General Manager

Management job interview questions about motivating staff or delegating tasks are common in management interviews. When you answer them you should focus on communication and team building, "I do my best to show recognition and acknowledgement to all employees that meet goals, which keeps morale high and employees on task. Also, when applicable, I keep tasks interdependent within the team, so that staff members require and encourage fellow staff members to complete their work."

Humility is one of the most important traits of all employees, especially managers. Candidates will claim they are humble and could put on a good show during the interview. They'll even tell you how meaningful they consider constructive criticism. This question tests to what degree their actions match their words.

While there is really no right or wrong answer, I can often deduce the overall work style of a job candidate by their response. If they say they are a cautious, careful driver I tend to learn that they are a little gun shy when it comes to making decisions at work as it relates to their daily responsibilities. They often will need a secondary party before they can move forward. If they respond that they are fast or aggressive or they get where they need to when they need to and on time, I often deduce that the candidate has a more confident, determined approach.

What do you believe are the biggest challenges your company faces in the near future?

Can you tell me what brought you to work for the company, (this question is aimed at the interviewer).

What do you believe are the coming trends in your industry and how do you feel your company is positioned to take them on.

Following on from our conversation today and my belief that I am a suitable candidate for your position. If my application is successful when do you think I would be required to start work? (ask this right at the end).

Begin weekly or daily inventory on highest price items or desirable items. Have Pre-shift meetings about portion size and waste. Require managers to check all orders in and verify with vendor. Verify that items are being correctly rung in or charged for. Investigate discounts, coupons and comp %. Watch for any unusual patterns with numbers or behavior.

If I had a time machines I would go back to University and taken a degree in Business Studies rather than Hospitality.

I stayed too many years in a job that was stable but didn't offer me enough challenges or opportunities for growth.

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden said it best: "A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment." Excellent managers project humility and kindness while at the same time confronting employees who are not in line with company goals.

Asking a question like this is vital so as to get an insight into not only how quick the individual can think when under pressure but how the candidate plans on using his or her experience, skills and qualifications to face various challenges that might come up along the way if hired to become the general manager. Based on the answer given you might gauge if the candidate is the sort of person that is afraid of challenge or if he or she is the rare kind to be motivated by the appearance of a challenge and is willing to face it head long.

See if the guest would like a replacement or if they would like another entree to replace the one they do not like. Make sure to expedite the entree as quickly as possible and check to make sure the guest is happy.

Initiative and problem solving are two important characteristics of successful managers. A strong leader should be able to regale you with details of multiple times they solved a problem without needing their supervisor to tap them on the shoulder - or kick them in the behind.

No, never punctually is one of my main attributes.

Sometimes it is difficult for me to get a sense of my own achievement in a big company like my present employer.

There are very few opportunities for advancement with my present employer who are a small company.

What NOT to mention:

Overtime issues.

Salary expectations.

I ask this instead of asking a job applicant where they see themselves professionally in five to ten years because their response allows me to determine the level of motivation and commitment for the position. If the response is overly ambitious, that's a red flag.

You should answer this question with specific examples of methods you use to delegate tasks, "For each staff member I create a sheet of detailed, relevant tasks and estimated deadlines. I then meet with each staff member individually to ensure they also agree to the deadlines and answer any questions they have. I also schedule regular work in progress meetings to check in on their status."

This really depends on what my co-worker is doing, the severity of their actions and the specific problems or disruption that they may be causing. Having said that no matter what the situation is, I would always remain in control of any situation and concentrate on my work. I would not take any arguments or heated discussions personally or hold grudges against work colleagues.

I would avoid them and only talk to them or cooperate with them when required to in the course of my daily duties.

There are a number of complex challenges that managers now face including having access to fewer resources, managing more specialized and more diverse teams and having to operate within a constantly changing and highly competitive environment. Relate your answer to the knowledge you have of the job, the company and the industry.

Be positive but do not go over the top. For instance comment on how associates have in the past remarked on your friendly attitude, thoroughness and ability to get things done on time.

We can review if we can still do something to improve the taste, presentation and portion. Otherwise, remove it from the menu and replace it with something seemingly saleable.