as well as any major skills you have and accomplishments you've made. However, do remember not to go overboard and start rambling, as it is important to keep your response pointed and concise.
Example Answer:
I have been in leadership roles, including my position as a assistant manager at Hex Corp. for over 5 years now. This invaluable experience has given me the ability to coordinate team efforts, set goals, and provide clear guidance to achieve company targets.
I am an excellent communicator and have a keen eye for detail, which are essential qualities for a successful assistant manager. This allows me to prioritize collaboration and foster a positive work environment where team members feel motivated and empowered.
Overall, I am a strong leader with a passion for driving the success of the business. I am confident in my ability to develop effective strategies, and I am always looking for ways to improve myself and my work enviornment.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Companies hiring an assistant manager want to know that you will be loyal and dedicated to keeping up with the industry.
How to Answer:
Talk about how you plan to advance your management career, and how you intend to improve the store or team you'll be managing.
Example Answer:
In five years, I see myself as the assistant manager or manager who pushes positive growth and development. I will have gained even more experience and expertise that will allow me to make informed and beneficial decisions.
I am also dedicated to staying up to date on the latest trends in my field and strive to stay ahead of the curve. At the end of five years, I am confident that my dedication and hard work will be reflected in the company’s bottom line.
What are some of your professional weaknesses?
Most applicants happily step up to speak about all the great accomplishments they’ve had in their management career, but it’s a different case entirely with weaknesses.
Understanding a potential assistant manager’s weaknesses, from their perspective, is important for gathering a well-rounded picture of how they’ll act if hired.
How to Answer:
Contemplate your professional weaknesses honestly and relay this to the interviewer. Remember that having weaknesses doesn’t make you a less qualified candidate, but trying to avoid them will bring suspicion about your abilities.
Example Answer:
One of the long-standing weaknesses in my professional life that I've been trying to work on is my time management skills. While I manage to get my work accomplished by its required deadline, I’m continually stressed out to meet this mark. I’ve been trying to combat this weakness by writing out a definitive schedule for myself.
Tell me about a time you improved your team’s efficiency.
An assistant manager is expected to contribute positive changes to the team that they’re supervising. To see a candidate’s impact in previous positions, an interviewer asks experience-based questions like this one.
How to Answer:
The best way to answer interview questions that ask you to recall a former experience is by using the STAR method. This involves:
Analyzing the situation
Mentioning your responsibilities in it
Explaining your actions
Discussing the ultimate results
Example Answer:
A time that I improved my team’s efficiency in a former supervisory role was when I was working as an assistant manager at a grocery store. I was responsible for a team of ten employees, who were having a continual problem with showing up late to their shifts. It was causing tension among the staff, so I decided that it was time for a change.
I instituted a clock-in demerit system that began revoking employee’s hours if they showed up late without a valid reason more than three times. The system worked excellently, and the team’s lateness decreased overall. To this day, the grocery store still uses that lateness system for its current employees.
What have been your greatest accomplishments as an assistant manager?
In addition to getting a clear understanding of your weaknesses as an assistant manager, a recruiter also wants to know about your notable accomplishments. Your former achievements set a precedent for your skills as well.
How to Answer:
Choose, at most, a couple of professional accomplishments to discuss during an interview. Since this question specifically asks for achievements that have been reached during your time as a manager, avoid unrelated accomplishments.
Example Answer:
My greatest accomplishment as an assistant manager was being recognized for the large chain store that I worked for as “Most Valuable Assistant Manager” in my region. I was chosen for this honor out of 97 assistant managers working in my area. After working at the location diligently for more than three years, it felt incredible to be recognized for my efforts.
How would you handle an employee who was underperforming in their responsibilities?
The reality of an assistant manager’s job is dealing with employees whose performance isn’t living up to expectation.
As the leader of the team, you need to be equipped with the proper attitude and techniques for handling underperforming employees. You’ll likely get a few situational interview questions like this one to evaluate your skills in this area of management.
How to Answer:
The most complete method for answering this type of question is to pull an example of a time you had to handle this situation. If you have previous experience in management, you’ll probably have at least a few memories of underperforming employees who you had to handle. Describe the situation, your actions, and the result.
Example Answer:
I’ve had experiences with employees who weren’t performing to the best of their abilities before, and I believe I would handle it the same way in the future. Initially, when I noticed a particular employee was falling behind, I’d have a chat with them one-on-one to bring up the issue. Many times, this was all the intervention it took to change their ways. If they still don’t change after an initial prompting, I would bring my supervisor’s attention to the matter.
Are you prepared to work long hours with demanding supervisory tasks?
Assistant managers are the people who ensure that everything is done properly.
This means that they often have to work longer hours to meet the demands of their role, which can be difficult for many. An interviewer wants to make sure that a candidate is prepared to take on extended hours if hired.
How to Answer:
Be straightforward with your willingness to work long hours. It’s okay to set boundaries, but make sure you mention them early on.
Example Answer:
“Yes, I am fully prepared and available to take on long shifts and demanding responsibilities. While I’d be willing to work overtime and shifts longer than eight hours when needed, I would need at least Sunday mornings off from work.”
Tell me about a time you dealt with conflict in a former management position.
Since assistant managers need to act as the mediator for conflicts between employees and customers, a recruiter wants to make sure that they’re well-versed in these skills.
Asking questions about how a candidate handled a former conflict shows them how they intend to act in the future.
How to Answer:
This is another question that’s best answered by relying on the STAR method. Emphasize the details of the situation, mention your responsibilities and actions, and discuss the outcome.
Example Answer:
In a previous position, I was the assistant manager for a well-known retailer that employed a lot of people working in their first position. I loved working with people new to the professional world, but it did present some challenges. In one situation, two employees had formed an inappropriate professional relationship that ended on bad terms, and it ended up bringing conflict into the workplace.
I spoke with each employee separately about their contribution to the negative situation and we came up with the solution to alter the schedule temporarily. This action ended up working well and the pair didn’t have any more issues at work.
If you’re given several tasks, how do you prioritize and organize?
Planning and organization are crucial skills for an assistant manager to have. Interviewers want to ensure that you have what it takes to run a tight ship and keep things in order.
How to Answer:
Detail your skills and explain your particular method for handling the work you’re given.
Example Answer:
Proper prioritization and organization is key, and I do so by identifying the tasks that are most time sensitive or crucial to success. These will be the tasks that I will perform first and ensure I communicate with my team about.
Once I've identified my priorities, I use a combination of time management techniques and organizational tools to stay focused and on track. I might use a to-do list or task management software to keep track of my tasks, and I block out time in my calendar to work on those tasks.
I also make sure to delegate tasks to the appropriate team members based on their skills and availability. This not only helps to ensure that the work gets done efficiently, but also empowers my team members to take ownership of their work and develop their skills.
What qualities do you believe make a successful manager?
Interviewers are keen to find out what qualities a candidate thinks are important to success as an assistant manager because it tells them what abilities they value in their performance. Their answer can also illuminate their management style more.
How to Answer:
Bring up a few relevant qualities that you believe are crucial to being an assistant manager, and also speak about why these, in particular, are so crucial.
Example Answer:
In my experience as an assistant manager, there are a few qualities that contribute greatly to success. One of these is communication because if you can’t communicate with your staff, then you’ll never be able to lead them effectively. I also think that time management and organization are important to being an assistant manager because you’re responsible for so many varying tasks.
Tell me how you’ve managed a dispute.
This is one of those great open-ended questions. The purpose is to ensure you know how to professionally handle and resolve conflicts between two opposing parties.
How to Answer:
If you have personal job-related stories regarding this topic, make use of those. However, even if you don't there are ways you can effectively showcase your abilities. For example, you could talk about how you saved a family dynamic, created acceptance among friends, or won a battle with a retailer.
Example Answer:
I have a great deal of experience managing disputes. I have found that the most important thing is to remain calm and professional throughout the process, and prioritize the fostering of a positive workplace culture.
One time, two of my employees had gotten into an argument over who should be responsible for restocking a particular section of the store. The argument escalated to the point where both refused to speak to each other.
I first approached each employee separately to get their perspective on the situation and ensured they knew I was listening to their concerns.
Next, I gathered both employees together in a private meeting to facilitate constructive dialogue. I encouraged them to share their perspectives and concerns, and suggested we assign tasks on an alternating schedule, so both employees would have the opportunity to do the task they preferred.
Afterward, the situation resolved itself over time. I checked in on the employees again after two weeks, and luckily their relationship had recovered.
Why do you want to work here?
Interviewers want to know why you chose their company to apply to. After all, you could have picked any other company.
How to Answer:
A good answer to this question will be specific to the company you're applying for. This is why it's important to research the company before the interview, so you can use that knowledge to explain why you want to work there.
Example Answer:
I want to work here because I believe my leadership style is a perfect fit for your team, and my guidance will help you meet sales goals on the floor. Your mission statement of "Innovative products for exceptional customers", speaks to me, in that I believe innovation in management is the first step toward creating an exceptional customer experience.
What will you contribute to our company?
This is another way of asking a candidate “why should we hire you?” in an interview. The hiring manager wants to know what you’ll bring to the team that’s so special from other candidates if you’re hired.
How to Answer:
It can be awkward to pitch yourself succinctly under the pressure of an interview, but that’s what an interviewer is looking for when they ask this question. Summarize your skills, experience, and character in a way that entices the employer into wanting you on the team.
Example Answer:
If I was hired for this role, I intend to contribute strong leadership to your company. While your organization has many effective leaders working already, I believe that my management background and style would strengthen the team even further.
Don’t get too excited just yet when you hear this question from a recruiter, because they’re likely just trying to organize and schedule. They need to keep this information on every candidate they interview for a management role to avoid surprises if they move forward with the hiring process.
How to Answer:
Be prepared for an interviewer to ask about your availability and potential start date during an interview by evaluating your schedule beforehand. Provide an accurate range of availability according to your situation.
Example Answer:
I would need to provide my current job with a standard two-week notice to abide by our original hiring agreement. With that in mind, I would be able to start the week of Monday, March 22nd.
Can you name some improvements you would make as an assistant manager?
Do you have experience managing a team with limited resources?
Are you prepared to work overtime or during holidays?
What do you know about our company?
How do you handle personality conflict with coworkers?
Have you ever had one of your employees approach you with an innovative idea? How did you respond?
Tell me about a time you implemented an out-of-the-box solution. If so, were you successful?
Do you have any questions for me?
Tell me about a time you tackled a task you’d never done before.
What is one of your greatest successes on the job?
All of the possible Interview questions for the Assistant Manager job might seem overwhelming at first, but there are some effective steps you can take to prepare:
As a Candidate:Research. Look into the company you're applying for and try to discover how they typically run their business, who they employ, etc. Going into your interview with this knowledge will make it easier to talk about your relevant skills.
Problem-solving Examples. Think of a time you were able to resolve a dispute or implement an out-of-the-box solution. These stills are crucial for anyone in a managerial position to have, so you should come prepared with a few different examples.
Examples of Leadership. Compose specific examples of times when you showed exceptional leadership, especially in high-stress situations. These examples are the best way for you to show an interviewer that you're capable of undertaking a management position.
Review the Job Description. Use the job description to construct your ideal candidate, but do not overlook candidates who are proven to be good communicators and excellent leaders.
Explain Responsibilities. Ensure your candidates are aware of the responsibilities they would have as an assistant manager. This includes things like how the facility typically operates, how many employees they'll manage, and more.
Provide a Timeline. Provide your prospective assistant manager with an accurate hiring process timeline.
From retail stores to beauty salons, assistant managers are hired to facilitate employee success and supervise the team. Their tasks often involve hiring new staff members, assisting in the onboarding process, and monitoring continual progress throughout their employment.
This includes formulating the weekly schedule, providing motivation and disciplinary action when needed, and overseeing general organization.
An assistant manager is well-studied on the company’s rules, ethics, and procedures to keep the business running smoothly. They work in direct contact with the employees, customers, and higher-ups within the organization, meaning that they must be able to successfully engage with a lot of different types of people professionally.
Since assistant managers are second-in-command behind the manager of a company and have a great deal of impact on the growth of a team, recruiters strive for hiring candidates who demonstrate particular skills.
Some of the most important skills for assistant management positions include:
Problem-solving
Expert communication
Organization